The power of a Christ-formed life lies in the reality that no matter what happens in life, there is always spiritual gold to be found and an eternal perspective to be embraced.
“A striking example of a living commentary on Romans 12: 15—“Rejoice with those who rejoice”—comes from the life of a 70-year-old Romanian priest named Surioanu while he was held captive in a subterranean Communist prison camp:
This priest had a son who had died in a Soviet jail. His daughter was sentenced to twenty years. Two of his sons-in-law were with him in jail—one with him in the same cell. His grandchildren had no food, they were forced to eat from the garbage. His whole family was destroyed. He had lost his church. But this man had such a shining face—there was always a beautiful smile on his lips. He never greeted anyone with “Good morning” or “Good evening,” but instead with the words, “Always rejoice.”
One day we asked him, “Father, how can you say ‘Always rejoice’—you who have passed through such terrible tragedy?”
He said, “Rejoicing is very easy. If we fulfill at least one word from the Bible, it is written, ‘Rejoice with all those who rejoice.’ Now if one rejoices with all those who rejoice, he always has plenty of motivation for rejoicing. I sit in jail, and I rejoice that so many are free. I don’t go to church, but I rejoice with all those who are in church. I can’t take Holy Communion, but I rejoice about all those who take. I can’t read the Bible or any other holy book, but I rejoice with those who do. I can’t see flowers [we never saw a tree or a flower during those years. We were under the earth in a subterranean prison], but I can rejoice with those who see the rainbows and who see the multi-colored butterflies.” In prison, the smell was not very good. But the priest said, “Others have the perfume of flowers around them. And others have picnics and others have their families of children around them.… And he who can rejoice with all those who rejoice can always rejoice. I can always be glad.” That is why he had such a beautiful expression on his face.”
— The Soul's Longing: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on Biblical Interpretation by Mary S. Ford
“A striking example of a living commentary on Romans 12: 15—“Rejoice with those who rejoice”—comes from the life of a 70-year-old Romanian priest named Surioanu while he was held captive in a subterranean Communist prison camp:
This priest had a son who had died in a Soviet jail. His daughter was sentenced to twenty years. Two of his sons-in-law were with him in jail—one with him in the same cell. His grandchildren had no food, they were forced to eat from the garbage. His whole family was destroyed. He had lost his church. But this man had such a shining face—there was always a beautiful smile on his lips. He never greeted anyone with “Good morning” or “Good evening,” but instead with the words, “Always rejoice.”
One day we asked him, “Father, how can you say ‘Always rejoice’—you who have passed through such terrible tragedy?”
He said, “Rejoicing is very easy. If we fulfill at least one word from the Bible, it is written, ‘Rejoice with all those who rejoice.’ Now if one rejoices with all those who rejoice, he always has plenty of motivation for rejoicing. I sit in jail, and I rejoice that so many are free. I don’t go to church, but I rejoice with all those who are in church. I can’t take Holy Communion, but I rejoice about all those who take. I can’t read the Bible or any other holy book, but I rejoice with those who do. I can’t see flowers [we never saw a tree or a flower during those years. We were under the earth in a subterranean prison], but I can rejoice with those who see the rainbows and who see the multi-colored butterflies.” In prison, the smell was not very good. But the priest said, “Others have the perfume of flowers around them. And others have picnics and others have their families of children around them.… And he who can rejoice with all those who rejoice can always rejoice. I can always be glad.” That is why he had such a beautiful expression on his face.”
— The Soul's Longing: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on Biblical Interpretation by Mary S. Ford