564- A Father’s Feelings

The early American history mentions that a zealous preacher used to ride his horse and go on trips many miles far away for preaching. As he returned home once after being absent for a long time, he noticed his son Jack not keen on his duties. Being fatigued, he talked to him harshly. Lisa noticed that her brother Jack was much hurt by his father’s harshness. He thus decided to leave home. She tried with bitter tears to persuade him not to do that, “Dad leaves home for months. I’ve no one but you and Mom. To whom will you leave me?”

Nevertheless, he insisted. During the night, while all the family members were asleep, Jack rushed to the door amid the darkness. However, his sister saw him. She followed him with tears to prevent him from leaving but in vain. She returned to her room at night to lament her loneliness.

In the morning, the parents knew of what took place. They noticed that Lisa had completely changed. She no longer bore talking to her father. She stopped praying and reading the Bible. She even counted herself as unchristian. After several weeks, her mother asked her to fetch her onions to cook.

“Where are the onions?”

“Upstairs. Be careful while going up the stairs.”

Lisa did not utter a word or even smiled for she had forgotten smiling since Jack left. She was only thinking of the time when she would quit that prison not to see her father or mother. She went upstairs to the storeroom searching for the onions which she could not see for the bitterness she felt. She heard steps on the stairs. She said to herself, “It should be Dad whom I don’t even bear to see. “ She hid in the room to avoid meeting him.

The father entered the room without knowing that his daughter was hiding there. He knelt down and prayed bitterly crying, “My God and Savior, I confess that I wronged You, Lisa, my wife and myself. I spoke foolishly and harshly so I destroyed Jack’s soul. Forgive me. What can I do? I won’t rest till Your son Jack returns and I apologize to him. May Your Holy Spirit touch his heart and restore him back to You and to us.”

Lisa could not bear his prayers, true repentance and tears. She never thought that her father loved Jack so dearly and wished his return. Tears ran down her cheeks and she said to herself, “I misunderstood my father’s love. His love for me did not get cold in spite of my cruelty and harshness.”

She ran to her father’s bosom with tears filling her eyes and said, “Sorry Dad, I wronged you.”

He embraced her saying, “I’m the one who sinned. Your brother should return. Nothing is impossible with God.”

They both went downstairs. As the mother saw her daughter in her father’s arms, she forgot all about the onions and cooking and realized how God’s hands has made wonders in her home. To their surprise, Jack returned home and became a preacher afterwards. As for Lisa, she married a preacher.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: مشاعر أب.

Grant me a heart bearing unlimited love,

So as not to block any one with my wrath.

Grant me the spirit of love and prayers,

To enjoy the impossible.

Remember my Gifts

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

I Hear Grandpa’s Voice