265- The Dead Leaves of the Trees

 As the World War I ended and peace was back to Europe, Michael and his family went on a visit to Belgium at the beginning of the spring. After two days, Michael, his wife and their son Mark went for a walk out of town, several miles away from the hotel. The roads were full of guns, tanks, military cars and other equipment left over by the Germans after they had left the area. The sun was shining and the weather wonderful.

Mark asked his father about the equipment and why the Germans had left it all behind.

Father explained, “The Germans didn’t bother about the equipment that much as it’s nothing compared to the millions of people killed and the countries that were destroyed. Human life is more precious than anything in the world.”

 Mark then asked wondering, “Why do people go to war and kill each other?”

While they were walking the dead leaves of the trees started falling on his head and his clothes. He asked, “Why are there dead leaves when the weather is so beautiful and the trees are supposed to bloom in the spring?”

His dad answered, “These leaves died because of the cold winter and they lost their connection with the branches. In the beginning of spring, there are no new branches or flowers yet, but there are very small invisible buds. When those buds start growing the dead leaves fall, not because of the sun or the winds but because of the hidden life starting in these growing buds.”

Mark replied,

“Then even if life is hidden in a small bud, it is still stronger than death.”

 Michael said, “That is true and this is our daily experience with Jesus who was resurrected from death. Every morning, when we remember our resurrection with Jesus, the dead leaves in our old man fall, while the buds of good work in our new man grow continuously. Our sins are destroyed no matter how deep they are because they are alien to our nature. Instead of worrying about the dead leaves, we should care about the lives of the new buds, since as they appear the dead leaves will fall. If we looked at the new life given to us by Jesus, we would never fight each other again.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: أوراق الشجر الميتة.

O my living God, the conqueror of death and abyss.

If I have You then I have the resurrected life.

Death with its dead leaves cannot affect me,

Since You are the Resurrection in me.

Every morning, I live joyously in Your glorious resurrection,

And the spirit of victory.

So I do not fear death,

Or this earthly life with its worries and temptations.

I fear nothing.

But I hold the fear of a loving son to his Father.

At the Head of the Table

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

The Confession of an Atheist