During a fascinating period in my life, I served as an acolyte in a cemetery church. Acolyte duties involve assisting the priest in the altar, the part of the church separated from the congregation by the iconostasis.

The church was situated right in the heart of a vast cemetery, and the experience was undoubtedly unique. In winter, to attend the evening service, one had to walk in the darkness past graves for about seven minutes. The Easter procession, too, unfolded amid tombstones faintly illuminated by moonlight.

In this community, I witnessed numerous instances of entire families turning to faith. The catalyst for their embrace of God was the death of a beloved family member.

Take, for instance, a married couple who lived according to their own whims for many years, oblivious to Christ and estranged from the church. Suddenly, their beloved younger son perished in a car accident.

Naturally, the parents were profoundly shaken. They buried their son in the cemetery church. But what next? The meaning of life seemed lost, replaced by depression and despondency.

Then, the deceased son appeared to his mother in a dream, asking for food. Seeking guidance, the parents approached the priest and inquired about how to interpret such visions. The priest responded, "Your son is asking for your prayers. Attend the Liturgy, confess, take communion, remember your son. Stay for the memorial service; we'll pray for him."

They followed the advice, and gradually, their burden lightened. Subsequently, the deceased son appeared again in a dream, mentioning feeling cold and requesting clothing. Once more, they sought guidance from the priest, who advised, "Distribute the belongings of the deceased to the poor, asking them to pray for your son." They complied, and the apparitions ceased.

Afterwards, they returned to the church not because of dreams but simply to pray, finding solace there. They continued attending and became regular churchgoers. They found themselves on the path to salvation, praying for their son, and thanking God for everything. There are numerous such cases.

When a person cannot awaken on their own, the Lord awakens them through the blows of fate. God is benevolent and desires to save people. Sometimes, our spiritual illnesses and our "numbness" are so severe that the Almighty resorts to a painful surgical operation.

However, do we always wish to understand the meaning of such upheavals? Typically, we grumble, bewildered, asking: "Why me?" Yet inevitably, there comes a time when we look back, and through the pain and tears of loss, we say, "Thanks be to God for everything. Thank You, Lord." Perhaps, this is precisely what is meant in the Holy Scriptures: "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Program "Private Opinion" on Radio Vera: https://radiovera.ru/vera-i-kladbishhe-sergej-komarov.html