St. Ephraim the Syrian

confused_sinner

Hey everybody,
I just pasted this paragraph straight out of the synixar. I dont really understand why the sin wasnt forgiven, and why couldnt St. Basil forgive her? Why did she need St. Ephraim?
I am sorry for the many questions..

St. Ephraem increased his asceticism, and many great virtues were manifested through him that surpass description. Among which was that of an honorable woman, who was ashamed to confess her sins orally to St. Basil. She wrote on a paper her sins which she had committed since her youth, and gave it to St. Basil. When he received it and knew what was written in it, he prayed for her. The piece of paper became blank except for only one great sin. The woman wept, and entreated him to pray for her that God might forgive this sin for her. St. Basil told her, "Go to the wilderness where St. Ephraem is and he will pray for you." The woman went to him and told him what had happened. He said to her, "I am not worthy of this honor, go back to St. Basil for he is a high priest. Go now quickly before he departs from this world." When the woman returned, she found that St. Basil had departed, and was carried on the heads of the priests. She wept, and threw the piece of paper on his coffin. She prayed to God interceding through the saint. Then, she took the piece of paper, and she found it completely blank.

please pray for me
-cheif of sinners

user00

Perhaps so the saintliness of St. Basil could be shown and God could be glorified (and so the woman would be truly repentant, or more repentant).

As for St. Basil, maybe he wanted the lady to take St. Ephraem's blessings or was being humble or both.

confused_sinner

Thats what I was thinking of -for it to be for the glory of His name. However, at the same token it pops the question, can certain sins not be forgiven even after repentance and confession? If so, How would I know its not forgiven and what do I have to do for it to be forgiven? The only instance I can think is that if the foc binds a certain sin such a stealing or something and says that this sin will not be forgiven until you return the item, but the sin is still forgiven.  I am not too sure this has an answer, just a bit puzzled..sorry for all the questions again..

please keep me in your prayers
-cheif of sinners

socoolbishoy

God wanted her to work!

also remember God works in very mysterious ways... in this case He tested three people, and they were successful!

1. Saint Basil, God did not accept his prayer for that one sin, is he going to revolt and say I'm the High Priest, or be humble and give it to a mere monk in the wilderness?!

2. the lady, is she going to go to such a distance in the wilderness for a sin, is she truly repenting and wants to clean her sins?

3. Saint Ephraim, is he going to pray... and think of himself as a higher spiritual level, or is he going to be humble?

you see saint Ephraim didn't know if she will reach Saint Basil or not, but yet he sent her to him, so that she would catch him before he died... so he did do it out of humbleness!

for Saint Basil, he did not revolt, and was accepted into Heaven, and we clearly see this by his prayers, her sin was forgiven in the end!

and for the lady she was forgiven her sin, so she did pass the test as all the rest have!


there is much more contemplation, but it would take TOO LONG...

akhadna el baraka, neshkor Allah!

user00

All sins can be forgiven--but only if we truly repent/try to change our ways/way of thinking/complete direction.

..which reminds me that I need to learn this lesson for myself.

Pray for me