294- I Came to you Thrice

The cobbler Victor used to love God. He was honest in his work, very cheerful and kind to people. He used to cry to God with a humble heart, “My loving God Jesus,

My soul desires to see You

I wish I could see You, my lord.”

One night Victor had a dream, that God is promising to visit him the next day. He woke up happily. Then, he went to the nearest forest to cut some flowers and roses to decorate his small room where he used to work, cook, eat and sleep.

He was praying while working waiting for God’s visit. Suddenly he saw an old man coming looking very tired. In welcoming voice he talked to him, and respectfully asked him to sit and rest.

The old man sat down. Victor noticed that the man’s shoes were very old and ripped. He brought new ones and gave them to him but the man refused to take them saying that he did not have money to buy them but Victor insisted saying that it was enough if he could remember him in his prayers.

After the old man left, Victor started to wait again for his Holy Guest. Then, he saw an old lady walking slowly because of the heavy load she was carrying. Victor asked her to come inside to rest. He brought her some food so she ate and thanked him for his kindness and generosity.

By evening, Victor found a little boy crying in the street. He forgot what he was doing and went and asked the boy why he cried; the boy told him that he lost his way home. Kindly he comforted the boy saying that he knew his parents and he would take him home. Surely he did and he was in a hurry, worrying that God might come and find him absent.

By night, Victor closed his small shop and sat down thinking if God was going to come at night, and what he was going to do when he would come because God would never break His promise.

He thought, “I’m going to wash His wounded hands and feet,

And sit at His feet, like Mary listening to His sweet voice,

And offer Him with Martha food that I cooked.”

Hours passed and Jesus did not appear. Then, he started to reproach Him saying,

“Why didn’t You come my Master?

Why didn’t You make my heart happy with Your presence?

Didn’t You promise to come?”

While he was complaining, he heard a voice saying,

“I never broke my promise to You Victor.

I came to you thrice today.

I came to you as an old tired man and you gave me new shoes with kindness and generosity.

I came to you as an old lady and you offered me food that you cooked.

And I came as a lost child and you walked with me.”

At that point, Victor knelt down worshiping God, thanking Him for meeting him in these needy and lost people and accepting through them all his offerings.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: جئتُ إليك ثلاث مرات!

God, my soul always desires to see You.

You are the God of the forsaken.

Let me open my heart to the forsaken and the despised.

You are the orphan’s Father and the widows’ Judge.

Make me helpful to the orphans and caring to the widows.

You are the Savior of all mankind.

Give me a heart that can love everybody,

To see You through Your poor sisters and brothers.

You are the good Shepherd who leads the sheep.

You lead me in the coming days.

You walk before me on the morrow, which I worry about.

Now why should I worry while You are there seeing all my future?

Thanks.. Thanks

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

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