Week 7 - Tuesday

Bible Passage

1 Samuel 15:22, 23

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Story

From the life of Tamav Irene

“One day, the mother superior gave permission to all the nuns to attend the Vespers of the feast of St. Mercurius (the service of evening prayers preceding the day of the feast) in his ancient church but she asked me and another nun to attend Vespers at the Virgin’s church which is next to it.

On my way to the Virgin’s church, I thought of quickly lighting a candle in St. Mercurius’church then go to the Virgin’s church. I heard an inner voice saying: “St. Mercurius will be cross about it.” I wanted to obey my mother superior so I asked St. Mercurius to guide me to take the right decision. I found that whenever I headed towards the ancient church ofSt. Mercurius, I was unable to move my legs and whenever I headed towards the Virgin’schurch I was able to move them. Thus, God’s will was clear. I said: “ Forgive me Lord, I will obey blindly.” When I returned to the convent, I told the mother superior about it. She said: “God and St. Mercurius wanted to show you that obedience is better than offering sacrifices; it is good to be obedient.” I was very happy and I learned the lesson that obedience is the gem of monastic life and that God will listen to those who obey.