Knowing the day of one’s death

I have not infrequently been asked by our parishioners: “Why did God hide from us the day of our end?” We find the most appropriate answer to this question in the Lives of Saints.

A recluse monk, who believed that it would be better for people to know the time of their death, once had a vision of the Angel of the Lord, who said: “From now on, all people will know their last day”.

Willing to make sure that this is true, the monk went to town. The first person he met at the town gate was weeping bitterly. Asked about his sorrow, he answered: “How can I help weeping, if I know that my wife will pass away in one week, and I will remain to raise my six children alone!”

In a pub he heard mourns and wails. There were several men inside, who knew that they would die soon. Now they were doing their best to spend as much as possible on drink and women. A considerable part of the town had left all work and occupation, others were weeping, others were burning their remaining lives in feasts.

Very sad and terrified, the monk woke away from his dream and thanked God for His wonders, many of which we do not know, for our best.

Pr. Alexandru Iamandii

From “Veniti de prânziţi” (Come and dine), Chisinau 2012