27- My Car Destroyed, I Filled with Happiness

A young man, whom I once met in a European city, narrated to me the following true story:

 “I used to own a new car which was destroyed completely in an accident; I then bought the one that I am using now. I was very happy when the first car was destroyed because I felt I deserved that. It all started when I arrived to this city. I’d resolved to refrain from any sinful activity that would defile my body. My first job was, like many others newly arrived immigrants, in a restaurant. My boss was a lady who never missed an opportunity to get close to me. She told me of her wish to divorce her husband and to marry me. I refused and expressed full disagreement with such a relationship. However, she asked the manager that I accompany her on some errands, believing that our being alone in the car would influence my decision. I nevertheless insisted on my initial course of action and managed to rebuff all her advances until one particular instance, when I weakened, but not to the extent of falling completely into sin. I was quite upset and felt that I had lost much. She, on the other hand, thought that I was a very insensitive person.

Although I repented, confessed and promised God to resign from that job, my sin remained before my eyes and I felt that I deserved some form of Divine chastisement.

A few days later, while driving with a friend, we started listening to some trashy songs. I quickly replaced the tape with one that had a recording of the liturgy of the Eucharist. At the point where the priest was saying, “Worthy and just, worthy and just ...”, a drunk jumped towards the car; I swerved to avoid hitting him, but lost control in the process. The car rolled five times in the ditch. Miraculously, though my friend and I found ourselves out of the car, despite the fact that our seat belts had been fastened. I looked at my friend and said, “I am very happy!” My friend thought that I was hallucinating because of the accident. Nevertheless, I continued saying, “I know that God has permitted that the car be destroyed. I thank Him for His love and caring.”

The policeman who subsequently came to investigate the accident was quite surprised to find that we emerged unscathed. He remarked that a week earlier, another car had a similar accident in that location and its occupants had perished.

I returned home rejoicing and feeling that I had gained much even though I didn’t have enough money to buy a new car and my insurance coverage was inadequate for that accident.

I didn’t immediately quit my job, though. My female boss then started a different tactic: she started applying various means of pressure such as yelling at me in front of my colleagues and accusing me of being too slow. Things finally came to a head and I resigned despite her attempts to dissuade me.

I eventually found a much better job. I felt that the hand of God has rewarded me since I considered that the salvation of my soul was of primary importance despite the difficult circumstances.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: تحطمت سيارتي وملأني الفرح!

He Slapped Me

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Be More Mature