During the years of the German occupation of Greece, the lack of food in the Holy Mountain and the monks, like most people, lived in great deprivation and difficult times. But with all this poverty and deprivation, monasteries did not stop hosting visitors and distributing even what they desperately needed to the poor and the hungry. At that time, the wheat crop was nearing completion at the Philotheo Monastery where no other supplies were available, and the summer was delayed with the new crop.
The Abbot met to discuss this issue and decided to stop hosting visitors until the new wheat crop grew, and they resumed their charity and hospitality. But Father Sabba, the old monk in the monastery, who was very strong, was very upset when he heard the Abbot's decision. He rebuked them a great deal and tried to get them back from their opinion, because they would grieve God and would remove His grace from the monastery. He gave them many examples and different stories about the addition of strangers from the Bible, so he could finally dissuade them from their intention, and so continued to host visitors and distribute the remaining bread ... Days passed and visitors were still coming to the monastery. There remained only the thirty-five kilos of wheat in the store.
"The flour is done, Father Sabba, what are we going to do now?" the parents asked.
- "We will share this little that is left to us with the poor, and then be the will of God!" Father Sabba replied.
At the dawn of the following day, the monks had kneaded and baked the last kilo of flour. All the monks sat down after the Litugry to eat, but they were distressed and worried !.
"What will happen now?" Many asked. "Today we have what we eat, but tomorrow what will happen to us? ... What will we give to the poor?".
They each had a small piece of bread, and they kept what was left of it for the poor who would come for food. Without appetite many monks decided to leave their rations in the hospitality basket !.
After a while, visitors began to come to the monastery, bringing their hungry children with them.
"We need a little bread, Fathers, do you have a little?" The visitors asked anxiously as they saw the basket.
The monks then kissed them and said to them,
"Please take it! ... Here's the rest of the bread!" ... and sadly they pointed to the large basket of hospitality.
Showing visitors to the basket glorified God. After them, a few others came until the basket was completely finished and there were only some crumbs left.
The monks began to protest against Father Saba.
- "The bread has been distributed, what will we do tomorrow?"
"Do you think that God does not see our need for bread?" He answered them with complete confidence, "Let there be faith, God has never left us and will not leave us now, so let us not put our law above the law of God. "We are very pleased." He said this and withdrew to one corner of the green monastery garden, grabbed the kombuskini and began to pray. By evening, some visitors passed by the monastery gate.
"Come up, father Saba, we have visitors wanting some bread, but we do not have any crumbs left," cried the monks.
As they reached the gate, the monks greeted those who appeared to be seafarers:
- "Bless you, Fathers".
- "May God bless you," answered the monks.
"I left my boat down at the port," said the captain, "I have been carrying a load of wheat and wanted to replace it with some chestnuts." I have long looked for this kind of wood, but I have yet to find what I'm looking for. "
- "We have chestnut trees!" Cried the monks and turned around. "How much do you need?"
- "I need some of these and some of those ..." and explained to them in detail his need.
The monks immediately went to the timber store. The captain advances between the wood and examines it.
- "Great, we hope we have what we need," the monks thought anxiously.
"I finally found what I was looking for," his voice interrupted as soon as he finished scanning. "These woods are exactly what I'm looking for, the size fits perfectly, the quantity is exactly what I need, and the quality is also excellent."
- "Glory to God!" cried the monks with one voice after they saw the living care of God before their eyes.
The captain did not understand the reaction of the monks and marveled at the intensity of their joy, but after having been explained the story and the care of the Virgin, he understood why he did not find these woods elsewhere.
"You see, my brothers! ... The Virgin did not leave us," Father Saba repeated with great faith.
The animals loaded with wood set off down the path to the harbor. Soon the wheat load reached the monastery.
The next morning the hospitality basket for the poor was filled with bread again to satisfy their hunger and deprivation. As for the monks, their faith is strengthened by the example of Father Saba.
Reference:
The Lord is Near - Monastic Stories from the Holy Mountain, Translation of Sisters of Our Lady of the Annunciation - Aleppo (2009).
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