A miracle for a newborn from St. Ephraim of Nea Makri

An astonishing miracle for a newborn from St. Ephraim of Nea Makri (amateur translation)
I wish, in my own manner, to thank God and St. Ephraim for the miracle which I was made worthy to experience.

I was pregnant, and 12/29/01 was my given due date. When that date came, and I still was not in labor, my doctor gave me another week. On the morning of January 2nd 2002 I began to experience strong pains, and I went to the Hospital. I was checked, and told that my Obstetrician would be called, because I was most likely in labor.


In a short time, the next day (January 3rd), the day of St. Ephraim, I gave birth. The child was born with a dark color, however, due to the lack of Oxygen, and began to cry after 30 minutes. This had occurred within me (as my labor was delayed), and I was in immediate danger also. The child was suffering from apnea, and they did not remove him from the incubator, so that they could support him with Oxygen, with the result being suffering continuous seizures. They took him that evening to the Children's Hospital “Agia Sophia”, and the physicians there diagnosed that the child was suffering from cerebral edema. The ground fell from beneath my feet, and the doctors did not give us much hope...They told us to pray that he leave this life (the child would either die, or we would receive him as a vegetable, for the seizures had destroyed his internal organs, and my baby's beating heart was weak). His situation remained critical, and our only hope was God and St. Ephraim, both of whom we entreated daily.


In 13 days, there was a second encephalogram, when the doctors did not want to tell us to results, so that we not be given hope. After two days, they announced the new results, that our child was totally well, and they did not understand how this occurred, as they thought he was doomed. Here I should say that during these 13 days, St. Ephraim revealed himself to us many ways.


My one aunt saw a dream: she was within a Church of St. Ephraim, and there was a little boy who was crying continuously. She picked him up to calm him down, and she got up and walked. When my aunt told us this, she went with my mother to the same Church. On the road, my mother asked St. Ephraim to show her some sign. As she was lighting her vigil lamp, it went out, and she thought that this was a sign that my child had died. When she went to light it again, before she could get the lighter out, it lit itself again alone. Then she understood that my child was alive, and that the very powerful St. Ephraim would help him. In my house, we heard knocking from our icons, and the odor of incense filled all of our rooms.


My baby stayed 17 days in the NICU. After all that I related above, he remained another 13 days in a normal room, where they began to slowly feed him some milk. After this, we were able to bring him home.


Time passed, and we had to go for follow-up in two months. A few days before, my other aunt saw a dream: she was in my house for a visit, and there was a young man with her with a white shirt and black pants. The young man came for the first time to my house, and I began to welcome him. Before I could show him his bedroom, he entered my room by himself, where I had the baby, and began to unbutton his cufflinks. When I prepared something to treat him, my aunt called him, and he told her: “Go ahead, I will stay to watch over the child.”


Then I felt at ease, because I knew that my child would have a protector throughout his life. At his first check-up, we saw a very good professor at the Hospital, and when she read his history, she called her co-workers, saying: “Come see the miracle of the century.”


The whole episode which my child endured left him only with damage to his auditory nerve, for which he wears a hearing aid. I thank the All-powerful God from the depths of my heart, for He is always with us, and grants His might to the Saints to work wonders, and to protect us during the difficult times of our lives.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!


http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.ca/2012/12/a-miracle-for-newborn-from-st-ephraim.html

Christian Man vs. Secular Man : Their differences

The Secular Man has been the great threat to the Christian faith over the past two or more centuries. Disguised as the person is only only doing the “normal thing,” he lives in a godless world, where others can be tempted to live as though there were no God. Earlier I quoted Berdyaev, “If God does not exist, then man does not exist.” I would add to that that the God Who Exists must be everywhere present and filling all things, or He is no God and a false god. Let us renounce the “soft atheism” of the secular man and live always and everywhere for God.

Many Orthodox writers have spoken about the nature of the secular world, the defining form of modernity. I take here an opportunity to make a small comparison between the secular man and the Christian.

The secular man may believe that there is a God, but he also believes that the situation and outcome of the world are dependent upon the actions of human beings.

The Christian man believes that there is a God, and that all things are in His hands.

The secular man believes in Progress. Life changes, and with good human direction, it changes for the better. Every new discovery stands on the shoulders of every previous discovery. In this way, life improves and always improves for the better.

The Christian man believes that whatever man does may change his circumstances, but does not change man. A modern man is in no way superior to those who came before him. Goodness is not a result of progress.

The secular man believes in the power of human beings. Reason, applied reasonably to any situation, will yield a better outcome.

The Christian man believes in God, but he doubts the goodness of man. Human solutions are always questionable and capable of failure.

The secular man believes, ultimately, in the smooth path of progress. Even though there may be set-backs along the way, he believes that pursuing the path of progress will ultimately yield a better world – even a near perfect world.

Because the Christian man believes in God, he trusts that the outcome of history belongs to God and not to man. Thus, even the good things done by man are judged by a good God whose goal for us is always beyond anything we could ask or think.

The secular man, despite various failures, always believes that the next good is only another plan away. Compromise, negotiation, and a willingness to change will finally solve all problems.

The Christian understands the sinfulness of humanity. He knows that without God things will always fail and dissipate. Only through trust and obedience to God can the human situation improve – and such improvement always comes as a miracle from God.

The secular man does not believe in his own fallibility. He does not learn from history, but yearns repeatedly for a success where none has come before. What success he has known (in medical treatment of disease, etc.) is quickly translated into political terms. What is wrong politically can be eradicated as easily as malaria.

The Christian man knows that problems do not lie so much in the world as within himself. Unless man is changed by a good God, there will be a very limited goodness in the world. The secular man knows how to cure malaria, but he cannot manage to actually share that goodness with the world. The world (the third world) dies as it has always died. The secular man is powerless because he lacks true goodness.

The Christian man is largely marginalized in our modern world. He is considered an artifact of the past. However he is not a religious artifact – the truth he knows is eternal and is as applicable to the ills of the world as any part of the truth of God.

It is for this generation to understand what it means to be a Christian man and not to compromise with the secular man. God is good and wills good for all people. He is not a utilitarian, wishing the greatest good for the greatest number, but willing good for each and every soul.

May Christians be visible everywhere, and everywhere loyal to the Kingdom of God.

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/08/christian-man-vs-secular-man-their.html

Ένας Άγιος αναρωτιέται, που είναι ο Θεός… ( Αγίου Νικολάου Βελιμίροβιτς )

Τι αξία έχει αδελφοί μου, εάν μιλώ αιώνια για τον Θεό , Και ο Θεός αιώνια σιωπά;
Μπορώ άραγε να υπερασπιστώ το δίκαιο του Θεού .
Εάν ο Θεός δεν το θέσει υπό την προστασία Του;
Μπορώ να αποδείξω τον Θεό στους άθεους εάν ο Θεός κρύβεται;
Μπορώ να αγαπώ τα παιδιά Του
Εάν Αυτός είναι αδιάφορος απέναντι στα παθήματά τους;
Όχι.

Τίποτα από όλα αυτά δεν μπορώ.
Οι λέξεις μου δεν έχουν φτερά για να μπορούν
Να υψώσουν στον Θεό όλους τους πεσμένους και ξεπερασμένους από τον Θεό.
Ούτε έχουν φωτιά για να ζεστάνουν τις παγωμένες καρδιές των παιδιών έναντι του Πατέρα τους.
Οι λέξεις μου δεν είναι τίποτα
Αν δεν είναι απήχηση και επανάληψη αυτού που ο Θεός με τη δική του δυνατή γλώσσα λέει.
Τι είναι ο ψίθυρος στα βότσαλα της ακτής μπροστά στο φοβερό βουητό του ωκεανού;
Έτσι είναι και οι λέξεις μου απέναντι στους λόγους του Θεού.
 
Πώς μπορεί να ακούσει κάποιος τον ψίθυρο στα βότσαλα.  Τα σκεπασμένα από τον αφρό του μανιώδους στοιχείου. Όταν είναι κουφός μπροστά στο βουητό του ωκεανού;
Πως θα δει τον Θεό στα λόγια μου εκείνος που δεν μπορεί να τον δει στη φύση και στη ζωή;
Πως οι αδύναμες ανθρώπινες λέξεις μπορούν να πείσουν εκείνον. Που ούτε οι κεραυνοί δεν είναι σε θέσει να πείσουν;  Πως θα ζεσταθεί με μία σπίθα εκείνος που άφησε τη φωτιά πίσω του;
Δεν σιωπά ο Θεός αδελφοί μου, αλλά μιλά δυνατότερα από όλες τις θύελλες και τους κεραυνούς.
 
Δεν εγκαταλείπει ο Θεός τον δίκαιο, αλλά τον παρακολουθεί στα παθήματά του και απαλά τον οδηγεί στον θρόνο. Δεν εξαρτάται ο Θεός από οποιουδήποτε την καλή θέληση .Αλλά πράττει τα πάντα εξαρτώμενα από τη δική Του καλή θέληση.
Θα ήταν κακόμοιρος ο Θεός μας, εάν εξαρτιόταν από τις δικανικές υπερασπίσεις ενός θνητού ανθρώπου.
 
Ο Θεός είναι αυτός που είναι, είτε εμείς τον μεγαλύνουμε είτε τον υποτιμούμε. Ο Θεός θα υπάρχει , φωτεινός και μεγάλος όπως και σήμερα
Και τότε που οι ακτίνες του ηλίου μάταια θα αναζητούν ένα ανθρώπινο πλάσμα στη γη
Και αντί ζωντανών θα ζεσταίνουν μόνον τους τάφους των νεκρών…
 
Το ζήτημα της υπάρξεως του Θεού και της Θείας του Οικονομίας ,Θα καταστρεφόταν αν εξαρτιόταν από τους λόγους μου και από τις δικές σας συνήθειες.
Αλλά το ζήτημα του Θεού, ανεξάρτητα απ’ όλους εμάς θα πετύχει και θα νικήσει. Εκείνος του οποίου τα χρόνια δεν έχουν αριθμό και η οντότητά του δεν έχει αρχή και τέλος. Δεν μπορεί να αφήσει το «επίγειο σπίτι» του στις διαθέσεις μας, στα αδύναμα δημιουργήματά του.

Των οποίων η αρχή και το τέλος σχεδόν συναντιόνται σε ένα σημείο ,Και των οποίων η οντότητα είναι μία κουκκίδα.
Δεν είναι ο άνθρωπος φερέγγυος αλλά ο Θεός και πιστός εγγυητής της Βασιλείας της αγάπης στη γη…


Από το βιβλίο:
Αργά βαδίζει ο Χριστός, 
Αγίου Νικολάου Βελιμίροβιτς

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/08/blog-post_21.html

The several types of Bows in Church

Orthodox worship is characterized by a complete utilization of the senses sight, smell, hearing, speech and touch. We see the candles, Icons, frescoes, etc., we hear the sounds of singing and reading, at times lifting up our own voices, and we smell the characteristic odor of the incense. The whole of the human person is involved in worship, and important among the senses is the actual deportment of the human body. The attitude of the Orthodox Believer to worship is reverential, and certain types of bodily movements are utilized to reinforce this sense of reverential piety we stand during the services, we make bows and prostrations, and with great frequency, we make the Sign of the Cross. Accordingly, there are several types of Bows, depending on the solemnity of the moment.

Prostration (Great Metanoia Great Poklon).

Here the worshipper prostrates the whole body, throwing the weight forwards onto the hands and touching the ground with the forehead.

Bow (Small Metanoia Poklon).

The worshipper bows from the waist, touching the ground with the fingers of the right hand. Both Prostrations and Bows are preceded by the Sign of the Cross.

Reverence.

At certain times the worshipper merely bows the head; sometimes this is accompanied by the Sign of the Cross.

Sign of the Cross.

The Sign of the Cross is made with the thumb and the first two fingers of the right hand joined at the tips (the third and fourth fingers being closed on the palm). By joining the thumb and the first two fingers, we express our belief in the Most-Holy Trinity. The two fingers closed on the palm represent the two natures of Christ divine and human. With the thumb and first two fingers joined, we touch first the brow, then the breast, the right shoulder and then the left, making on ourselves the Sign of the Cross and signifying by the four points that the Holy Trinity has sanctified our thoughts (mind), feelings (heart), desires (soul) and acts (strength) to service of God. By making the Sign of the Cross on ourselves we also signify that Christ has saved us by His sufferings on the Cross.

Bishops and Priests, in bestowing a blessing, make the Sign of the Cross from left to right (appearing to us from right to left), while holding the fingers in such a manner as to represent the Greek letters IC and XC the first and last letter of the name Jesus Christ.

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-several-types-of-bows-in-church.html

Γερόντισσα Γαβριηλία - Gerontissa Gabriela

Thou hast made me known to friendsWhom I knew not.Thou hast given me seats in homes not my own. Thou hast brought the distant near And made a brother of the stranger. I am uneasy at heart When I have to leave my accustomed shelter, I forget that there abides the old in the new, and that there also, Τhou abidest. Through birth and death, in this world or in others, wherever Τhou leadest me, it isΤhou the same, the One Companion of my endless life, who ever linkest my heart with bonds of joy to the Unfamiliar. When one knows Τhee, then alien there is none, then no door is shut. Oh! Grant me my prayer That I may never lose the bliss Of the touch of the One In the play of the many.

Συ με γνώρισες στον άγνωστο κι έγινε φίλος.Ζεστή μου χάρισες γωνιάΣε σπιτικά που δε με ξέραν. Με σε, το πέρα είναι εδώ Και αδελφός μου ο κάθε ξένος. Κι αν φοβηθώ ποτέ ν’ αφήνω το χθεσινό μου το απάγγιο, είναι που θα ξεχνώ πως στο καινούριο το παλιό θα βρίσκω πάλι, Αφού Εσύ κι εκεί υπάρχεις. Με την γέννηση, με τον θάνατο,σ’ αυτόν τον κόσμο ή τον άλλον, όπου κι αν με πας θα ‘σαι Εσύ, πάντα Εσύ, ο ίδιος και ο μόνος συνοδοιπόρος και σύντροφος της ατελεύτητης ζωής μου. Σύ που ξέρεις, που μπορείς, με χαρμόσυνα δεσμά την καρδιά μου με το Άγνωστο να δένεις. Για κέινον που σε γνώρισε. Άγνωστος δεν είναι κανείς, πορτά καμμιά κλειστή δεν μένει. Εισάκουσε την προσευχή μου, Να μη χάσω ποτέ τον όλβο αυτόν Της άρρηκτης συνδέσεως με τον Ένα, Μες στων πολλών ανθρώπων την βοή.

Almsgiving gives rise to many blessings - St. John Chrysostom

Build palaces and mansions in Heaven without the help of engineers and contractors.
Buildings are erected in Heaven by the poor whom you help here on earth. These structures never
deteriorate or collapse.


Furthermore, they also help you to win God’s favor, and they purify you from sins—sometimes they can even deliver you from death!
Do not be surprised with what I say.


Everyone, of course, is powerless before death;
almsgiving, none the less, can conquer even death itself. This is confirmed by the account of Tabitha.
Tabitha was a Christian who lived in Jope during the time of the Apostles. As described in the
Holy Scriptures, she performed many good works and continuously gave alms.

At some point she became ill and died. At that time the Apostle Peter happened to be in a
neighboring city named Lydda, which was not far from Joppa. Two Christians from Jope went to
find the Apostle and informed him that this compassionate and charitable woman had just died. Upon hearing this, the Apostle immediately followed them.


When he arrived in Joppa, he proceeded to the second story of the house where they had placed the body of the deceased. There, he was encircled
by many widows; all of them were crying and showing him the clothes and garments that Tabitha had bought for them while she was still alive.


What did the Apostle Peter do then? He kneeled and prayed. Next he turned to the corpse and said, “Tabitha, arise!” That very same moment the dead woman opened her eyes, and, when she saw the Apostle, she got up. The Apostle Paul grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.


Then he called all the Christians and the widows
who were gathered there and presented her to them (Acts 9:36-41). Do you see how she was rewarded for the alms and help she gave to those poor and needy widows? The blessing she received was incomparably greater than the alms she gave, even if she had given all the money in the world.


St. John Chrysostom

Πολλή προσευχή και λίγα λόγια στα παιδιά - ( Αγιος Πορφύριος )

Όλα απ’ την προσευχή, τη σιωπή και την αγάπη γίνονται. Καταλάβατε τα αποτελέσματα της προσευχής; Αγάπη εν προσευχή, εν Χριστώ αγάπη. Αυτή ωφελεί πραγματικά. Όσο θ’ αγαπάτε τα παιδιά με την ανθρώπινη αγάπη – που είναι συχνά παθολογική – τόσο θα μπερδεύονται, τόσο η συμπεριφορά τους θα είναι αρνητική. Όταν, όμως, η αγάπη σας θα είναι μετα…ξύ σας και προς τα παιδιά χριστιανική και αγία, τότε δεν θα έχετε κανένα πρόβλημα. Η αγιότητα των γονέων σώζει τα παιδιά. Για να γίνει αυτό, πρέπει να επιδράσει η θεία Χάρις στις ψυχές των γονέων. Κανείς δεν αγιάζεται μόνος του. Η ίδια η θεία Χάρις μετά θα φωτίσει, θα θερμάνει και θα ζωογονήσει τις ψυχές των παιδιών.

Πολλές φορές μου τηλεφωνούν κι από το εξωτερικό και με ρωτούν για τα παιδιά τους και γι’ άλλα θέματα. Με πήρε, λοιπόν, σήμερα απ’ το Μιλάνο μια μητέρα και με ρώτησε πως να φέρεται στα παιδιά της. Της είπα τα εξής:

«Να προσεύχεσαι και, όταν πρέπει, να μιλάεις στα παιδιά με αγάπη. Πιο πολύ να κάνεις προσευχή και λίγα λόγια να τους λέεις. Πολλή προσευχή και λίγα λόγια σε όλους. Να μη γινόμαστε ενοχλητικοί, αλλά να προσευχόμαστε μυστικά και μετά να μιλάμε κι ο Θεός θα μας βεβαιώνει μέσα μας αν η ομιλία μας είναι δεκτή στους άλλους. Αν δεν είναι πάλι, δεν θα μιλάμε. Θα προσευχόμαστε μυστικά μόνο. Διότι και με το να μιλάμε, γινόμαστε ενοχλητικοί και κάνομε τους άλλους ν’ αντιδρούν και καμιά φορά ν’ αγανακτούν. Γι’ αυτό πιο καλά είναι να τα λέει κανείς μυστικά στην καρδιά των άλλων παρά στ’ αυτί τους, μέσω της μυστικής προσευχής.

Άκου να σου πω: να προσεύχεσαι και μετά να μιλάεις. Έτσι να κάνεις στα παιδιά σου. άμα διαρκώς τους δίδεις συμβουλές, θα γίνεις βαρετή κι όταν μεγαλώσουν, θα αισθάνονται ένα είδος καταπιέσεως. Να προτιμάς, λοιπόν, την προσευχή. Να τους μιλάεις με την προσευχή. Να τα λέεις στον Θεό κι ο Θεός θα τα λέει μέσα τους. Δηλαδή, δεν πρέπει να συμβουλεύεις τα παιδιά σου έτσι, με φωνή που να την ακούνε τ’ αυτιά τους. Μπορείς να το κάνεις κι αυτό, αλλά προπάντων πρέπει να μιλάεις για τα παιδιά σου στον Θεό. Να λέεις: ‘’Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, φώτισε τα παιδάκια μου. Εγώ σ’ Εσένανε τα αναθέτω. Εσύ μου τα έδωσες, μα κι εγώ είμαι αδύναμη, δεν μπορώ να τα κατατοπίσω· γι’ αυτό, Σε παρακαλώ, φώτισέ τα’’. Κι ο Θεός θα τους μιλάει και θα λένε: ‘’Ωχ, δεν έπρεπε να στενοχωρήσω τη μαμά μ’ αυτό που έκανα!’’. Κι αυτό θα βγαίνει από μέσα τους με την Χάρη του Θεού».

Αυτό είναι το τέλειο. Να μιλάει η μητέρα στον Θεό κι ο Θεός να μιλάει στο παιδί. Αν δεν γίνει έτσι, πες, πες, πες…. όλο «απ’ τ’ αυτί», στο τέλος γίνεται ένα είδος καταπιέσεως. Κι όταν το παιδί μεγαλώσει, αρχίζει πλέον να αντιδράει, δηλαδή να εκδικείται, τρόπον τινά, τον πατέρα του, την μητέρα του, που το καταπίεσαν. Ενώ ένα είναι το τέλειο· να μιλάει η εν Χριστώ αγάπη και η αγιοσύνη του πατέρα και της μητέρας. Η ακτινοβολία της αγιοσύνης και όχι της ανθρώπινης προσπάθειας κάνει τα παιδιά καλά.

Όταν τα παιδιά είναι τραυματισμένα και πληγωμένα από κάποιο σοβαρό ζήτημα, να μην επηρεάζεσθε που αντιδρούν και μιλούν άσχημα. Στην πραγματικότητα δεν το θέλουν, αλλά δεν μπορούν να κάνουν αλλιώς στις δύσκολες στιγμές. Μετά μετανιώνουν. Αν, όμως, εσείς εκνευρισθείτε και θυμώσετε, γίνεσθε ένα με τον πονηρό και σας παίζει όλους.

Αγιος Πορφύριος

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2014/08/blog-post_10.html

Mount Athos • The Holy Mountain (Άγιο Όρος)

Mommy, why do women cry ....

A little boy asked his mother, “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m a woman,” she told him.

“I don’t understand,” he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said, “And you never will.”

Later the little boy asked his father, “Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?”


“All women cry for no reason,” was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, “God, why do women cry so easily?”

God said:

“When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed.”

“You see my son,” said God, “the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart – the place where love resides.”

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/08/why-do-women-cry.html

O Θεός, o κουρέας και το κακό στον κόσμο....

Μια φορά πήγε ένας τύπος στο κουρείο για το καθιερωμένο κούρεμα και ξύρισμα.
Καθώς ο κουρέας άρχισε να δουλεύει, άρχισε μια καλή συζήτηση.
Μίλησαν για τόσα πολλά πράγματα και πάρα πολλά θέματα ...;
Όταν τελικά άγγιξαν το θέμα της θρησκείας και του θεού, ο κουρέας αναφώνησε:
Δεν πιστεύω ότι ο Θεός υπάρχει.
Γιατί το λες αυτό;' ρώτησε ο πελάτης. Και ο κουρέας είπε: 'Λοιπόν, απλά βγες έξω στο δρόμο για να καταλάβεις γιατί ο Θεός δεν υπάρχει. Πες μου γιατί αν ο Θεός υπάρχει, υπάρχουν τόσοι διεστραμμένοι;
Γιατί τόσα εγκαταλελειμμένα παιδιά;
Αν ο Θεός υπήρχε, δε θα υπήρχε ούτε δυστυχία ούτε πόνος.
Δε μπορώ να φανταστώ ένα Θεό που αγαπάει και συμπονεί να επιτρέπει όλα αυτά που γίνονται.'

Ο πελάτης το σκέφτηκε για μια στιγμή, αλλά δεν απάντησε γιατί δεν ήθελε να χαλάσει τη συζήτηση.
Ο κουρέας τελικά τελείωσε τη δουλειά του και ο πελάτης έφυγε.
Όμως μόλις έφυγε από το κουρείο, είδε ένα άντρα στο δρόμο με μακρυά κατσαρά βρώμικα μαλλιά και γένια. Φαινόταν πολύ βρώμικος και απεριποίητος. Εκείνη τη στιγμή ο πελάτης γύρισε πίσω και ξαναμπήκε στο κουρείο.

Τότε είπε στον κουρέα:
'Ξέρεις τι; Οι κουρείς δεν υπάρχουν!'
'Πως μπορείς να το λες αυτό;' ρώτησε ο έκπληκτος κουρέας.
'Είμαι εδώ και είμαι κουρέας! Μόλις σε κούρεψα, τι είναι αυτά που λες;'
'Όχι!' απάντησε ο πελάτης και εξήγησε: 'Οι κουρείς δεν υπάρχουν γιατί αν υπήρχαν, δε θα υπήρχαν αχτένιστοι άνθρωποι και με μακρυά βρώμικα μαλλιά, όπως ο τύπος απ' έξω.'

Μα ... οι κουρείς ΌΝΤΩΣ υπάρχουν! Αυτό συμβαίνει όταν οι άνθρωποι δεν έρχονται σε μένα.'
'Ακριβώς!' απάντησε ο πελάτης. 'Αυτό είναι το θέμα! Ο Θεός, επίσης ΥΠΑΡΧΕΙ! Και αυτό συμβαίνει όταν οι άνθρωποι δεν πηγαίνουν σε αυτόν και δεν αναζητούν σε αυτόν βοήθεια. Γι' αυτό υπάρχει τόσος πόνος και δυστυχία στον κόσμο.'

http://agapienxristou.blogspot.ca/2013/08/o-o.html