Prelude

Our life is full of miracles.

Doctors make a terrible diagnosis of a person, in fact, a death sentence is passed on him, and he recovers.

Or a person wants his loved one to become different, to change for the better. He fights, fights, begs him, fights for him... And there are no changes. And a person's hands drop. And suddenly, in the most miraculous way, his neighbor changes and begins a new life.

What's the secret?

One of my acquaintances, a priest, told the following story.

Fifteen years ago, I was not a priest, but a doctor. He lived on the Petrograd Side, on Karpovka, next to the St. John's Monastery, which is popularly called the "Monastery on Karpovka". The relics of St. John of Kronstadt are buried in it. At that time, I had just begun my path to faith and often went to the monastery for services or for conversations with the priest.

Gradually, I began to get to know the parishioners. He already knew many of them not only by sight, but also by name. Often in church I saw a young woman with a tiny daughter in her arms. The girl had Down's disease. It was said that the unfortunate mother went every day to pray to the relics of Father John for her child.

I was very sorry for this woman, but, alas, I could not help her. As a doctor, I knew that this disease is genetic, and it is incurable.

About a year later, I moved to another place of residence. My life took a new turn: I became a priest and served in the *** Church.

One day, about five years later, as if guided by someone's hand, I suddenly went to my old house. As I passed by the monastery, the evening service had just ended. The people began to leave the church. Suddenly, among the parishioners, I saw the woman who was praying every day for her sick little girl. She was leading a pretty girl, 5-6 years old, by the hand. I went up to her. She also recognized me, and, pointing to the girl, proudly said: "Don't you recognize my daughter? I was able to cure her! And the diagnosis was removed for us! Now Anyutka is a completely normal child. We go to kindergarten, next year we are going to school!"

To be honest, I was shocked. Intellectually, as a doctor, I understood that "it can't be, because it can't be." But as a priest who has already seen how wonderful are the deeds of our Lord and His saints, how great can be the grace-filled power of prayer, I could only thank the Almighty and all the saints who ask for us again and again before the throne of the Lord.

Lena (that was the woman's name) and I walked to the subway, and on the way she told me that the terrible diagnosis made to her daughter by doctors immediately after birth was a cruel blow to her.

"But I didn't want to give up. I rummaged through mountains of literature, took Anechka to the best specialists, but everywhere I heard an unequivocal and terrible answer: "Your child's disease is incurable. Humble yourself and endure. Fortunately, such children do not live too long." Those words were just killing me.

Once I went with the still infant Anechka to the monastery on Karpovka. By this time, I almost agreed with the idea that Anechka would remain like this for the rest of her life. And I just kept thinking why God sent me such a test. I went into the church, stood there and did not know where to go, what to do... Suddenly an old man came up to me and said: "You pray to John of Kronstadt, ask for your child. He will not leave her." He paused and added: "THE PRAYER OF PARENTS FOR CHILDREN HAS A SPECIAL POWER BEFORE GOD: ARDENT LOVE MOVES FERVENT PRAYER AS WELL. AND FERVENT PRAYER CANNOT REMAIN UNHEARD BY GOD." Then Anechka began to cry, I turned to her to calm her down. And when she looked up, the old man had already disappeared... Since then, I went to the monastery every day and prayed for Anechka next to the relics of Father John. And at home I asked him for help every second. And then I bought a book with the sermons of John of Kronstadt, and the first words I read were his words about the power of parental prayer. And a miracle happened, my daughter recovered! So, you see, Father John did not leave us."