337- At the Ticket Booth

On September 1996, while I was chatting with Fr. Peter the Syrian Orthodox priest in Australia, he told me the following story:

H.G. Philoxinus, Metropolitan of Mardin in Turkey, before his ordination while on his way from Homs to Aleppo, met a poor man who asked him for alms. His Grace gave him all he had in his pocket, which was the price of the ticket.

As the father reached the ticket booth he asked the employee to give him a ticket and he promised to mail him the money as soon as he got home.

“I can’t do that,” answered the employee.

While the father was leaving the booth, a man rushed in and asked the employee not to take money from the father, saying, “Sell me two tickets one for me and the other for the father.”

The father had never met this man before but he felt that God who told us to be kind to the poor takes care of us one way or another and He will never leave us in need.

That father was ordained a Bishop, he was kind and he cared for the poor, knowing that they are the treasure that no one could take away from him.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: على شباك التذاكر.

Lord, give me a loving heart for the poor and the needy

Since You opened Your heart for me.

You promised, “As much as you do, it will be done unto you.

Your deeds will come back to you.”

Let me practice love in order to possess love.

I see You in all my brethren, especially the needy and rejected.

 I love You in them, O the Source of love.

 I meet You through them, O my heart’s desire.

Take off the Black Clothes

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

You Got a Blessing, Wear it