Prayers for health of Fr Averky

[Catholic]

Father A. asked for prayers recently, and someplace here there was a prayer thread for that purpose....
Father A., let us pray that you will indeed receive whatever necessary medical help you need, through the grace and mercy of God, that He works through those doctors that are helping you to determine what is best for you.
Elizabeth

[Johanna]

Thank you Elizabeth for this post. My prayers though weak continue for Fr. Averky. His presence in this community is a gift to each of us and I too encourage each one of us to pray for him.

O Christ, who alone art our Defender, speedily from on high visit thy suffering servant, Fr. Averky, delivering him from sickness and bitter pains; raise him up that he may sing to thee and praise thee without ceasing by the prayers of the Mother of God, O Thou who alone lovest mankind.

In Christ,

Johanna

[Br Paul]

Fr Averky,
Peace be with you. My unworthy prayers Father are being offered up to God for you. May your health improve to enable you to continue your work.
Br Paul

[Marie-Duquette]

Fr. Averkey,

May our Lord Jesus Christ be for you, peace, healing, joy and continued surrender to the Holy Will of God, as we all pray to the Holy Theotokos and the Saints to intercede for you at this difficult time in your life.

Marie

[Marie-Duquette]

Fr. Averkey,

May our Lord Jesus Christ be for you, peace, healing, joy and continued surrender to the Holy Will of God, as we all pray to the Holy Theotokos and the Saints to intercede for you at this difficult time in your life.

Marie

[Fr Averky]

Dear Friends,

By your holy prayers, I am feeling a bit better. On Sunday, I was not able to get out of bed until six in the evening. Even then, I was so weak, I had to walk with a cane, or hold onto others to keep my balance. A special railing was installed for me at the top of one staircase I need to climb daily, because three times I almost fell backwards.

Having been very ill for the last seven years, I have become accustomed to having no good days, just bad ones in varying degrees. My physician had become concerned that my present form of home dialysis might not work much longer. If I would have to wait too long for a kidney transplant, I would have to make a serious decision, because hemodialysis is not an option I tried it for two months and it makes me so ill afterwards, I can do nothing until the next treatment, and so on. I was afraid that my being able to my treatrment at home would be happening sooner than had been thought, but I have been preparing myself for some time now.

I have asked our Saviour to give me just a little more time to repent, for as all of you can see, I have a difficult time being patient. Please pray for me that my heart will soften before my end. For the moment, I am again out of danger. Thank all of you from my heart.

Unworthy
Fr. a.

[Byzcath1]

Father Bless.

You know I will be praying for you.

In Christ
Daniel

[Melissa]

Ah, Father Averky, I can't tell if you are in immdiate need of health prayers, but you mention seven years of poor health, and since we are all always in need of prayers I will add my humble but sincere efforts.

Yes, Effie has much to say to me, I appreciate your nudge in her direction. I also appreciate your responses to other people, from whom I'm also able to grow in faith. Your honest self-examination and wisdom are leading me forward.

God bless you, Father.
Melissa

[Fr Averky]

Dear in Christ Melissa,

I thank you for your concern and prayers. It is by the prayers of so many that I live, and so have a little more time to repent.

I have long found that if we are honest before God and men, we never have to fear anything we have said or done. I would be a total hypocrite if I permitted mjyself to be something I am not. I am not a holy monk or a good priest, or even a good Christian; I am a poor weak and sinful man, full of weaknesses and passions, proud and not very forgiving at times, yet by God's mercy, I receive many blessings especially from the members of Monachos. Thank God for all of you!

hieromonk Averky

[Effie Ganatsios]

Father Averky, a while back you posted an alternate e-mail that is to be used by anyone wanting to contact you.

I didn't keep a copy of it. Would it be possible for you to repost it?

I won't be connected to the Internet after the 25th of December and I wanted to contact you before that.

Effie

[helen]

Fr Bless,
My prayers are with you.
I was looking at other various Orthodox sites.....
and would like to share this ....

http://www.stvladimirs.ca/library/elder-macarius-mourn.html


. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted

Praised be the Lord that you accept your illness so meekly! The bearing of sickness with patience and gratitude is reckoned highly by Him who often rewards sufferers with His imperishable gifts.

Ponder these words: Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed; and: If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (11 Cor. 4:16, 5:1). [113, 1141

Please pray for me a sinner,
helen....
Fr please forgive me if I may be out of line.

[Fr Averky]

Dearin Christ Helen,

Thank you for the link. You know, words said out of love and concern, even when they might seemigly be words of censure, are never out of line.

You and yours are in my prayers. God bless you!

Fr. A.

[Fr Averky]

Since we seem to be very active on this thread, I would like to share some news with you and to ask your prayers. About two months ago I accidently nipped the end of the second toe on my left foot while trimming my nails. After awhile, I began to experience sudden flashes of intense pain in that toe, but just wrote it off as being neuropathy, a common tingling or sudden rush of pain in the nerves, which is brought on by diabetes.

As time went on, I began to think it might be a simple fungus, but medicatioin did not help. When I woke up this morning, I noticed that my left foot was very swollen, and that my left leg was about twice the size of my right leg. Becoming very concerned, I asked one of the young Fathers to take me to our local hospital's ER. When both the nurse and doctor saw my foot, they were a bit baffled, because my symptoms did not fit that of a simple infection. After drawing lots of blood and taking several x-rays, the doctor came back with the following news:

Due to a low grade but persistent infection over some time, I have developed a condition known as "osteomylitis," which is a severe infection of the bone. The attending physician said that when looking at that bone in my toe, it looks like some one had taken an eraser and had erased part of it. He went on to say that the condition of my bone is like a sponge-filled with numerous miniscule holes.

Also, he is concerned that I might have a blood clot in my leg, which is dangerous, but that it would be useless to conduct the test needed to find out, because, due to my diabetes and renal failure, I would be above the scale needed for determination He put me on a course of anti-biotics, but when I spoke to the Kidney specialist later on, she told me that most likely the anti-biotics would not be effective, and that it will have to be treated "aggresively," that is, I will lose my toe. I was also informed that over all, this is a life-threatening condition, and it could possibly bing about my death. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a surprize...

So my beloved Friends, I am already resigned to accept God's will in this matter, as I have accepted the multitude of illnesses He has visited me with over the last seven years. I have sinned greatly in my life, and still do, so whatever my Lord sends me, I cheerfully accept.

All I can do is to ask your good prayers for me, that I will be brave in the face of this new adversity. After telling me all of this, the dotcor was quite amazed that I was not frightened or devastated. I told him that last year I said that death has no hold over me, and all that I can do is beg my Saviour to show me His mercy, for I know that I have never done anything good. I will let you know as matters progress.

Sinful

hieromonk Averky

[Laura Nee]

Dear Father A,

You have my prayers, most unworthy as they are. I had an aunt who went through a similar health problem. She came through the procedure just fine.

Blessings,
Laura

[Effie Ganatsios]

Father Averky, this is my last day on the Internet and I'm glad I looked in as I was able to read your message.

It's no use asking you not to worry because, being a diabetic myself, I know how serious these complications can be. The only thing I can say is trust in the Lord - you have been through so much already that this seems really unfair..

I shall include you in my prayers.

effie

[Melissa]

Dear Father Averky,
I sorrow at your health news. I will pray that God will continue to bless you with a spirit full of acceptance and love for Him, and that you be granted the necessary strength to carry on. God bless you. Melissa

[Photini]

Dear Father Averky,

You are in my heart, and always in my prayers.

Yours in Christ,
~photini

[Arsenios]

Father Averky -

Your name will be prayed in the Divine Liturgy at my parish tomorrow, God willing...

Arsenios

[helen]

Fr Averky Bless,
http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/happy.gif

Please forgive me for not answering your reply ...
http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/happy.gif I actually had to look up ''Censure'' and then I understood your reply!
I seem to have many days filled with thoughts of concerns for my self and my family and at the end of the day I do recognize them as being there for my benefit and those concerned!
I sometimes or should I say many of those times feel let down but I get up again and continue to try and be humble....although humble may not be my great gesture ,I try to look at situations which if it was so, how it would effect me....but in the end , I know that everything that happens, is for the best, in God's eyes.
Many people suffer with pain physically and cannot bear the pain, but many suffer differently and that I believe is much more then physical pain because we try to figure out where it comes from, and cannot sometimes see that it is because of our earthly living....and it happens to awaken in us the thought of Christ suffering for our sins....
Please forgive me for speaking too much...I speak of my own suffering and thoughts...
Thank you for listening.
In Christ
helen...
pray for me.

[Fr Averky]

Dear Helen,

"...and it happens to awaken in us the thought of Christ suufering for our sins..."


A very good thought, and an important aspect of the Orthodox Christian life. I say this because the majority of Protestant confessions emphasize the Christian's sharing in God's glory, in "Being washed by the blood of the Lamb," or most simply put, being "Saved." This attitude negates the necessity of co-suffering with Christ, bearing our cross daily, and the acceptance of the suffering in our lives which brings us closer to Christ than being maniacally "happy." From the time Adam and Eve lost Paradise, it has been given to Man to toil, to become ill and to die-all of which were not part of God's original plan for us.

For the Orthodox Christian, suffering is acceptable, and in some cases, even desirable, which puts him in opposition to the world, which desires instant wellness along with instant gratification. Every possible medical procedure, a galaxy of medications, enervating diets, strenuous excercises, vitamins, power drinks, and so on are made use of, costing literally billions of dollars annually to that section of the world popukation which cannot bear the thought of suffering, or even being inconvenienced.

Suffering is something which absolutely cannot be avoided-no matter how rich or powerful a person might be, they cannot avoid suffering. So should we do? We should accept our suffering for a good reason: we should accept all that God sends us each day as from His Providence, and if we are suffering, we cheerfully accept that suffering for the sake of Christ and our salvation. I have been suffering non-stop for seven very long years from a multitude of varied ilnesses, and I have become so accustomed to rather severe pain, I might die from this infectioin I have because I should have mentioned it to my doctor two months ago. I just thought of it as another opportunity to suffer in this life with the hopes of not suffering so much in the next. At any rate, since I found out about the possibility of dying soon, I have begun to prepare myself, and will start dispersing my books and icons to people have been such good friends and support for me.

Yet, if my Saviour wishes that I live longer, and continue to suffer, I readily accept that as well. So dear Helen, it comes down to a matter of attitude; suffering at the hands of others, by sickness or poverty, by indifference of loved ones, by slander from people who do not even know us, all of these can be to our advantage spiritually if only do not complain and murmur against God, but sigh and say to ourselves, "For my sinsm for my sins..."

Let us take comfort, therefore, that we have the understanding we do concerning suffering, for looking at it with spiritual eyes, we will see its great value, and will be more willing to accept each days events.

Love in the Saviour,

hieromonk Averky

[Fr Averky]

My Beloved Friends,

it is 9:32 p.m. here in New York State, and I just got off the phone with the doctor on call for nephrology. When I told her that the swelling or pain is no less, she told me that it means that the present course of medication is not working, and must check into the hospital tomorrow morning in order to keep off my leg and to have stronger antibiotics to be given by IV.

I do not know when I shall speak to you again, so please keep me in your prayers, asking God to give me the grace to be brave in what I will be facing this week.

Be assured that I will be thinking of all of you and praying for you You especially, Owen, my favorite wife beater! You Beast! I put myself in God's hands

My love to all of you.

hieromonk Averky

[helen]

Fr Bless,
I greatly appreciate your thoughts on the matter of suffering!

Your words reminded me of something I had read in a book....please forgive me if I dont know the exact story, but I will do my best to remember it how I read it!

There was an old man who seemed to be sick and bedriden for quite some time.One day he decided that he had enough of suffering and wanted Christ to take him with him now or to let him go to hell and repay some of his sins there!
The old man's prayers were answered and an angel appeared to the old man and told him that God heard his prayers and it had granted him to suffer in hell for a short time(I dont know the exact time)
This was readily accepted by the old man and he found himself in hell ....only a short while had passed and to the old man it seemed forever and he thought that God had forgotton all about him....The angel appeared and told him that only a few minutes had gone by and God had not forgotton him.....The old man realised that he would suffer much on earth then go to hell for even a few seconds.....The angel accepted his plea and the old man was back on earth .......
(Sorry if i dont remember the exact words)
This little story I read awhile back sometimes brings me back to thinking that I would be better off to suffer here , then to go to hell ....
The problem is that many of us, including myself on many occasions forget that we must have a little suffering in our lives ...
Quote/Fr Averky..''for my sins, for my sins''
Thank you Fr Averky for your reply ,I greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers,
In Christ
helen..
I will pray for you and humbly ask your prayers for my family and myself,
thank you.

[M A Jackson-Roberts]

Very dear Fr Averky,

Now I don't know whether you will thank me for this but I have asked via a young friend who is currently a seminarian with the English Dominican (OP) Province for their collective prayers on your behalf. You most certainly will have mine.

Thanks for the inspiration you give to many of us.

Affectionately in the Almighty,

the seeker

[Daniel]

Father Averky, is in the hospital right now,
I talked to him today, he is going through alot
of tests right now, MRI and such. He sounds better
then he really is, so he says. Pray for him.
Ask your priest to remember him in the liturgy.

In Christ
OrthodoxLearner/ByzCath

[Xenia]

Beloved Father Averky,

You are always in my prayers. May God keep you safe during whatever ordeal is ahead.

Love in Christ,
Xenia

[helen]

Daniel thank you for letting us know of Fr Averky,
I will remember Fr Averky in my prayers as Im certain all of us here at "Monachos" are all praying and will continue to do so. ...

from a web site..,quote///

Sacrament (Mystery) of Unction

Holy Unction begins with the chanting of hymns known as 'troparia', and the priest pleas:
"O Lord Almighty,
Healer of our souls and bodies, who puts down and raises up,
who chastises and heals also,
visit now in Your mercy our brother or sister, (Name),
who is ill.
Stretch forth Your arm that is full of healing and heath,
and raise (Name) up from this bed and cure this illness.
Put away the spirit of disease and every malady and pain and fever".
During the sacrament,
the grace of God is entreated upon a person to heal their infirmities of body and soul while the body is anointed with oil.
It is done by a gathering of priests,
ideally seven in number,
but can be performed by a lesser number or even by a single priest.
The efficacy of the sacrament depends upon the promise and appointment of God; however it benefits only those who receives it with a 'prayer of faith',
and with due preparation and disposition of mind.
The final prayer is for remission of sins: "And if (Name) has committed sins and transgressions, grant remission and forgiveness,
because You love mankind".
As Orthodox Christians we pray,
neither commanding God to heal nor doubting His ability to heal,
but pleading for His promised mercy upon all who are ill.
http://www.3saints.com/unction.html

[Fr. David B. Sedor]

> Dear Fr. Averky, > Please know that you are in my prayers and those of my parish. As a priestmonk friend of mine once told me, "you are now a crumb on my diskos."

In Christ, Fr. David

[Trudy Ellmore]

Dear Daniel & other list members:

Does anyone know how Fr. Averky is doing?

Thank you, Trudy

[Matthew Panchisin]

Dear Monachos members,

Father Averky is not doing so good as of a couple of days ago. Some friends drove out to the Jordanville Monastery (Father Averky's place of residence) on church matters. Anyway, upon pulling up to the driveway at 4:00 in the morning the got out of the car and Father Averky was seen with a walking stick and his cell attendant. They spoke with him and he said he wasn't sure he would last through the night and he was going to the hospital. I don't know for sure if that was the original visit to the hospital or another. He's had many health problems for many years and God willing he will pull through this one as well. I'm sure he remains in many of our prayers.

In Christ,

Matthew P.

[Jurretta J. Heckscher]

I add my prayers to the many from this community for Father Averky's comfort and healing.

May he be blessed also by the prayers of St. Serafim of Sarov and St. Juliana of Lazarevo, whose feast it is this day (Jan. 2, New Style)--

Yours in Christ,

--Jurretta

[Melissa]

Hello All -I've heard that Fr. Averky was released from the hospital, but don't know any details.
Melissa

[Byzcath1]

Hello every body,

I talked to Father Averky on the phone today, and he is in better health, the doctor told him that his new discovery was not as bad as they thought it was and he is being released today. 1/2/04.

Countine to pray for him.

In Christ
OrthodoxLearner/Byzcath1

[George Hawkins]

Thanks and Glory be to God!
And thanks for the update Daniel.

George

[Fr Averky]

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

By God's mercy, I am home, although I am far from being healed. On Monday the 29 at 4:00, i was in such pain that I woke my young helper and asked him to take me to the hospital. We arrived at 5:30 a.m, and at that point, my diagnosis remained the same. A young Resident came in and told me that the only way he could see effectively stopping the infectioin from spreading would be by amputating my toe.

I was not exactly excited by the news, but from the time I had first found out last Thursday, I had accepted that if that would be God's will for me, so be it. As i mentioned, I arrived at 5:30 in the morning, and had to sit in a cold, sterile examining room until 2:30 in the afternoon before I was given a room. I was myself amazed that during that very long wait, I never complained or became impatient. Perhaps God blessed me with Patience, for usually, I cannot bear to even be inconvenienced!

I spent the rest of the day going through a multitude of tests. Before I left for the hospital,. I remembered that I had some cotton from the Miracle -working of the Iveron Mother of God from Montreal, from which myrrh had flowed for 15 years until its dissapearence four years ago. I anointed my foot and toe with the myrrh, and put myself into the hands of the Most Pure Mother of God.

Tuesday I was given an MRI, and much to the surprize of all the physicians who had looked into my case, my toe, which had displayed definite signs of deterioration, was fine, and mthe dignosis was changed to celulities, which while very unpleasant, is in no way as severe as what was first thought.

My leg an foot are still swollen, and it is very difficult for me to walk without help, I do feel a bit better, and hope that I will be able to hobble to Church for Nativity. I truly believe that the Theotokos heard my unworthy prayers, and interceded on my behalf to her Divine Son.

I thank all of you for praying for me, and sending such kind words of prayerful support. God bless each and every one of you! It was a great comfort to know of so much support and prayers: several monks and many laypeople came to see me, or called to wish me well. This is when you see that we are part of the Body of Christ.

Fr. A.

[Fr Averky]

Dear Father David,

It is true-I am a Crumb, and much worse, but I am blessed to be remembered by a fellow priest in the Divine Liturgy. Thank you for your kindness.

Fr. A.

[Fr Averky]

Dear "Seeker",

Of course, I am very touched to hear that Men of Good Will will be praying for my unworthiness

My oldest continuous friend is a Dominican Friar whom I met more than thirty years ago. Thank you oh so much for your good thoughts. God bless you and keep you, and may He lead you to the Truth.

Dear Xenia,

Thank you for your kind words and especially, your good prayers. I know for sure that I have survived illness after illness by the loving prayers of so many good people like you. God bless you!

Fr. A.

[Melissa]

Dear Father Averky - Glory be to God! I am so happy that you are home and that your health picture has shown some improvement. Surely the Lord was with you, and His Holy Mother.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It's a gentle and clear reminder to me of my need to love and trust our Lord much more than I am presently able to do. Please pray for me when you are able.
In Christ's love - Melissa

[Fr Averky]

Dear Melissa and my well-wishers,

Truly our Lord showed me mercy, and my most pure Mother of God did indeed care for me. This was for me an example of simple faith: I was prepared for what would be; a prolongued illness, perhaps an amputation or even death. My years of illness have been such a blessing, and from the years of suffering has come a new calm, a patience, and a caring for others that I struggled to achieve for many years. It is true that from time I am seen to lose my patience, but in comparison to ten years ago, it is nothing.

When God in His mercy sends me yet another illness, I rejoice, for I hope that from it I will gain spiritually. All of us has something with which we must bear: loneliness, *depression, an unhappy or unfulfilled marriage, a weight problem, low-self esteem, being slandered or cheated by family members, problems at work, and so on. Yet, if we can accept all those little crosses sent to us by God's mercy, from them we will begin to change. If our faith in God remains firm, in time the hearts of others will be melted, problems at home or at work or with being over weight will be worked out, and we will see that so much of what was wrong was wrong with us. We should at all times beg God to reveal to us the depths of our sinfulness in order that we will finally decide to "turn from evil and do good."

I spent almost all of Saturday sleeping and am feeling better, but I still suffer a lot pain in both legs anfd feet. It might be another ten days before the infection leaves me, but I will have more time for praying and spiritual reading.

Again, from my heart, my most sincere gratitude to all of you who have shown me, unworthy wretch that I am, so much love and concern. God bless all of you!

Sinful
Fr. A.

[Fr Averky]

Dear Fellow Members and well-wishers,

I would like to especially thank young Daniel for calling me at the hospital and keeping all of you updated.

Going back a few months, you will remember that we had quite a go -around about the Primacy of Peter with Daniel, and I must say, he held his own quite well. At the time Daniel was a Byzantine Catholic, but through study and prayerful consideration, he left from that part of the Catholic Church and is now learning about Holy Orthodoxy and has begun to attend an Orthodox parish. Already he has had to suffer for Christ's sake in that "friends" he made as a Byzantine Catholic now refuse to speak to him, and there are others who have treated him unkindly for his decision.

I ask all of you to fervently pray for Daniel that he will be firm in his resolve, not allowing temptations from the Evil One to distract or discourage him, and that Our Lord will give to him the grace and strength he will need. He is a kind and caring young man, who has*treated me with respect and loving concern.

Contrary to so many of today's young people, who are only interested in matters of the flesh and godless self satisfaction, Daniel wishes to join himself unto Christ. He has my full support and prayers. God bless you, Daniel!

Fr. A.
Least among monks

[Daniel]

Thank you Father Averky for guiding me in the
Spiritual Life. Glad your home and hope you are
filling a little bit better.

In Christ
Daniel

[Matthew Panchisin]

God Bless you Daniel,

Send me an email anytime!

In Christ,

Matthew P.

[Daniel]

*Feeling*

"me and my spelling"

[Melissa]

Hello All -
I notice that Fr. Averky hasn't posted in awhile - at least on the threads I'm following. Any word on how he's doing? Thanks.
Melissa

[Trudy Ellmore]

Hi Melissa:

I sent a personal email to Fr. Averky early last week and never heard back from him, thus am wondering how he is doing as well. Though I am corresponding with another monk, sent him an email about the same time, and have not heard from him either. Don't think they are at the same monastery though.

The best we can do is keep praying for his health and trust that God is taking care of him, as He does us all.

In Christ, Trudy

[Melissa]

Thanks, Trudy - same situation happened with me re: email to Fr. Averky, hence my concern. Prayers continue.
Melissa

[OrthodoxLearner]

Same with me, Father Averky usally calls once a week to chat, I sent him a PM and no answer either, He doesnt answer his cell (monastery room) phone either, hope every thing is ok. Usally when I post some thing he is the first to respond but not this time. Hope every thing is with him.

In Christ
Daniel

[OrthodoxLearner]

Father Averky called me last night, he told me that his computer has been acting up and his internet not working, he is still ok, just has a bad computer. He says hello to every body, on Monachos.

In Christ
Daniel

[Fr Averky]

My beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I truly need your prayers, for reasons which I do not know,and which I accept God has started my New Year with increased sickness and pain.

Early Chrstmas morning, I woke with a start, and intense oral pain. It seems that I had bitten my own tongue, and I have not had a single good meal accept on Christmas day. Since then. I took my driver out to dinner, and I was served a very good meal, but all I could manage was a cup of onion soup, half a cantelope, and two scops of ice cream. Als, I have not had a single night's sleep since Friday, despite all my medications.
Not wishing to give any details, several other physical problems with which I must deal, but usually appear one at a time, decided to jump into the fray all together.

Putting all of these factors together on the same day has given me one of the most pain-filled and difficult days I have had. I rushed to the bank because I had no cash, it closed one minute bfore I got there. My driver remembered that the local Wal-mart has a branch of my bank, so we rushed there. Just the stress and intense pain completely exhausted me in about ten minutes, and through the kindness of one of the manager, a woman had me sit down while she gathered the items I needed.

Then, as I mentioned, I tried to eat, and could not eat anything even slightly solid, During all of this I had a terrible thirst which could not be quenched. Every time I sat down, small shocks or impulses caused moments of blindness, and when I got up, I would feel dizzy and faint.

I am not complaing, but am just informing you of this most difficult day. I go tomorrow to see my specialist, an educated, knowledgeable, and compassionate man.

Yet I know, that having had excellent doctors and having gone to the Mayo Clinic, there is really noting that can be done. I was recdntly that all that can bve done ist maintain me until the end.

I have found myself very often thinking I have to go through all the beautiful icons, fine books, and many other gifts from dear friends, and begin to send them out while they are still mine to give.

My overall feeling is that my poor body simply cannot take much more of this: I am so worn out and tired, I have begiun to pray to God to show me mercy, and to release me this Vale of Tears.

Yet, there have been so many comforts-all of you has contributed to my well-being and peace of soul. And know that if in the end, My Lord will grant to me the lowest and most obscure place in His kingdom, I assure you all thatif so permitted, I will always be at your side.

More and more I have been thinking of my mother, as if she is beckoning to me, waiting for me, and I hear her voice and think of minor incidents that I had not thought about imn for perhaps fifty years.

I am beginning to develop the mindset of one who knows he will not live much longer. My greatest difficulty with my increasing illness is that I am functioning on my own less and less every day: I cannot open the cap on bottled water, I cannot turn pages in a book, or button my buttons, and on Christmas Eve I was kate because I tried and tried to button the two buttons on my cassock and I ended sobbing in frustration. It is all I can do to get up and all but crawl to answer the phone. At the site where the tubing enters under my flesh for dialysis, an infen seems to have developed, and the skin is pealing, and this cause sharp pains, enough to take my breathe awy. Falling asleep is diffucult, because if I move in one way, my lower back hurts; in another, my upper back and shoulders hurt; if I turn on one side, my left leg really hurts, and if to my right, my neck hurs. Many help me, but there are the long hours of every day where lately it has occurred to me that I will not see the morning.

But believe me, I do my best to remain cheerful and positive, and when people come up and ask a blessing, they say,"Father, you look so Good; your complexion is good, you have lost so mch weight, your hands are nice and warm, surely you are on the mend!" I warmly smile, bless them and tell them that I am just fine, and if I do not think about my infirmities, I dont alwauys sense them. But now, they are taking over, and soon, they shall prevail. I tell you that today was a day of sheer torture.

As I have said to all of you so many times, if we have no trust or faith in God, what can console us? In all of this I have never doubted, as through out all my life that God loves me, for as He exists, He is all I long for.

Forgive me, another one of my long letters, but I feel close enough to so many of you that I want to share with you what I am going through. I humbly beg all of you to pray to God for me that I will be brave in what soon will come, and in the same light, please beg Him to show this sinful and weak man great mercy, and free from the bonds of thos life. Forgive my typing-it was a great effort to write tios "epistle." I have written this letter through many tears.

With sincerest love in Christ our God,

unworthy
Averky

[OrthodoxLearner]

You will be in my prayers.

Your Favorite Heretic =0)
Daniel

[Melissa]

Dear Father Averky,
I pray that your faith in our Lord and His goodness, your awareness of the many blessings you have been given, and your humility, will all strengthen you for that which approaches, whatever and whenever it may be. Our Lord awaits; may His mercy be upon you now and always. My best wishes and prayers are with you, along with those of so many others. Melissa

[Rebecca]

Fr. A.

In many ways, when I read your posts I'm often reminded of my dad who I have missed very much since his passing.

What words I can offer are nothing anyone doesn't already know, but from my pea brain I'd just offer that we don't know what our Lord has in store for us in this life, and though life may seem at times to be at its bleakest, there is still the great hope which lies in the fact that we really don't know what will happen tomorrow or the next day, despite what any experts may say, despite what science finds...it's not something one can figure out..

'Who is so great a God as our God? He alone does wonders'...great and small, some we see and some we miss, 'to this one he giveth and on that one he bestoweth.' and in all this is the newness that comes with not knowing what He will present us with tomorrow or the next day, though we may think we know, He does as He will, unbounded by time or nature.

Rebecca (with silent prayer)

[helen]

Dear Fr Averky ,
I am very happy to have come to know you in "Monachos" and all the others, you are in my prayers .......
The Lord, I'm sure hears us all sinners and gives us pain and suffering according to what each can handle ......I deeply believe that your prayers and all of our prayers are heard each minute of the day ...The Most Holy Theotokos weeps each day for us and our sins and prayers are sent on our behalf...
St Seraphim of Sarov and all Saints in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic faith ,please pray for each and every one of us and teach us to humbly accept each day as it comes...
Fr Averky, please forgive my wording here as Im not that good with words .....
quote//
Is anyone among you sick?
Let him call for the presbyters of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14,15)

Healing has always been central to the ministry of Christ (Matthew 4:23-24) even up to the present day.
Christ continues His ministry through us, His Body the Church (Acts 9:34; 1 Corinthians 12:9 etc.).
"for though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16).


Fr Averky I am a sinner and many times I fall, Please Fr Averky bless, and pray for me.
In Christ helen...

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Fr Averky,
Christ is in our midst.
I am the ROCOR priest in Winnipeg, Canada. I believe we met at Jordanville about 10 years ago but probably you do not remember me. In any case when I read your message this morning concerning your afflictions I was very moved. Be assured you are in our prayers. May Christ's peace be with you especially as we approach His Holy Theophany.
In the love of Christ- Hieromonk Raphael (Vereshack)

[helen]

Fr Averky Bless,
I was browsing the Orthodox sites and came across this ......
Fr Averky please pray for my family and myself..
helen..
quote//
What toil we must endure,
what fatigue,
while we are attempting to climb hills and the summits of mountains!
What,
that we may ascend to heaven!
If you consider the promised reward,
what you endure is less.
Immortality is given to the one who perseveres; everlasting life is offered; the Lord promises His Kingdom.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Journey to Heaven


He who endures distress,
will be granted joys; and he who bears with unpleasant things,
will not be deprived of the pleasant.

"153 Texts on Prayer", St Nilus of Mt Sinai, "Early Fathers From the Philokalia," translated from the Russian text, "Dobrotolubiye," by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, eighth edition, (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1981), pp. 127 - 135.

Fr Averky, these quotes above are a good sign that God does love us and though it feels like He is giving us pain and suffering, He does this for the best of our souls....(many times myself have said " why us and not others", BUT the Lord knows us better then we know ourselves)I simply forget that we each suffer in our own way....some longer then others and more painful then we can understand....I guess with each suffering we get closer to God and our mind is with Him always!
Again, please forgive my many words ......
Sinner,
helen...

[Jurretta J. Heckscher]

Dear Father Averky:

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this need with us, your friends and brethren in Christ. Having such a clear picture of what you are dealing with brings us much closer to you and makes it possible for us to make our prayers for you much more deeply felt and specific. My heart goes out to you, and I will be praying for you with especial warmth and intensity in the days and weeks ahead.

With love from your sister in Christ,

--Jurretta / Juliana

[Fr Averky]

Dear Ones,

Thank each and every one of you for your kind words of support and understanding. I thought a great deal before I sent that post; the wisdom of sharing my ailments might sound like whining and a lack of*courage or acceptance of what God in His mercy has sent me.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that we know each other in such a special way, and since we have so very much the same aim, I wanted to share what I have to deal with almost daily.


Your kind and loving words soothe and comfort me.

I came down to my office for a short time, mainly to check my mail, and there your little pieces of gold, your cool breeze on a hot day, a glass of cold water shared.

From my heart, thank you. I feel a little better, but I still cannot eat, and finally got a little sleep.

God bless all of you

Fr. Averky

[Fr Averky]

My Dear Father Raphael,

I do know of you through your having been here in Jordanville and because of your knowing Fr. Triphon on Vashon Island, but I do not think I was blessed to meet you.

I welcome you on board, for I have badgered and brutalized these poor hapless fellow Christians for too long, so now you can answer their queries with a much more gentle hand than mine, allowing them to bind their wounds, and in some cases, sharpen their weapons for renewed holy battle. They are, each of them, wonderful people, but like all of us converts, can they be so stubborn-they are precious to me even Owen, who by the way, still beats his wife. [ a little joke between us] (smile)

God Bless!

Fraternally yours in Christ,.

hieromonk Averky

[Chuck S.]

Dear Fr. Averky,

I post here only every now and then, but the few posts I've made, and the advice you have given me has stuck with me. Thank you for everything you've done to guide us new comers to Orthodoxy. And I'll keep you in my prayers.

In Christ, Thomas (Chuck)

[Vasilis Kirikos]

Please pray for me in my quest to find work. Please pray that the Lord directs me in His will in my quest to find work.
In Christ,
Vasilis

[dimitri marinis]

Dear brother Vasilis,
I know what its like for one to be looking for a job, you will be in my prayers and the Lord will there for you.
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on us
dimitri

[Vasilis Kirikos]

> Dear Brother Dimitri Marinis, Thank you for your prayers. I shall remember you in my own prayers. In Christ, Vasilis