Orthodox Parables and Stories: "Surgeon St. John the Russian

 

A lady, Joanna, about 50 years old, came to our Church.She was accompanied by several family members. Through tears she confessed to me that she has cancer and 6 metastases in her liver, lungs, chest and stomach.

 It tore me. I swallowed my tears. I wanted to scream there in the Church, in pain.

 I read the prayers for health with such despair and hatred of evil that I cannot tell you. And an acute sense of helplessness in the face of the grinning sneer of death that shears souls at will. I called on Saint John the Russian for help. But it was very difficult. Six metastases.

 I hid at the altar to hide my tears. The woman left being carried by her relatives. I was not well at all that Sunday.

After a month I saw her again among the faithful. I was afraid to look at her. I was afraid she would blame me for not praying enough.

The woman said: "Father I came from Romania. The six tumors... and burst into tears. There are only three. I have nothing else in my liver and stomach."  I wanted to scream with joy. I told her: "We continue the prayer and the surgeon John will remove all the evil."

The woman prayed a lot. Ate only raw green vegetables. Made as many prostrations as she can. 

Sunday has come again. She was crying again. She told me: "Father, no more cancer. Not even the marks from the tumors."

I say: "The most inexpensive doctor in the world, Saint John the Russian, prayed and was crucified a lot." The poor thing, on her knees, kept trying to grab my legs.

Today I confessed it and shared it with Christ. I have never seen anyone happier, trembling all over when she received God.Thank you Lord and Saint John, God's surgeon.