Once the clergy brought to the elder (Pr. Gavriil Urgebadze) a boy suffering from alcoholism. They thought that Elder Gabriel would instruct him, read the verses from the Psalms, parables from the Gospel, but this was not the case!
The elder received everyone in his cell, listened, looked at the boy, smiled and, having taken a large can of red wine from under the bed, offered to drink together. Offered with such conviction that no one could refuse. He said toast and thanked the Lord, the Most Holy Mother of God.
They drank three glasses calmly. And when he poured for the fourth time and made a toast, he waved his hands towards the boy and pushed his glass, and the wine splashed out of it. It happened several times.
Everyone was ashamed, especially the clergy, who told the boy that they were leading him to the great God-bearing elder with the gift of prayerful help and providence. But what were they supposed to do? They sat silently and dreamed of leaving the cell as soon as possible, but the father did not let them go. This was the blessing of the elder, whom everyone had to obey at that moment.
Soon the elder got up and began to scold everyone around with such words that the clergymen who were in his cell turned red with shame and lost the gift of speech. Having cursed everyone with the last words, he suddenly jumped up on the stool and began to dance and say that he would now show everyone “striptease”. All of them could not stand it and rushed out of his cell in the firm conviction that the monk Gabriel was a simple madman!
It’s been months. The elder died, and the boy came to the monastery with his whole family. He was completely healed from the sin of drinking. As his parents and he told, then in the cell the elder Gabriel repeated exactly the actions and words of this boy when he was in a state of intoxication. “My son scolded us all with his last words,” his mother recalled. Sometimes, in a completely inadequate state from intoxication, he jumped on the table and began to dance striptease, so he was obsessed and fallen! Everyone cried when they heard this story.
Then it became clear why the old man behaved this way that evening! He showed the boy all the abomination of sin with which he was possessed. He showed, without thinking of his own reputation, or of what they might say or think of him, and healed! There were many such cases in the life of Elder Gabriel. Behind every act and word (even abusive!) was a great feat and great love, with which he still overshadows everyone in such difficult times!
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
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Orthodox stories from life
