Entreaties of the Poor

Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard (Prov. 21:13). And we often marvel why God does not listen to our prayers? Here is the reason! Because there surely have been instances when we have stopped

hearing the entreaties of the needy; so the Lord does not hear us either. It is no great woe if a prayer about something temporal is not heard; but how woeful if the Lord will not listen to us when we start to pray to Him about the forgiveness of our sins. He will not listen if the cry to Him of those

scorned is stronger than our pray?ers. We must hurry to avert this ex?treme misfortune, according to the example of Zaccheus, whose wise decision caused the Lord to say, This day is salvation come to this house (Luke 19:9).

Saint Theophan the Recluse