423- Nonna Shepherding Her Husband

 

St-Takla.org Image: Icon of the Three Holy Hierarchs - Sts. Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian (left to right) صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: أيقونة تصور الآباء الأقمار العظام الثلاثة: (من اليسار إلى اليمين) القديس باسيليوس الكبير - القديس يوحنا ذهبي الفم - القديس غريغوريوس اللاهوتي

On my way to the Church of St George the martyr in Sporting, Alexandria, Egypt, I was reading about the life of Saint Nonna. It truly captured all my thoughts and made me feel embarrassed and I did not know how to answer God on judgement day.

Her son, St Gregory the theologian, narrates how she pulled her husband away from idol worship to become, not only a Christian, but also a bishop from whom the devils used to run away.

He was amazed that his mother converted his father to Christianity and he became a successful Bishop. It was as if they both carried two holy bodies, perhaps because they lived as virgins afterward.

St Gregory said his wonderful phrase about his father the Bishop, “Here is the good shepherd, the fruit of his wife’s prayers and guidance. He learned from her the perfect life of service.”

She bore St Gregory who was called the theologian, and Caesarius who was a talented and pious physician. She also bore Gorgonia who followed her mother’s example by attracting her husband Alypius to a holy life and had two sons who became bishops.

I was busy thinking of the woman who can change her family’s character. She becomes a source of blessing for her husband, children and grandchildren. She turns all to a holy family at a high level.

Then, as I entered the sanctuary, a man came complaining of his wife who is a Sunday school teacher. Her heart was not open to her family but away from them. That made me feel very sad.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: نونا ترعى زوجها!

Lord, give me a heart burning with love.

Through You, Nonna was able to change the life of her family.

Teach me to witness to You.

Let my heart open up to love You and love all who are around me.

When will I behave like this lady!

She was a successful wife, mother and grandmother.

Your Holy Spirit is the secret behind her success.

The Lazy Donkey

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