Monday, August 02, 2010

A Little Yeast

From Our Thoughts Determine our Lives: The Life and Teahings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitonvinica.  An old lady asked elder Thaddeus what she should do so that her grandchildren might become pious.  The elder answered that she should always be meek and good; let her never be angry but always happy.  Let her obey everyone, since no one will obey her.  Perhaps her grandchildren will not become pious, but one day they will remember their grandmother, and the memory will make them better people.
The power of one godly person is inestimable.  Many will reject piety and be ensnared in the traps of a wayward life, but the memory of one pious person can turn their hearts back to God.  Although they may never become pious, their hearts will yearn for it.  And this yearning will be their salvation.  At the regeneration (Matt. 19:28), when all the lies have vanished away in death, they will have repented in their hearts, knowing that they have chosen the wrong path, and longing for righteousness in their hearts.
A little yeast leavens the whole lump.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your blog, not just this short reflection, but all of them. In case you ever wonder about people reading, I assure you that there are. Keep up the good work, in both senses of the phrase!

Fr. Michael said...

Thank you.