202- A Cluster of Grapes

 

St-Takla.org Image: Grape with grape leaves. صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: نبات العنب مع ورق عنب.

When a vinedresser saw that his vine had produced a cluster earlier than its regular season, he offered it to the great St. Makarius as a present. The saint received it with great joy and sent it to a sick monk in the monastery saying, “Perhaps this monk needs it most.”

 The sick monk was very happy to feel the saint's concern but before eating the grapes he said to the messenger, “There is another monk who needs this bunch more than me.”

 Every time the bunch was brought to one monk, he would think of the others and send it off another way. Finally the bunch came back to St. Makarius. The saint raised his eyes towards God and thanked him for the love, asceticism and sacrifice of the monks. What really pleased the saint’s heart was that all the monks had one attitude towards each other. St. Makarius praised the Lord who turned the monks into an orchard carrying the fruits of true love.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: عنقود العنب.

Let Your Holy Spirit work in us.

Endow us with the fruits of the soul so that we carry Your love.

The Conquered Demon

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

In the Right Moment