But if you acquire inner beauty, that beauty will
radiate outward to the physical person as well, and thus that beauty will
endure.
Saint
Ephraim the Syrian
Afterward, the nun in charge of the refectory and her
assistant began clearing the tables, carrying the dishes through a hallway to
the kitchen.
Suddenly, a loud crash rang out in the corridor; a
tray had fallen, and all the dishes shattered against the marble floor.
The Abbess, who had not yet left the refectory,
immediately went to see what was happening.
She found a single nun bent over, gathering up the
broken pieces.
In a stern, severe tone, she asked:
"Did you do this?"
"Bless me," the nun replied.
And the Abbess said to her:
"Tomorrow—Sunday—you will not receive Holy
Communion, and you must perform five hundred full prostrations."
"May it be blessed," the nun answered, and
she continued to gather the shards and clean the area.
The next day, Sunday, the nun in question remained on
her knees from the opening "Blessed is the Kingdom..." until the very
end of the Divine Liturgy, while tears streamed from her eyes.
When the time for Holy Communion arrived, she bowed
her head to the floor, watering it with her tears.
She remained in that position until the Divine Liturgy
concluded. As the Abbess was the last to leave the church, she noticed the nun
who was still standing in that same spot; she approached her and asked what was
wrong.
The nun remained silent, but upon the Abbess’s
insistent questioning, she answered—very hesitantly and shyly—that while the sisters
were receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, she had suddenly raised her head,
and a portion [of the Holy Sacrament] flew from the Holy Spoon and entered her
mouth.
Then the Abbess asked her:
"Which sister was next in line to receive
Communion at the moment this happened?"
She bowed her head and, very softly and hesitantly,
spoke the sister's name.
"Now," said the Abbess, "in the face of
this miracle that has occurred, and in the Name of the Holy God, you must tell
me what happened yesterday; you must tell me the whole truth."
"As I was leaving the refectory with a tray full
of dishes and passing through the connecting area, that particular sister came
up and pushed me with both hands; I fell, and that is how the damage
occurred."
My brethren, God miraculously brought the truth to
light, rewarding the holy humility of the one sister while withdrawing Grace
from the other. Then the Gerontissa called the other sister and asked her:
"Tell me, please, what did you receive at
Communion today?"
And she replied:
"Nothing, Gerontissa; the Holy Spoon was
empty!..."
Source: the book *Experiences During the Divine
Liturgy*
However, when one fails to make the sign of the Cross
before eating, even wholesome food can cause harm, for a demon may be lurking
within the substance of the food itself! Demons have the power to enter into
matter—especially water—which is why we should make the sign of the Cross
before drinking water.
Everything we consume—whether food or drink—should be
sealed by us with the sign of the Cross. This is why people in the past were
stronger in body and mind; they possessed greater faith and made the sign of
the Cross during every aspect of their lives, especially before eating and
drinking.
Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew
They share a common characteristic: both receive the
waters of the Jordan River.
However, the Sea of Galilee receives the water and
allows it to flow out toward the south.
The Dead Sea receives the waters of the Jordan and
keeps them for itself.
In the Sea of Galilee, there is abundant life—both
within the lake and around it.
In the Dead Sea, there is not a trace of life.
The Dead Sea symbolically illustrates what happens
when someone keeps things only for themselves.
To receive and to give— that is the secret to a
fulfilled life.
Archbishop
Anastasios of Albania.
Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew
