Three things I do on the orders of a village priest before leaving the house

In many small towns and villages there are still churches with a small parish. There, all the locals know each other and gather together on holidays or other important occasions. There. priestly They have a special, important and unifying meaning.



We will not talk today about how clergymen behave in big cities and with large parishes. How much money they have in their pockets and how they spend it. We offer you a simple worldly wisdom from a village priest who throughout his life did not feel envy and remained happy until the very end.

In the Tambov region there was a small church. But people went there all the time, the parish was friendly, and everyone knew everyone. And all because the local priest was a very good man and everyone liked it. He did not refuse to help anyone, lived modestly, did not demand money, and lived on donations.



It happened that children were also baptized for many kilometers to this church minister. And he is only happy: there is nothing to do in the village, there is little interesting, so at least you can cope with your work without being distracted.

In his lifetime, this priest has 4 children and 11 grandchildren. Everyone became good people. Frequent visits, guests, unhurried chatter during the holidays. It made the old man's heart younger.

One winter, when the temperature dropped below 20 degrees, the old man became ill. He could no longer, as before, cut wood, bring water or go a few kilometers to the blizzard to visit sick parishioners.



Now he needs help. This was learned by his acquaintances, ordinary village people, and began to come in turn with gifts. Who brought food, who brought warm things? The old man himself, as it turned out, had nothing in the house: he gave everything away.

He lasted that winter somehow. But in the spring, when he realized that he did not have long left, he called his youngest son to come to visit him. He asked the rest to go about their business and not disturb him in recent years.



Upon the arrival of his son and grandson, the old man admired the big-eyed boy for a long time and at the end he huskyly said:

“Hello, granddaughter. Don't be afraid of your old and sick grandfather. I'm leaving soon, but you're just beginning your life. So I'd like to share my thoughts with you while I still can. Your dad's an adult now, and I can't give him advice, but maybe my experience will come in handy for you.

I ask you to always be a kind person. And other people and animals. Please protect your mind and heart from temptation. And I ask you not to be afraid of work. So you will become an example to others and you will understand that this is grace.



Now listen to my other advice. To be always in a healthy mood and in a good mood, just adhere to three simple rules.

1. Raise your eyes. To heaven, to always remember that our Heavenly Father is watching over us all. It protects us and guides us.
2. Lower your eyes. To the ground, see how little space is needed for one grave. Now I understand it like no one else.
3. And again, look out The sick, the poor, the crooked, the deaf, the blind, and all the others who have been unlucky enough to have suffered various injuries. And be grateful that you have none of this and can do great things without hindrance.

Now go with your father, leave me alone. For we alone come to this world, and we alone go.



These were the last words of a village priest who died the same day. At the very end he had nothing, he gave everything to the suffering and needy. For a long time there was rumor that this was a good man and people were grieving really. We don't know if the grandson listened to his grandfather's words, but we hope that the world lost one good man that day, but got a child to continue his journey.