Chapter 129 Chapter 7 Miracles after death

Alyosha, the protagonist of the book "The Brothers Karamazov", is a young monk who studied under the famous Elder Zosima, a saint who is famous all over Russia.In the minds of most people, Elder Zosima has been recognized as a great saint, loved and worshiped wholeheartedly.People flocked thousands of miles from all over Russia to worship him, listen to his sermons, beg him for healing and blessings. Elder Zosima was weak and sick, and was not far from death.Undoubtedly, Alyosha loved the elder deeply, but Alyosha did not feel much sorrow for the elder's imminent death. On the contrary, like everyone else, he burned a kind of flame-like joy in his heart. death is full of anticipation.He expected that the death of Elder Zosima would inevitably result in a miracle, and this miracle would thoroughly prove and affirm the elder's sainthood and win a great reputation for his monastery.

What kind of posthumous miracle is Alyosha looking forward to? It is said that although the true saints will die, because they fear God and live a pious life, their remains will not stink, they will lie alive in the coffin, and they will be completely incorruptible when they are buried. The face is radiant and energetic, and the body even exudes a burst of fragrance.Such miracles, of course, are God's generous rewards to the saints, so that they may be more honored after death than in life.Since Elder Zosima is already a recognized saint, there should be such a miracle after his death.

Alyosha firmly believed that the day the elder died must be the greatest day in his life. The elder's death finally came, however, contrary to everyone's expectations, his corpse soon began to stink.Even for a sinful person, it takes at least one day and night for him to stink from death.But Elder Zosima, a saint in everyone's hearts, rotted ahead of time, on the day he died. Such a situation naturally makes those who gloat over their misfortunes elated.And among those who were loyal to the elder and always revered him, there were many who were immediately annoyed by it, seemed to be personally humiliated, considered it a shame, and met each other with a guilty conscience. Take a look.

As far as the young Alyosha was concerned, no one trusted the elder more than him, and no one suffered as much as he did because of it. He once believed so firmly in the inevitable occurrence of miracles.However, the elder who was supposed to be respected as above all people in the world, not only did not get the honor he deserved, but he was actually belittled and insulted!Even if there were no miracle at all, no sign of a miracle, people's expectations were frustrated--but why should they suffer such a shame?Why lose face?Why was his body decomposing so quickly, "early decay," as the wicked priests said?

His heart is bleeding, the person he admires the most in this world is now tarnished and damaged!This made him doubt God and could not accept the world he created.He almost rose up in rebellion against his God. With a broken faith, he left the monastery, ready to fall.