Journey Back to Eden.pdf - St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Chicago

A TIME TO PRESS ONWARD 175and left ears of the sister in the middle. Then I understood whatthey meant. Their sister was losing her hearing. She was virtuallydeaf, and they wanted me to give her a blessing, to pray for therestoration of her hearing. So what else could I do but to pray, inasmuchas both of my hands were being held over the ears of the sisterin the middle? I prayed, then, almost in spite of myself, moreamused by the sisters’ originality and cleverness in obtaining theblessing they desired than by the gravity of their request.I finally removed my hands and thought more than anythingabout how I was going to make my escape from these imposingwomen. As they walked away, I began to bless a few other people.But, in a matter of a few minutes, I heard them making the ululations,the sound that Arabic women make when they are filled withjoy. I heard the tongue-rolling cries of excitement that rippledforth from their mouths.The two women were now crying out to everyone in the middleof the church that their sister could hear—that she who hadbeen deaf was now able to hear them and to understand the wordsthey were speaking to her! At that, everyone began to applaud, tosing, to praise God, or to ululate. I was taken aback by the din, andused it as a smoke screen for quickly making my escape. I was almostafraid that the excitement that had been generated wouldmake the monks an even greater object of pursuit by those who areso anxiously seeking blessings.I do not know, now, upon reflection, what really transpiredwith the three sisters. I don’t know if the one had been actuallydeaf and her hearing was now restored, or if she had been partlydeaf and thought her hearing was somewhat improved. I don’tknow if she actually heard her sisters better, or if in their excitementthey were speaking louder than before. I don’t know if, intheir mutual desire to receive this blessing, they were more responsive,more receptive to every kind of signal that they were communicatingto each other. I don’t know if they so highly desired to experiencethe catharsis of a healing that they were able to turn thisdisability into an occasion of grace.I don’t know. But I do know that God was there, and that theywere receptive to his presence and power. They knew how to takethis occasion of seeking and desiring and praying and find in it ajoyful experience of God’s healing. I’m content with that. Miraclesmay happen, but even if this was not a miracle, it is a grand miracle