- Jan 24, 2016
- 190
- 166
- 47
- Country
- Viet Nam
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Eastern Orthodox
- Marital Status
- Married
I have read that some Orthodox priests have the ability to know a person's sins before they are confessed. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Fr. Matt once said that his Confessor has this ability).
I mention it because a new priest has been visiting our community here in Hanoi. He does not speak English, but I can tell he is an amazing person: he is one of the few people I have ever met that has a genuine love for people, regardless of how long he has known them. You can just feel it when he looks and talks to you. It's an amazing thing and I wish others could meet him because they would undoubtedly feel it too.
Today, Father visited us for the Divine Liturgy. During my Confession, I could feel Father listening contently to what I was saying even though he could not understand (side note: should I write my sins down in Russian?). At the end of my confession, Father embraces me and just repeatedly says "Good, Aleksei! Good! Good! Good!" Without sharing my sins, I recently did something I was not proud of and I felt as if Father was very aware of the painful details.
Anyways, no real point to this other than to share the experience. It reaffirms that I am in the right Church, which is something I have battled lately because I rarely am able to have Confession and Divine Liturgy (we do not have a permanent priest here in Hanoi).
I mention it because a new priest has been visiting our community here in Hanoi. He does not speak English, but I can tell he is an amazing person: he is one of the few people I have ever met that has a genuine love for people, regardless of how long he has known them. You can just feel it when he looks and talks to you. It's an amazing thing and I wish others could meet him because they would undoubtedly feel it too.
Today, Father visited us for the Divine Liturgy. During my Confession, I could feel Father listening contently to what I was saying even though he could not understand (side note: should I write my sins down in Russian?). At the end of my confession, Father embraces me and just repeatedly says "Good, Aleksei! Good! Good! Good!" Without sharing my sins, I recently did something I was not proud of and I felt as if Father was very aware of the painful details.
Anyways, no real point to this other than to share the experience. It reaffirms that I am in the right Church, which is something I have battled lately because I rarely am able to have Confession and Divine Liturgy (we do not have a permanent priest here in Hanoi).