Why some couples have children although they don’t deserve it?

 

Elder Nikon. Mount Athos, Greece

 

- Why do drug addicts and alcoholics have children when a large number Orthodox Christians are praying, going on pilgrimages to holy places in order to have children, but God still doesn’t give one to them? Why is that? 

We’ve said before that the Good God, knows why He allows anything to anyone. Different reasons for everyone. Those who do not have children, they should keep trying, they should pray and go on pilgrimages in order to show the Good God their intention and for their faith to be seen by the devil. We do not know why God allows it to some. It is exactly for this reason that so many don’t have children of their own after all these acts of reverence and humbleness because it’s humbling to the ego of man to go and entreat a Saint, who has died centuries ago. A person’s mind gets humbled. After many such instances God grants children. Even in ways so simple, it tempts the reason. For example, in the Holy Mountain, we have the relics of St Anne that many childless couples go to. We have the Holy belt of the Mother of God at the Monastery of Vatopedi which provides help to many childless couples. The one I know of from personal experience is about a grape vine in the Serbian Monastery called the Holy Monastery of Hilandari. The vine grows from within the graves of two Saints. A father and his son, founders of that Monastery. Both Saints. The vine grows from within the grave. The Serbian fathers let the grapes ripen on the vine dry them in the sun turning them into raisins, which are then given to childless couples preferably in Serbia then to Greeks and then to whoever else asks. Well, all this to a rationalist who has learned to solve everything with his brain and isn’t aware of what he carries inside of it, this is ridiculous. It’s nonsense. It wouldn’t be taken seriously. Well I do know, I gave some of those raisins to six couples who couldn’t have children. Some had been trying for two years, three years … ten years, even fifteen years married with no success. I sent some of these raisins to six couples from the grave of St. Savva and St. Simeon. Among these six couples which for so many years couldn’t have a child, five of these couples have their first child. The sixth was an acquaintance of my mother. My mother had asked me for the raisin. I sent her the raisin with a pilgrim. Half a year later I went out to the world, for visit home and remembered. I said “what happened with that raisin?” My mother started swearing about her. That one! Never send her anything again, I don’t want to see her “I said “I sent it, I don’t even know who she is, she’s your acquaintance. “ –I’ll never give her anything! –“Why? I said, “what happened?”  She wouldn’t come get the raisin. And my mom said t her. “Are you going to come get it, or am I to throw it away?” … and she said some other swearwords that aren’t proper for me to say. So the woman came to get the raisin. As my mother gave her the raisin she said mockingly “If eating raisings is going to give me kids, then I should eat half a kilo to get quintuplets” The only one that didn’t have a child… All the other couples had babies. After more than ten or fifteen years, of not being able to have children, all five couples I sent raisins, have children. All but one who mocked the miracle. So, we don’t know why the good God allows everything that He allows, but on the other hand we do know, He allows illnesses to humble us, so we go and receive the medicine. To learn to honor both the doctor and the medical science. He allows for people to be unable to conceive children, so that they learn that through prayer humbleness and respect for the Saints, children are given ! We have a variety of problems, so that we might be in grater touch with Christ greater touch with the Mother of God, greater touch with the Saints and the Angels because we are for there! From here we are passers-by. Let us not forget that we are for somewhere else. Our country is elsewhere. From here we are passers-by. Whether we end up in our Homeland or in exile, depends on how we live our lives here. God allows these ordeals, so that we do not sleep so that we don’t forget. I know about a student who was studying in Italy, a very devout young man, very gracious, many that got to know him say that he is truly a Saint. His mother sent him money for his studies but he would give away to charity. He was studying Medicine. His mother would say :”My little child, save some money”. Graduate from medicine, have a home of your own, to raise a family in and then give to charities. “Built a home to live in”. The child says to her, -23 or 24 years old- “Build a house?” he said to her. “Have you ever seen someone build a house on a bridge?” We are on a bridge. We’ve come from somewhere and are going somewhere. Who builds a house on a bridge? He had his mind somewhere else. He was 25 when he died. And they say miracles have started, miracles are happening God knows and He will make known to us what he is. I am speaking about the thinking of the faithful person who couldn’t have children for ten years, but finally were able to. Logic cannot explain it. What do I say now? That this can’t happen? But I’ve seen it happen. “It happened by chance”, the wise guy or wise of this world will say. Ok! The first time, by lack, the second time? Again by lack. The third time? …Again by lack! The fifth? One hundred times this thing has happened! So it’s not lack! It would be real luck if we managed to become humble!” Because our brains have gotten puffed up and think we know everything! For this reason many times the good God allows all of this so we acquire humility. To become simple people and not think we know everything making us tiresome to others. They must not stop going on pilgrimages. They must not stop entreating the Mother of God, continue entreating the Saints for help. And visiting those Holy places that help childless couples.