“Take off Your Cross, Masha”

Maria worked as a journalist for one of the less popular magazines. Her boss was a real beast, or, more precisely an arrogant, unprincipled, greedy and completely inconsiderate person. The employees had to either learn to tolerate him or look for a job elsewhere. Maria was treated just as anyone else until the boss heard her talking to her friend on the phone. From their conversation, he quickly got the idea that she was “one of those people breaking their foreheads in churches” and began to pick on her.  

Despite being a grown man, he behaved like a savage. When he was in the mood, he particularly enjoyed shouting cheerfully to her, “Take off your cross, Masha. You are praying to the wrong God! Perhaps this is why you are raising your child alone.  I bet your husband has escaped to live with a normal woman, while you were making bows in church.” That was a blow under the belt since Maria’s husband really had left her for a young pretty girl.

Speaking of the cross on Maria’s neck, it was large, old and unusual. She inherited it from her grandfather, a battle-front veteran. The woman wore it with pride, and tried to ignore the attacks of the boss. But soon the fun was over for the joker… He accidentally fell so badly that he injured his spine. He needed to undergo surgery, and the doctors were slow to make any reassuring prognosis. The chances of a physical disability were high.

Maria went flying to the hospital the minute she found out. She knew what it was like to be in a situation where nothing depends on you. Besides, she understood that none of the colleagues would visit the boss. There was no open malevolence, but no one was showing any sympathy to him either.

The boss became worried when he saw her.  “Masha, why did you come?”

Before she had time to answer anything, the man suddenly burst into tears.

– It is God punishing me for mocking Him!

Maria looked into his eyes.

– Remember, you wanted me to take off my cross? Wait a minute…

She grabbed the leather string. The boss turned pale.

– Masha, what are you doing ?! Masha, don’t you dare!

– Calm down, – the woman smiled, – I want to give it to you … My grandfather went through the war with it…

She turned away so as not to see men’s tears. Then she left with a light heart.

The surgery was successful. Six months later, the boss returned to work, and Maria got a raise and became an editor. The boss hasn’t changed that much, except for the new word “sorry” that appeared in his vocabulary. But Rome was not built in one day, was it?

This is how it happens sometimes.

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Comments

  1. Thank you so much for posting this most beautiful article. It brought tears to my eyes, and my soul was in desperate need of hearing of such a Christlike act in this world.

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