Her youngest son was especially disrespectful to his old mother. For this, God soon punished him. Once I happened to come to their house, and I was a personal witness of his extreme disrespect for his parent. When she began to persuade him to behave decently, like a good man and a good Christian, to spend less time with wine, and to try to be pious and respectful to his mother, and to teach his children the fear of God, not only did he not want to listen to her, but in my presence he chose her with foul words, and in the most stinging terms poured out his wicked insolence on her.

The mother could not bear such an insult from her son and immediately said in anger: "If only you, the accursed one, would go blind for such words and deeds of yours." The rebellious son, however, not only did not cease to swear, but began to offend the old woman even more. His mother's words did not remain in vain: less than two months after that, her son really became blind, and moreover for no apparent reason; his eyes are still fresh, like healthy ones, but they see absolutely nothing; last year, in December, he went to Moscow for treatment, but they did not help him" (Strannik, 1866, pp. 43-44). Why are stillborn children?

Stillborns are born for two reasons: first, from non-observance of the marital laws; secondly, from the will of the Lord. The Lord said in the Gospel parable that not even a hair will fall from the head without the blessing of God. I doubt that my husband will improve. "About the correction of that one should only doubt who is in hell with demons" (St. John Chrysostom).

At what age should you start raising a child? A child must be brought up from an early age. When the child is fed and watered, he should sit quietly, and not in his mother's arms, so that the child rejoices when he comes. If a child sits with his mother, but does not want to stay with his father, then he already has a root of pride and self-love. Then the child should not be given wine until he comes of age; it is necessary to accustom him to the temple of God and prayers; he must come home at certain hours, otherwise he must be punished; never accept what he has stolen.

Bring up your child in this way, and after your death he will be grateful to you. Take a small tree as an example: it is easy to transplant and tie it so that it grows straight, but you cannot transplant or fix an old one. In the same way, a child: accustom him from childhood to good deeds; Otherwise, you will not be considered fathers, but infanticides. If the child has already grown up in godlessness and has become ingrained in bad habits, then it is necessary to pray for him, that the Lord forgive him his sins, and not condemn him.

I really like one young man, but after communicating with him, my heart is somehow uncomfortable. "If I see that my most beloved is leading me into spiritual harm, I will immediately reject him, i.e. I will cease acquaintance and communication with him" (Abba Agathon)[110]. About illnesses and sorrows How to behave when communicating or being near people who are obviously spiritually ill (possessed)?

To have compassion for the sick and pray inwardly for them. Elder Arsenius of Athos writes: "Being near the possessed, one must be very careful that the enemy does not inspire you with such thoughts that you are very God-loving, have the grace of God, and so on. The enemy inspires all this so that a person thinks of himself that he lives God-pleasing, not like others.

A person who accepts these thoughts is deprived of any reward from God"[111]. My neighbor's child was born underdeveloped. She has not been able to find a place for herself for many years because of this - how can she be comforted? "Parents who have underdeveloped children should not be upset about this, because they are saved. It is even necessary to rejoice, for they go to paradise without much difficulty.

What else do parents want for a child when paradise is provided for them? If they consider this matter in this way, spiritually, then they themselves will benefit and will have a spiritual reward" (Elder Paisius of Athos) [112]. It is said that it is good to anoint sick members of the body with holy oil from lamps, but is it permissible to anoint diseased reproductive organs or other unseemly places, is this not blasphemy?

It is very good to use various holy things. God created man, and there is nothing impure in him; therefore it is permissible to anoint all places when they are sick. How can I bring the labors of repentance if I am weak and cannot bear the feats? If anyone is weak in body, but has committed many sins, let him walk the path of humility.

Is it possible to drink your own urine for treatment (the so-called "urine therapy")? This must be avoided. You need to be treated with a shrine, not with urine. I ask for prayers to "remove ailments." In order to be healed of an illness, it is necessary that the Sacrament of Unction be performed on you, in other words, Extreme Unction.

The priest in special prayers asks that not only the body, but also the soul be healed, since the cause of many diseases of the body is the diseases of the soul – sins. In addition, the Holy Fathers advise, before going to a doctor, to repent of sins, i.e. to confess and receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Prayers for health, performed on your order in the church, are also very helpful.

It helps some a lot when they ask to pray for them in monasteries, ordering commemorations for health for a long time: for a month, for six months or for a year. But if all the methods you have taken do not help, then the illness should be treated as a cleansing remedy for sins, as the Cross[113]. What to do in a hopeless situation?

First, stand up for prayer and ask the Lord to show you the way out. Secondly, to read the Holy Scriptures and the books of the Holy Fathers – they very often indicate ways out of various dead ends. And thirdly, go to confession and ask the priest for advice, having previously prayed that the Lord would reveal to him the will of God regarding you.