Saints' Discussion Forums

We and our brother are two images; when a man is watchful about himself, and has to reproach himself, in his heart he thinks his brother better than he; but when he appears to himself to be good, then he thinks his brother evil compared to himself.'

'If you want to go to the monastery, you must be careful about every encounter and everything you do, or you will not be able to do the work of the monastery; for you will not have the right even to drink a single cup there.'

'When self-will and ease become habitual, they overthrow a man.'
 

'If a brother comes to visit you and you realize that you have not profited by his visit, search your heart, and discover what you were thinking about before he came, and then you will understand why his visit was useless.'


There was once a monk named Pambo and they said of him that he spent three years saying to God, 'Do not glorify me on earth.' But God glorified him so that one could not gaze steadfastly at him because of the glory of his countenance.
 

It was said of Abba John the Dwarf, that one day he said to his elder brother, 'I should like to be free of all care, like the angels, who do not work, but ceaselessly offer worship to God.' So he took off his cloak and went away into the desert. After a week he came back to his brother. When he knocked on the door, he heard his brother say, 'Who are you?' He said, 'I am John, your brother.' But he replied, 'John has become an angel, and henceforth he is no longer among men.' Then the other begged him saying, 'It is I.' However, his brother did not let him in, but left him there in distress until morning. Then, opening the door, he said to him, 'You are a man and you must once again work in order to eat.' Then John made a prostration before him, saying, 'Forgive me.'

 
He said that the Fathers of Scetis ate bread and salt and said, 'We do not regard bread and salt as indispensable.' So they were strong for the work of God.

 
When your brother attacks you, whatever the insults are, if you get angry at him, you are getting angry without cause. Even if he were to pull out your right eye, and to cut off your right hand, if you get angry at him, you are getting angry without cause. Yet if he were to try to take you away from God, then be angry.


St. Poemen

And many more of these quotes (http://saintsworks.net/forums/index.php?board=1.0) in many threads. . .

The Virtue of Obedience:

Abba Pistus related that which follows: 'We were seven anchorities who went to see Abba Sisoes who lived at Clysma, begging him to give us word.

He said to us, "Forgive me, for I am a very simple man. But I have been to Abba Or and to Abba Athre. Abba Or was ill for eighteen years. I made a prostration before him and asked him to give me a word. Abba Or said to me, 'What shall I say to you? Go, and do what you see is right; God comes to him who reproaches himself and does violence to himself in everything.'

Abba Or and Abba Athre did not come from the same part of the country, yet until they left their bodies, there was great peace between them. Abba Athre's obedience was great, and great was Abba Or's humility. I spent several days with them, without leaving
them for a moment, and I saw a great wonder that Abba Athre did. Someone brought them a little fish and Abba Athre wanted to cook it for the old man. He was holding the knife in the act of cutting up the fish and Abba Or called him. He left the knife in the middle of the fish and did not cut up the rest of it.

I admired his great obedience, for he did not say, 'Wait till I have cut up the fish.' I said to Abba Athre, 'Where did you find such obedience?'

He said to me, 'It is not mine, but the old man's.'

He took me with him, saying, 'Come and see his obedience.' He took the fish, intentionally cooked some of it badly, and offered it to the old man who ate it without saying anything. Then he said to him, 'Is it good, old man?' He replied, 'It is very good.' Afterwards he brought him a little that was well cooked and said, 'Old man, I have spoiled it,' and he replied, 'Yes, you have spoiled it a little.' Then Abba Athre said to me, 'Do you see how obedience is intrinsic to the old man?' I came away from there and what I have told you, I have tried to practise as far as I could."'

It seems that we get so bothered by even the smallest inconvenience of our worldly lives, but when we're subjected to immodest dress, foul language, or heresy (things that can have an eternal effect on us and our neighbours) our distaste for these things are so much more muted or even non-existant!

Yes, the upside down priorities the world inoculates us with!

It is good to hear from you MidnightSun! I pray you will have a great time here and enjoy the quotes! Welcome!

 :D

Abba Gerontius of Petra said that many, tempted by the pleasures of the body, commit fornication, not in their body but in their spirit, and while preserving their bodily virginity, commit prostitution in their soul. 'Thus it is good, my well-beloved, to do that which is written, and for each one to guard his own heart with all possible care.' (Prov. 4. 23)

Abba Isidore of Pelusia said, 'To live without speaking is better than to speak without living. For the former who lives rightly does good even by his silence but the latter does no good even when he speaks. When words and life correspond to one another they are together the whole of philosophy.'

He also said, 'Vice takes men away from God and separates them from one another. So we must turn from it quickly and pursue virtue, which leads to God and unites us with another.

Now the definition of virtue and of philosophy is: simplicity with prudence.'

He also said, 'The desire for possessions is dangerous and terrible, knowing no satiety; it drives the soul which it controls to the heights of evil. Therefore let us drive it away vigorously from the beginning. For once it has become master it cannot be overcome.'

"It was said of young John the Theban, a disciple of Abba Ammoes, that he spent twelve years serving the old man when he was ill. He stayed sitting with him on his mat. But the old man did not pay much attention to him, so much so that though he worked very hard for him, never did he say to him, "Salvation be yours.' But when he was at the point of death and the old men surrounded him, he took his hand and said to him, 'Salvation be yours, salvation be yours, salvation be yours.' Then he entrusted him to the old men saying, 'He is an angel, not a man.'"

Abba Agathon said: "I have never loved my brother only in theory, that is, without actually showing my love towards him. For me, love means to assist my brother, for I consider my brother's gain to be for me a fruitful work."

An Elder was once asked, "What is humility?" And he replied: "It is for you to forgive your brother who has sinned against you, even before he asks for pardon."

A brother asked another Elder: "What is humility of mind?" "It is to do good to those who cause you harm," the Elder replied. "But what if someone cannot attain such a level? Then what should he do?" The Elder replied: "Let him flee, preferring silence."

There was an Elder living in Egypt who always used to say: "There is no shorter road to Paradise than humility."

- the sayings of the Desert Fathers

Who does not know this to his own pain, I am thinking? I know it. It leads endlessly onwards, down, and down. . .


Are not simplicity and prudence especially beautiful concepts?

Living nearby an earnest brother, who constantly experienced God mourning in his soul, dwelt another brother.

One day when the latter was preparing to go down to the city, he said to his virtuous brother:

"My brother, be so kind as to take care of my garden until I return."

The other responded:

"Believe me, my brother, to the best of my ability, I will not be negligent."

When his neighbor had departed for the city, the brother said to himself: "Lowly one, now that you have time, attend to the garden." But he remained standing for his prayer rule from that evening until morning, and did not cease chanting and praying with tears for the entire day.

Returning late, his neighbor discovered that his garden had been destroyed by porcupines. With some bitterness, he said to the brother: "May God forgive you, my brother; for you did not attend to my garden."

The brother replied:

"Abba, God knows that I did my best to guard the little garden. I trust that He will grant the fruits thereof in time."

"In truth, my brother," replied the garden keeper, "it has been entirely destroyed and uprooted."

The earnest brother, wishing to console the garden keeper, told him:

"I am aware of what you are telling me, my brother. God, however, is able to make the garden bear flowers and fruit anew."

"Come, let us water it," said the keeper of the garden.

"You go and water it now," the brother answered, "And I will water it at night."

Another time, when it had not rained for quite some time, the garden keeper sadly said to the earnest brother:

"Believe me, my brother, that if God does not help, this year we will have no water at all."

And the brother replied:

"Woe to us, my brother, if the wellsprings of the garden run dry; then, indeed, we will not be saved."

Now whereas the garden keeper was speaking about the tangible garden, the other brother meant tears and the secret garden of the heart, which he watered and cultivated that it might blossom.

'A certain man called Isidore, of magistrate’s rank, from the city of Alexandria, had recently renounced the world in the above-mentioned monastery, and I found him still there. That most holy shepherd, after accepting him, found that he was full of mischief, very cruel, sly, fierce and arrogant.

But with human ingenuity that most wise man contrived to outwit the cunning of the devils, and said to Isidore: ‘If you have decided to take upon yourself the yoke of Christ, then I want you first of all to learn obedience.’ Isidore replied: ‘As iron to the smith, so I surrender myself in submission to you, holy father.’

The great father, making use of this comparison, at once gave exercise to the iron Isidore, and said: ‘I want you, brother by nature, to stand at the gate of the monastery, and to make a prostration to everyone coming in or going out, and to say: “Pray for me, father; I am an epileptic.” ‘And he obeyed as an angel obeys the Lord.

When he had spent seven years there, he attained to deep humility and compunction. Then the glorious father, after the lawful seven years and the man’s incomparable patience, judged him fully worthy to be numbered among the brethren and wanted to profess him and have him ordained.

But Isidore through others and through my feeble intervention, implored the shepherd many times to let him finish his course as he was living before, vaguely hinting that his end and call were drawing near. And that was actually the case. For when his director had allowed him to remain as he was, ten days later in his lowliness he passed gloriously to the Lord.

And on the seventh day after his own falling asleep, the porter of the monastery was also taken.

For the blessed man had said to him: ‘If I have found favour in the sight of the Lord, in a short time you also will be inseparably joined to me there.’  And that is what happened, in witness of his unashamed obedience and divine humility.

When he was still living, I asked this great Isidore what occupation his mind had found during his time at the gate.

And the famous ascetic did not hide this from me, wishing to help me: ‘In the beginning’, he said, ‘I judged that I had been sold into slavery for my sins; and so it was with bitterness, with a great effort, and as it were with blood that I made the prostration. But after a year had passed, my heart no longer felt sorrow, and I expected a reward for my obedience from God Himself. But when another year had gone by, I began to be deeply conscious of my unworthiness even to live in the monastery, and see and meet the fathers, and partake of the Divine Mysteries. And I did not dare to look anyone in the face, but bending low with my eyes, and still lower with my thought, I sincerely asked for the prayers of those coming in and going out.''

St. John Climacus, 'The Ladder'

'And I cannot be silent about the story of Hesychius the Horebite.

He passed his life in complete negligence, without paying the least attention to his soul.

Then he became extremely ill, and for an hour he left his body.

And when he came to himself he begged us all to leave him immediately.

And he built up the door of his cell, and he stayed in it for twelve years without ever uttering a word to anyone, and without eating anything but bread and water.

And, always remaining motionless, he was so wrapt in spirit in what he had seen in his ecstasy that he never changed his place but was always as if out of his mind, and silently shed hot tears.

But when he was about to die, we broke open the door and went in, and after many questions this alone was all we heard from him: ‘Forgive me! No one who has acquired the remembrance of death will ever be able to sin.’

We were amazed to see that one who had before been so negligent was so suddenly transfigured by this blessed change and transformation.

We reverently buried him in the cemetery near the fort and after some days we looked for his holy relics, but did not find them. So by his true and praiseworthy repentance the Lord showed us that even after long negligence He accepts those who desire to amend.'

St. John Climacus, 'The Ladder'

A various selection of excerpts from the desert fathers. . .

Abba Bessarion said: "For forty years I have not lain on my side, but have slept sitting down or standing up."

This Elder passed his life like a bird of the air, without disturbance or anxiety; he acquired nothing on this earth, not even the slightest thing, neither books nor clothing, except for a single torn garment. He never went beneath a roof, but always abode in the open air, in desolate and uninhabited places, where he struggled against the cold and the heat. In this way he succeded in transcending the needs of the body.

An Elder said: When you sit down to eat, vanquish the demon of gluttony by delaying; restrain him and tell him "Just hold on, you will starve." Eat with decorum, and the more the demon of gluttony urges you on, be certain to eat all the more calmly. For, this is how he puts force on a man and goads him on, by making him eat everything at once.

From Gregory the Dialogist: A nun from the convent of which Equitius the Great was Abbot went to the garden, and seeing a head of lettuce, desired it.  And without even making the sign of the Cross, she voraciously ate it. Immediately an unclean spirit entered into her and cast her to the ground. Those who were thereabouts, on seeing this occurrence, quickly called for Father Equitius to come to the aid of the endangered nun.

Now the Father having come immediately to the garden, the devil that was thrashing the nun began to cry out and say in his defense, "What did I do? I was just sitting on top of the lettuce when she came and bit into me."

The man of God then angrily ordered the spirit to leave the nun and never again to enter into her.

Straightway the unclean spirit left her and never again dared to come near her.

Abba John the Short said: "If a king wants to capture an enemy city, first of all he deprives it of water and food (by laying siege to it), and in this way his enemies, perishing from hunger, are subjugated to him. So it is with the carnal passions: if a man spends his life in fasting and virtual starvation, the passions and the demons flee, enfeebled, from his soul."

Abba Poimen said: "When David wrestled with the lion, he grabbed it by the throat and immediately slew it. If we, then, grab our throats and our stomachs -- that is, if we flee from hedonism and gluttony -- then we will overcome the invisible lion, with God's help."

One of the Fathers said: "If someone insults you, bless him; and if he accepts the blessing, it will be good for both of you; but if he does not accept it, he will be chastised by God for his insolence, whereas you will be rewarded for your blessing."

From St. Diadochus: Just as when the doors of the baths are left continually open, the heat inside is quickly drive out, so also the soul, when it wishes to say many things, even though everything that it says may be good, disperses its concentration through the door of the voice.

Hence the soul, deprived of suitable spiritual ideas, loses the strength to struggle against thoughts and babbles with anyone it encounters. Since in this way (through loquacity) the soul drives out the Holy Spirit, it cannot keep the intellect free from harmful fantasies; for the Good Spirit always flees from loquacity, which is the cause of every upset and fantasy. Timely silence is good, since it is nothing other than the mother of the wisest thoughts.

From Antiochos: Poverty indicates that the monk who applies it in his life is sincere. The monk who has no possessions resembles an eagle, who flies high above the earth. The monk who has not a single possession shows himself to be only temporarily on earth. Since he has acquired none of the temporary goods of this world, by this indifference to them it is obvious that he desires things eternal.

A poor man mimics, by his poverty, Elias, John (the Baptist), and the Disciples of the Lord. Like them, he can say: "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore?" (St. Matt. 19:27) And he, like them, will hear that which the Saviour said: "You, having abandoned all and followed Me, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life."

A brother said to Abba Anthony, “Pray for me.” The old man said to him, “I will have no mercy on you, nor will God have any, if you yourself do not make an effort and if you do not pray to God.”

From Abba Isaac:

A foolish and thoughtless friend is a source of destruction; a source of sweetness is the conversation of sensible men. To make the unwise your companion is to bring sorrow to your heart. It is better to dwell with wild beasts than with those who behave badly; indeed, to sit with vultures rather than with a greedy and insatiable man. Better to become the companion of a murderer than a quarrelsome man. Converse with a pig rather than a glutton; for a pig's trough is better than a gluttonous and insatiable mouth. Sit among lepers rather than among arrogant men.

Abba Alonius said:

Unless a man says in his heart, "Only I and God exist in this world," he will not have rest.

An Elder said: "Even though the Saints toiled here on earth, they had already received a portion of their refreshment." The Elder meant by this that they were free of the cares of the world.

The fathers are well known for their thought provoking words.. A treasure they would not give to anyone passing by, but only those who would receive them humbly and virtuously.  :D

Food for thought, and times of meditation!

Wise sayings indeed; reminds me of the Book of Proverbs  :)

I never thought of that, you're right!

An Elder said: "Children, believe me when I tell you that however great the praise and glory that belong to a king who abandons his kingdom and becomes a monk, as great is the shame for a monk who spurns the monastic schema and becomes a king; and this because noetic things are incomparably more precious than sensible things.'

Abba Anthony, musing upon the depths of the judgements of God with awe, besought God to expound on some of his queries.

"Lord," he said, "why do some die at a young age, and others in deep old age? Why are some poor and others rich? Why are the unjust rich and happy, whereas the just hunger and suffer?"

A voice then came to him, saying:

"Anthony, watch yourself; for such things are the impenetrable judgements of God and it is not to your spiritual advantage to preoccupy yourself therewith."

A discerning ascetic Elder, while advising a brother said to him:

"The Devil is the enemy and your soul is the abode he seeks to defile. The Enemy, then, does not cease throwing within the abode of your soul whatever he can come up with, littering it with every sort of filth. But you are responsible if you grow negligent and do not throw out the filth littered in your soul by the Devil. If you do not immediately attend to accomplishing this work of cleansing, then the inner abode of your soul will be filled with every kind of filth and no one will be able to enter and abide therein, on account of the unbearable stench. If, however, you straightaway resolve to take out the first batch of filth the Devil throws in, then God, rewarding your intention, will preserve the inner abode of your soul in cleanliness by His Grace."

The last extract makes me think, Woe to he that aids the Devil in his work, rather than opposing it, who opens the windows to the garbage thrower, or seeks it out and brings it in too himself, rather than cleans the house of the soul.

'Germanos then asked: "How does it happen that even against our will many ideas and wicked thoughts trouble us, entering by stealth and undetected to steal our attention? Not only are we unable to prevent them from entering, but it is extremely difficult even to recognize them. Is it possible for the mind to be completely free of them and not be troubled by them at all?"

Abba Moses replied: "It is impossible for the mind not to be troubled by these thoughts. But if we exert ourselves it is within our power either to accept them and give them our attention, or to expel them. Their coming is not within our power to control, but their expulsion is. The amending of our mind is also within the power of our choice and effort. When we meditate wisely and: continually on the law of God, study psalms and canticles, engage-in fasting and vigils, and always bear in mind what is to come -- the kingdom of heaven, the Gehenna of fire and all God's works -- our wicked thoughts diminish and find no place. But when we devote our time to worldly concerns and to matters of the flesh, to pointless and useless conversation, then these base thoughts multiply in us.

Just as it is impossible to stop a watermill from turning, although the miller has power to choose between grinding either wheat or tares, so it is impossible to stop our mind, which is ever-moving, from having thoughts, although it is within our power to feed it either with spiritual meditation or with worldly concerns."'

St. John Cassian

The ancient ascetic Fathers were wont to recount the following incident:

"On the mountain of Abba Anthony, seven monks lived in asceticism. When the palm trees were ripe with fruit, ready for harvesting, the Fathers would take turns guarding them, in order to drive away the birds, until the had collected the fruit. Since the brothers were seven in number, they would each stand guard one day a week. When it was the eldest brother's day to stand guard, he would cry out: "Flee far from me, both of you: The evil thoughts inside of me and the birds."

Who knows what birds can symbolize? Any thoughts?

I believe he is saying that in the same way that he needs to chase the birds away from the hard won fruit of the palm tree, so he also needs to chase the evil thoughts and temptations that we all face daily away from the spiritual fruits he has grown through piety and contemplation. Should one of those birds (temptations) make it through and begin to devour the fruit, he would lose all of the merits that he had worked so hard to cultivate.

At least that's what I get from it.  :)

Yes, quite so.. And where do temptations come from?  ;D

Oh, that's a tough one!

Temptations come from the devil (and from our own flawed nature), so the birds represent demons?

Yes, that is the truth!

Birds can represent angels in general! So both good and fallen angels.

If I am not misremembering I wish i could remember better there is a beautiful scene during the death of a saint where shining white birds surround the saint, and then disappear.

Thinking of them in that context then reading when Our Lord says, 'Consider the birds of the air. . .'

He does not simply say, birds, he says, 'birds of the air'.  Which would be another way of saying angels. 'Consider the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap. . .'

Which makes me think of how the monks aspire after the angels for how to live their spiritual life. While the laity aspire after the monks for their spiritual life. The angels live not touched or at all troubled by the material world. The monks aspire to be like this to the extent the Lord permits.
 
Well, I had not noticed that Our Lord said, 'birds of the air' and the 'of the air' part and thought of its possible significance till you answered, so I am very happy. It is a good day! Thank you! Deo gratias Stella!  :D

No, thank you for the insights, and for the spiritual puzzle!

A brother posed the following question to a renowned and experienced Elder:
"My Elder, please tell me what thoughts I should have in my heart."
The Elder replied:
"All of the things thought about by man, insofar as they exist below Heaven (and therefore pertain to ephemeral and earthly matters), are vanity. Only he who persists in remembrance of Jesus is in the truth."

To the same Elder who gave the previous answer yet another question was posed:
"How ought a monk to be?"
To this question, he responded as follows:
"In my opinion, a monk must be completely alone -- that is, free from every material care and earthly distraction -- and must address himself to God alone; in other words, the perfect monk must think always and exclusively about God alone."

Once several brothers visited a great Elder. The Elder asked the first brother:

"What work do you do, brother?"
"Abba, I plait ropes," he answered.
"May God weave a crown for you, my child."
Then he asked the second brother: "And you, what do you make?"
"Rush mats," he replied.
"God will strengthen you, my child."
In turn, the Elder asked the third brother: "And you, what work do you do?"
"I make sieves, my Elder."
"God will protect you, my child."
Afterwards, he likewise spoke to the fourth brother, "And what work do you do?"
"I am a calligrapher," he answered.
"You know what is needed," the Elder said in response to him.
Finally, he asked the fifth brother, "And at what do you work?"
"I weave linen cloth," the fifth brother replied.
"In such things I am not involved," the Elder replied.

With these answers, the Elder meant, specifically, the following:

The brother who plaited ropes, if he took care, was weaving, together with God a crown for himself.
The brother who was making rush-mats needed strength, since his work was exhausting.
He who was making sieves needed protection from God, since he sold them in the villages.
The calligrapher had need of humbling his heart, for this art brings pride to those who are not vigilant.
To the brother who wove linen fabric, the Elder said that he had no involvement, since this man was occupied in business pursuits and not with the handiwork appropriate to a monastic. For, if from afar, one sees someone supporting himself by making baskets, rush mats, and sieves, he knows that this is monastic, because his handiwork is made from a plant and can be burned by fire. But when one beholds a fabric salesman he says, "Here come the hawkers, since this is a worldly work and is not profitable for very many -- monks, that is."

Once an Elder lived in solitude as a monk in the desert, beseeching God to grant him the following gift: that whenever a spiritual and edifying conversation was in progress, he would not grow sleepy; but whenever someone spoke idly or gossiped, a deep sleep would come upon him, so that his hearing would not be touched by the poison of those words.

And, indeed, that which he asked, God gave him. Now, this virtuous Elder used to say that the Devil is a fashioner of idle talk and an  enemy of every spiritual teaching. He confirmed this point with the following example:

"Once I was talking with some brothers who were visiting me about various spiritual matters beneficial to the soul. My listeners grew so sleepy that they could not even move their eyelids. Seeing this deep sleepiness, I wanted to show them that this was an obvious operation of the Devil. I began idly to discuss various things. As soon as those whom I was conversing with heard this aimless talk, they immediately came out of their slumber and joyfully began to follow the conversation. So, I sighed," continued the Elder, "and said to my fellow conversants: 'Brothers, when we were talking of heavenly things, your eyes were overcome with sleep. But as soon as vain and unedifying talk came up, then all of you eagerly woke up. I implore you, then, my brothers: Reflect well on the action of the evil demon and be careful of yourselves, protecting yourselves from drowsiness whenever you do or hear something spiritual."

. . .

Abba Isaac said to the brethren: "Our Fathers and Abba Pambo used to wear much-patched old garments made of palm fibers; you now wear costly clothing. Get away from here, you have ruined this place." When he was about to go to the harvest, he said to them, "I am no longer giving you instructions, since you do not keep them."

. . .

 Abba Palladios said: More than a well-lighted window, a man must seek after the company of holy men, so that he can see his heart as if reading a clearly written book, and thus come to perceive the idleness in his way of life by contrast with their lives. For many are the traits of virtuous men which bear witness to the purity of their souls -- such as the subtle look that a Godly way of life imprints on the face, the style of dress, the simplicity of character, humility in discourse, the absence of an inquisitive tone in their words, the prudence of their expressions, the piety of their manner. All of these things benefit greatly those who attend to them and engrave on their souls the immutable archetypes of virtue.

Abba Poemon said, "If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: "I have not sinned," do not reprimand him for that will discourage him. But say to him, "Do not lose heart brother, but be on guard in the future," and you will stir his soul to repentance.

He also said, "A man who teaches without doing what he teaches is like a spring which cleanses and gives drink to everyone but is not able to purify itself."

He also said, "A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from orning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable."

A brother came to see Abba Poemen and said to him, "Abba, I have many thoughts and they put me in danger." The old man led him outside and said to him, "Expand your chest and do not breath in." He said, "I cannot do that." The old man said to him, "If you cannot do that, no more can you prevent thoughts from arising, but you can resist them."

A brother asked Abba Poemen, "An inheritance has been left me, what ought I to do?" The old man said to him, "Go, come back, in three days I will tell you." So he returned as it had been deciced. Then the old man said, "What shall I say to you, brother? If I tell you to give it to the church, they will make banquets with it; if I tell you to give it to your relations, you will not receive any profit from it; if I tell you to give it to the poor, you will not do it. Do as you like, it is none of my business."

Abba Poemen said, "Vigilance, self-knowledge and discernment; these are the guides of the soul."

He also said, "To throw yourself before God, not to measure your progress, to leave behind all self-will; these are the instruments of the works of the soul."

He also said, "All bodily comfort is an abomination to the Lord."

He also said, "Compunction has two sides: it is a good work, and a good protection."

He also said, "If I thought about bodily needs overtakes you, put the matter right at once; and if it comes a second time, put it right again, but the third time, if it presents itself, do not pay any attention to it, for it is not being any use to you."

He also said that a brother questioned Abba Adonias, saying, "What does it mean to become nothing?" The old man said, "It means to place oneself beneath irrational beings and to know that they are without blame."

A brother asked Abba Sisoes, "Did Satan pursue them like this in the early days?" The old man said to him, "He does this more at the present time, because his time is nearly finished and he is enraged."

Abba Sisoes' disciple said to him, "Father, you are growing old. Let us now go back nearer to inhabited country." The old man said to him, "Let us go where there are no women." His disciple said to him, "Where is there a place where there are no women except the desert?" So the old man said, "Take me to the desert."

It was said of Abba Sisoes that when he was at the point of death, while the Fathers were sitting beside him, his face shone like the sun.

He said to them, "Look, Abba Anthony is coming." A little later he said, "Look, the choir of prophets is coming." Again his countenance shone with brightness and he said, "Look, the choir of apostles is coming." His countenance increased in brightness, and lo, he spoke with someone. Then the old men asked him, "With whom are you speaking, Father?" He said, "Look the angels are coming to fetch me, and I am begging them to let me do a little penance."

The old man said to him, "You have no need to do penance, Father." The old man said to them, "Truly, I do not think I have even made a beginning yet." Now they all knew he was perfect.

Once more his countenance suddenly became like the sun, and they were all filled with fear. He said to them, "Look, the Lord is coming and he's saying, 'Bring me the vessel from the desert.'" Then there was a flash of lightning and all the house was filled with a sweet odour.

They come from three sources; the world, the Devil, and from our own concupiscience.

Yes, the world, the flesh and the devil..

How forgotten are all three today as enemies. . . but rather everywhere there are people embracing each one. .  To make the world happy, to make the flesh happy, to sympathize even with Satan. . .

'Unless a man hates all the activity of this world, he cannot worship God.'

St. Isaiah the Solitary

'He who hates the passions gets rid of their causes. But he who is attracted by their causes is attacked by the passions even though he does not wish it.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

'They [Saints Catherine and Margaret] love that which our Lord loves, and hate that which God hates.'

St. Joan of Arc

But what of God making the world and saying it was good? Was it good only before the Fall?

Well the material world is still in and of itself good.

It's the world of men, human customs, ways of life, thinking, culture, entertainment, et all that is the problem.

The concupiscence part, 'the flesh', is what makes the material world a problem?

...

Well, thinking about it, everything material is going to be burned to ashes rather on the Last Day, when the new earth replaces the old, no?

Abba Anthony said to Abba Poemen,
 'this is the great work of a man: always to take the blame for his own sins
before God and to expect temptation to his last breath.'

Abba Pambo asked Abba Anthony,
'What ought I to do?' and the old man said to him 'Do not trust in your own
righteousness do not worry about the past, but control your
tongue and your stomach.'

Great words of wisdom, and so true.

A brother came to see Abba Poemen and said to him,
 "Abba, I have many thoughts and they put me in danger."
 The old man led him outside and said to him,
"Expand your chest and do not breathe in."
 He said, "I cannot do that."
Then the old man said to him,
 "If you cannot do that, no more can you prevent
thoughts from arising, but you can resist them."

"When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he
was beset by accidie, and attacked by many sinful thoughts.
He said to God, 'Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts
do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How
can I be saved?' A short while afterwards, when he got up to
go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work,
getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and
plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an
angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard
the angel saying to him, 'Do this and you will be saved.' At7
these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He
did this, and he was saved."

Ora et labora!  :D

Exactly! An idle mind being the devil's workplace as they say!

A  brother who had sinned was turned out of the church by the priest.  Abba
Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, "I, too, am a sinner."

 Abba John the Dwarf said, 'If a king wanted to take
possession of his enemy's city, he would begin by cutting off
the water and the food and so his enemies, dying of hunger,
would submit to him. It is the same with the passions of the
flesh: if a man goes about fasting and hungry the enemies of
his soul grow weak.'
 

"One day Abba Isaac went to a monastery.  He saw a brother committing a sin
and  he condemned him.  When he returned to the desert, an angel of the Lord came
 and stood in front of the door of his cell, and said, "I will not let you
enter."  But he persisted saying, "What is the matter?"  And the angel
replied, "God has sent me to ask you where you want to throw the guilty
brother whom you have condemned."  Immediately he repented and said, "I have
 sinned, forgive me."  Then the angel said, "Get up, God has forgiven you.
But from now on, be careful not to judge someone before God has done so."

He (Abba Anthony) also said, 'God does not allow the same warfare
and temptations to this generation as he did formerly, for
men are weaker now and cannot bear so much.'

Abba Anthony was talking about then, but what about now?
Are we weaker spiritually that earlier Christians?

I do not remember reading the particular saying from the desert fathers which I am going to post.
I hope that it has not been posted already.

A brother once went out on a pilgrimage from the monastery of Abba
Poemen, and came to a hermit, who lived in love towards all and received
many  visitors.  The brother told the hermit stories of Abba Poemen.  And when he
heard of Poemen's strength of character, he longed to see him.
     The brother returned to Egypt.  And after some little time, the hermit
rose and went from his country to Egypt to see the brother who had visited
him: for he had told him where he lived.  When the brother saw the hermit,
he was astonished, and very glad.  The hermit said to him, "Of your charity
towards me, take me to Abba Poemen."  And the brother rose up and showed him
the way to the old man.
     And the brother told Abba Poemen this about the hermit, "A great man
of much charity, and particular honor in his own province, has come here
wanting to see you."  So the old man received him kindly.  And after they
had  exchanged greetings, they sat down.
     But the hermit began to talk of the Holy Scripture, and of the things
of the spirit and of heaven.  But Abba Poemen turned his face away, and
answered nothing.  When the hermit saw that he would not speak with him, he
was distressed and went out.  And he said to the brother who had brought him
there, "My journey was useless.  I went to the old man and he does not deign
to speak to me."
     The brother went to Abba Poemen, and said, "Abba, it was to talk with
you that this great man came here, a man of much honor in his own land.  Why
did you not speak to him?"  The old man answered, "He is from above, and
speaks of the things of heaven.  I am from below, and speak of the things of
the earth.  If he had spoken with me on the soul's passions, I would
willingly have replied to him.  But if he speaks of the things of the spirit, I know
nothing about them."
     So the brother went out and told the hermit, "The reason is that the
old man does not easily discuss Scripture.  But if anyone talks to him about
the soul's passions, he answers."
     Then the hermit was stricken with penitence, and went to the old man
and said, "What shall I do, Abba?  My passions rule me."  And the old man
gazed at him with gladness and said, "Now you are welcome.  You have only to
ask and I will speak with understanding."  And the hermit  was much
strengthened by their discourse, and said, "Truly, this is the way of love."
And he thanked God that he had been able to see so holy a man, and returned
to his own country."

I think we weaker, but it feels like the times are harder too!

It's ok to repeat quote and extracts sometimes. :D

This extract above makes me think of all the people who discuss high matters carelessly, without the reserve and reverence necessary. But it is even something to simply discuss them with sufficient reverence..

St. Poemen pray for us..

This reminded me of a few verses from Sirach.

My son, perform your tasks in meekness;
then you will be loved  more than the giver of gifts.
The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself;
so you will find favor with God.
There are many who are noble and renowned,
but it is to the humble that He reveals His mysteries.
For great is the might of the Lord
he is glorified by the humble.
Seek not what is too difficult for you,
nor investigate what is beyond your power.
Reflect upon what has been assigned to you,
and do not be curious about many of His works,
for you do not need to see with your eyes
what is hidden.
Do not meddle in what is beyond your tasks,
for matters too great for human understanding
have been shown to you.
For their hasty judgment has led many astray,
and wrong opinion has caused their thoughts to slip.
Sirach 3:17-24

Abba Xanthias said,
"The thief was on the cross and he was justified by a
single word; and Judas who was counted in the number of the apostles lost
all  his labor in one single night and descended from heaven to hell.  
Therefore let no one boast of his good works, for all those who trust in themselves fall."

Sirach is a true favorite of mine.

 :D

I've been thinking about meekness and smallness a more lately. How to do it though?

St. Therese is wonderful in teaching that, I think. (Now if I could only do it!)

I agree Sirach is a favorite of mine too.
Meekness is a real struggle for me. I need to pray a lot.

    When Abba Romanus was at the point of death, his disciples
gathered round him and said, "How ought we to conduct ourselves?"
The old man said to them, "I do not think I have ever told one of
you to do something, without having first made the decision not to
get angry, if what I said were not done; and so we have lived in
peace all our days."

  "  Now it happened one year that the Nile did not rise enough to
water all our fields, and a multitude of the poor came to Abba Aaron
weeping and saying, "Our holy father, we and our children are going to
die because the waters have not risen!" He said to them,"Believe in God
and He will deliver you.  As it is written, 'The prayer of the poor man
who is downhearted, he pours out entreaty before the Lord.' Again it
says, 'The Lord has heard the desires of the poor.'"  He quoted them
numerous other passages from scripture and explained them to them,
and he comforted them, and in this way they departed from him praising
God.  Now the holy man Aaron was not unconcerned about their distress,
and he would go to the river each evening and immerse himself in the
water up to his neck and he would pray to God, saying, "My good Christ,
compassionate one, have compassion upon your image and likeness."
Indeed, he continued this practice until God had compassion for his
tears and made the waters of the Nile flow over the face of the whole
country"
Paphnutius, Life of Abba Aaron.

I remember reading once how important the Nile is, and was.

Truly it whether the Nile flooded the lands or not determined everything about the future for folks, because it was the difference between starvation or not if the fields were properly irrigated.

That is true. The Egyptian farmers reportedly planned all their activities round the floods.

It was said concerning Abba Agathon that some monks came to find him,
having heard tell of his great discernment.
 Wanting to see if he would lose his temper, they said to him,
"Aren't you that Agathon who is said to be a fornicator and a proud man?"
  "Yes, it is very true," he answered.
 They resumed, "Aren't you that Agathon who is always talking nonsense?" 
"I am." 
Again they said, "Aren't you Agathon the heretic?"
But at that, he replied, "I am not a heretic."
 So they asked him, "Tell us why you accepted everything we cast you, but repudiated
this last insult."  He replied, "The first accusations I take to myself, for that is good for my soul.  But heresy is separation from God.  Now I have no wish to be separated from God."  At this saying they were astonished at his discernment and returned, edified.

Abba Mark said to Abba Arsenius,
"Why do you avoid us?' The old man said to him, 'God knows that I love
you, but I cannot live with God and with men. The
thousands and ten thousands of the heavenly hosts have but
one will, while men have many. So I cannot leave God to
be with men."
 1

These two are ones I can't forget.

The former reminds me of St. Poemen's advice about anger.

   One day the patriarch John (the Almsgiver) gave to one of his servants who had
been reduced to extreme poverty two pounds of gold with his own hands
so that no one might know of it.  When his servant said, "After this
gift I shall no longer have the courage to look you in the face, a
face so dear, so like an angel's," he made this wise and praiseworthy
answer, "I have not yet shed my blood on your behalf, brother, as
Christ, our God, my Master and the Master of us all, commanded me."

Hold me worthy, O Lord, to behold your mercy in my soul before I depart
from this world; may I be aware in myself at that hour of your comfort,
along with those who have gone forth from this world in good hope.
Open my heart, O my God, by your grace and purify me from any
association with sin.
Tread out in my heart the path of repentance, my God and my Lord,
my hope and my boast, my strong refuge, by whom may my eyes be
illumined, and may I have understanding of your truth, O Lord.
Hold my worthy, Lord, to taste the joy of the gift of repentance,
by which the soul is separated from cooperating with sin and the
will of flesh and blood.  Hold my worthy, O Lord, to taste this
state, wherein lies the gift of pure prayer.
O my Saviour, may I attain to this wondrous transition at which
the soul abandons this visible world, and at which new stirrings
arise on our entering into the spiritual world and the experience
of new perceptions.
St. Isaac the Syrian
 
Amen!

Abba Anthony said,
 'I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, "What can get through from such snares?" Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Humility."'

He also said, 'Some have afflicted their bodies by
asceticism, but they lack discernment, and so they are far
from God.'

Did Saint Anthony mean that these people do not understand the reason underlying the practice of asceticism?

This next story or saying from the desert is posted more for others' opinion as to how they understand it. I have often read it without really understanding what is being communicated. Here it is:


" Abba Anthony heard of a very young monk who had
performed a miracle on the road. Seeing the old men
walking with difficulty along the road, he ordered the wild
asses to come and carry them until they reached Abba
Anthony. Those whom they had carried told Abba Anthony
about it. He said to them, 'This monk seems to me to be a
ship loaded with goods but I do not know if he will reach
harbour.' After a while, Anthony suddenly began to weep, to
tear his hair and lament. His disciples said to him, 'Why are
you weeping, Father?' and the old man replied, 'A great pillar
of the Church has just fallen (he meant the young monk) but
go to him and see what has happened.' So the disciples went
and found the monk sitting on a mat and weeping for the sin
he had committed. Seeing the disciples of the old man he10
said, 'Tell the old man to pray that God will give me just ten
days and I hope I will have made satisfaction.' But in the
space of five days he died"

I recall the passage. If I recall correctly, there were further comments by the fathers on this topic surrounding it in the collection I read.

The sense of it, as far as I remember, was that this young man was loaded with gifts and graces, but not sufficiently tried and experienced enough to bear them all properly.

It reminded me of a young monk who, on being ordered to guard some grain by his fellows, was left to do it alone. Then the rain came, which would spoil it all. Desperately, to save the grain, he threw himself on the ground, and prayed with all his strength.

And everywhere it rained, but upon the grain. Upon returning, the abbot and the brothers saw and learned what had happened, and so the Abbot had the young monk scourged.

He did this for the sake of the monk's humility, lest he think back on this day and become proud.

With gifts can come trials and responsibilities..

Several brothers went one day to test Abba John the Short, since he never allowed his mind to be distracted and did not speak about the things of this transitory life. The brothers greeted him and said: "We thank God that it rained a good deal this year, that the palm trees received sufficient water to put forth leaves, and that the brothers are finding materials for their handiwork."

Abba John replied to them: "So it is when the Holy Spirit descends into the hearts of men: they are renewed and put forth leaves in the fear of God."

Abba Euprepius said, ‘Knowing that God is faithful and mighty, have faith in him and you will share what is his. If you are depressed, you do not believe. We all believe that he is mighty and we believe all is possible to him. As for your own affairs, behave with faith in him about them, too, for he is able to work miracles in you also.’

"They related of abbot Macarius the Egyptian, that one day he was going up from Scetis to the Nitrian hills, and when he drew near the place, he said to his disciple, 'Go a little in front.' And as he walked in front, he met a certain heathen priest, and the brother called out to him, crying, 'Aha, devil, where art thou running?' 'The man turned, and beat him well, and left him half killed, and took up his stick and ran.

When he got a little further, the abbot Macarius met him, and said to him, 'Salvation to thee, weary one.' Surprised at this, the man came to him and said, 'What good sawest thou in me, that thou didst accost me?'

The old man said to him, 'Because I saw thee tired, and thou knowest not that thy labour is in vain.' The other said to him, 'And I was touched by thy salutation, and saw that thou art on God's side; but another bad monk met me and insulted me, and I beat him to death.' And the old man knew that it was his disciple.

Then the heathen priest seized him by the feet and said, 'I will not leave thee till thou makest a monk of me.' Then they went up to where the monk was, and they carried him, and brought him into the church of the hill. And when they saw the priest with him, they were astonished; and they made him a monk, and many of the heathens became Christians because of him.
 
Therefore the abbot Macarius said that a bad word makes even good people bad, but a good word turns bad people into good.

Once a brother visited Abba Felix, accompanied by some laymen who were living in the world. He asked the Abba to tell them a word of benefit to the soul. But the Elder kept silent. Since, however, the brother persistently continued to question him, Abba Felix said at last:

"Do you want to hear a word?"

"Yes, Abba," answered the visitors.

"Now a 'word' no longer exists, because when brothers would ask the Elders and apply what the Elders told them, God would send a word for the spiritual benefit of those asking. But now, since the brothers ask, but do not apply what they hear, God has taken away the gift of words from the Elders, and they cannot find any words to say, since there is no one to realize virtuous words."

As soon as the visitors heard this, they sighed and said:

"Abba, pray for us."

The peer of all his contemporaries, the ascetic Ammonios, a disciple of St. Pambo, was exceedingly literate and well-educated. For this reason, the whole population of a certain city wanted him to be appointed their Bishop. To this end, the most eminent of the city's men appeared before the blessed Timothy, Metropolitan of the region, asking him to consecrated Abba Ammonios to the Episcopacy.

Metropolitan Timothy said to them, "Bring him here, and I will immediately consecrate him a Bishop for you."

And so, a committee left for the place where he was living as a hermit, all of them strong enough to lay hands on him, in case he should refuse, and take him by force to the Metropolitan. The Saint, however, realizing their intetions, took flight. But when the delegation -- with some labor -- caught up with him, he stopped and begged them not to insist on their demand. They, however, obdurately insisted. So, St. Ammonios swore to them that he would never accept their request and that he would never leave the desert.

Despite all of this, the representatives of the city would not oblige him. In the face of their insistance, while they stood by in astonishment, Ammonios grabbed some shears and completely cut off his ear.

"Let this at least convince you," he told them, "that what you are trying to force me to do is completely impossible, since the laws of the Church forbid someone with one ear [in fact, any person with any form of physical deformity - Trans.] to advance to the rank of Priest.

The delegation subsequently returned to the Metropolitan and conveyed to him the events that had taken place.

The Metropolitan, reflecting a bit, answered them:

"Let the Jews apply that law. Bring him to me, and even if he should cut off his nose, I will consecrate him. It is enough that he is worthy and that his life is virtuous."

After that, the delegation went again to where Abba Ammonios lived in asceticism, and they asked him anew to accept their offer and to be consecrated Bishop of their city.

In reply, Ammonios spoke to them assuring them of his firm intention: "Heed me! If you force me to leave my hermitage against my will, I will not hesitate to cut off my tongue, as well."

When the men of the city heard this threat, they finally left him alone and went on their way.

When the brethren were talking to an old man about the thoughts they said unto him, "Our hearts are hard, and we do not fear God; what are we to do so that we may come to fear God?" The old man said unto them, "I think that if a man will lay hold in his heart upon that which rebuketh him, it will bring to him the fear of God."

And they said unto him, "What is the rebuke?" The old man said unto him, In every act a man should rebuke his soul, and say unto it, 'Remember that thou hast to go forth to meet God.' And let him say also, 'What do I seek with man?' I think that if a man remain in these things the fear of God will come to him."

The brethren said, "What are works?" The old man said, "The keeping of the commandments of God in the purity "of the inner man, together with the [performance of] labours "by the outer man."

The brethren said, "Is every man who is destitute of "works also destitute of love?" The old man said, "It is impossible for the man who is in God not to love and it is impossible that he who loveth should not work; and it is incredible that he who teacheth and doth not work is indeed a believer, for his tongue is the enemy of his actions, and although he speaketh life, he is in subjection unto death."

On one occasion a brother came to Abba Isaiah, who threw a handful of lentiles into a saucepan to boil, but when they had just begun to boil he took them off the fire; and the brother said unto him, "Are they not yet cooked, O father?" And the old man said unto him, "Is it not sufficient for thee "to have seen the fire? For this [alone] is great refreshing."

ABBA POEMEN used to say, "Satan hath three kinds "of power which precede all sin. The first is error, and the second is neglect (or laxity), and the third is lust." "When error hath come it produceth neglect, and from neglect springeth lust, and by lust man fell; if we watch against error neglect will not come, and if we be not negligent, lust will not appear, and if a man worketh not lust, he will, through the help of Christ, never fall."

And the fathers also said: There was a rich philosopher in a certain city and he never gave anything to any man, and the Bishop of the city said unto him, "Dost thou know, O my beloved brother, that when we came into this world we brought nothing in with us, and that we shall not be able to carry anything out with us? But from that which Christ hath given unto thee thou shouldst lend in this world, and in the next He will reward thee several times over." Then the philosopher said unto the Bishop, "Wilt thou be surety to me that if I lend [money] unto Him He will reward me?" And the Bishop answered and said, "Yea, I will be surety to thee"; and the Bishop having become surety to him, straightway the rich man began to scatter his possessions, and whensoever he gave alms to any man he used to write thus: "Behold, I have lent to Christ such and such things, Bishop So-and-so being security for the same"; and he did thus until he had scattered all the riches which he possessed. Now when the day arrived for him to go forth from the world, he commanded his house hold, saying, " I make you to take an oath by Christ, in Whom I have trusted, that this paper shall be laid with me in the grave"; and they took the oath even as he made them to do. And after many days the Bishop came to the city, and he went to the kinsfolk of the philosopher, and he comforted them and said unto them, Did he not give you any commands ? And did he not make a will?" And they said unto him, "When he was dying he made us swear that the paper of indebtedness should be laid with him [in the grave], and we did even as he said." And the Bishop said unto them, "Come ye and shew me his grave," and when he had gone and entered into the grave, he saw the paper laid on the breast of the philosopher, and he took it, and opened it, and found that there was written in it thus, "I, the philosopher So-and-so, have gone to Christ, and everything which I lent unto Him He hath returned unto me many times over; and henceforward I have no claim whatsoever upon Him, except for tranquillity and peace." And every one who saw and heard [this] praised God, unto Whom all things are easy.

They make wonderful reading, don't they these quotes?
I really love them. Heart warming. :)

I agree! Very heartwarming!  :flower:

Abba Anthony used to say, "When we rise up in the morning each day let us think that we shall not abide until the evening, and when we come to lie down also let us think that we shall not abide until the morning; for we know not the days of our life, but they are known unto God. If we do this each day we shall not sin, and we shall do nothing wicked before God, and we shall not lust eagerly for anything belonging to this world, and we shall not be angry with anyone, but in everything we shall be regarding our souls, even as men who await death."

Abba Poemen also said that Abba Anthony said concerning Abba Pambo, "This man feared God so greatly that he made the Spirit of God to dwell in him."

An old man used to say, "Neither shame nor fear confirms sin."

Abba Poemen used to say, "Men are wont to speak of great and perfect things, but in their deeds they draw nigh unto the things which are little and inferior."

A brother asked an old man, saying, "What shall I do?" The old man said unto him, "Go, and love the constraint of thyself in everything."

An old man used to say, "If a man teacheth and performeth not he is like unto the large basin which receiveth the water for the assembly, which watereth and cleanseth many, but cannot itself be cleaned, and is full of dirt and impurity."

Abbd Muthues used to say, " I would rather have the man with a little work, which abideth and is constant, than him who at the beginning laboureth severely, and soon ceaseth altogether."

An old man used to say, "It is written, 'The righteous man shall blossom like the palm tree' (Psalm xcii, 12). Now these words make known that the soul acquireth height, and straightness of stature, and sweetness from beautiful deeds. But there is another quality which is found in the palm, that is, a single, white heart, which is wholly suitable for work (or useful for being worked). And this must be found in the righteous man, for his heart must be single and simple, and it must be accustomed to look towards God only. Now the heart of the palm tree is also white by reason of that fire which it possesseth naturally, and all the service of the righteous man is in his heart; and the hollowness and the evenness of the tops of the leaves [typify] the setting up of sharpness of the soul of the righteous man against the Calumniator."

A brother asked an old man, saying, "Is it the name or the work which maketh to live?" The old man said unto him, "I knew a certain brother who was praying on one occasion, and who thought within himself, saying, 'I wish to see the soul of a righteous man, and the soul of a sinner when they are leaving the body'; and because God wished neither to make him grieve, nor to deprive him of his desire, whilst he was sitting in his cell a wolf went in to him, and laid hold of him by his clothes and dragged him outside, and then having pulled him along he carried him to the outside of a certain city, and then he left him there and departed.

Now whilst he was sitting outside the city there was a man who lived in a monastery, and who had gained renown, and and concerning whom a report had gone forth that he was a monk of spiritual excellence; and this man was grievously sick, and was waiting for the hour of his departure [from this world]. And that brother looked on and saw the preparations which they were making, and the things which they were putting ready for the event, namely, the wax candles, and the lamps which they were trimming and preparing, and he saw that all the city was weeping for him, and that his people were in grief, and saying, 'By his hand God hath  given us meat and drink, and by his hands He hath delivered us, and hath kept us and the whole city alive; if anything happeneth to him we shall die.'

And when the time for this man to end his life had come that brother looked, and saw, and behold, the keeper of Sheol went in having in his hand a fork of fire with three prongs, and he heard a voice which spake [to the keeper], saying, 'Thou shalt not give his soul any rest, even for a moment, and thou shalt not shew any compassion unto him when thou takest away his soul.'

Then he who had appeared to that brother went in, and he drove that fiery, three-pronged fork which he had in his hand into the heart of the dying man, and he tortured him for a long time, and then he carried away his soul.

And after these things, when that brother was going into the city, he saw a certain brother who was a stranger, and who was lying sick in the market-place, and there was none to care for him; and he remained with him for one day, and at the time when his soul was departing the brother saw Gabriel and Michael come for his soul, and they sat down, one on his right hand, and the other on his left, and they stayed there entreating his soul and wishing to carry it away. And since his soul refused to leave its body, Gabriel said to Michael, 'Lift up his soul and take it, so that we may depart'; and Michael said unto him, 'We were commanded by our Lord to bring it out without pain and without suffering, and therefore we cannot constrain it and do it violence.' Then Michael cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'What dost Thou command concerning this soul which will not be entreated to come forth, O Lord?' And there came unto him a voice which said, 'Behold, I will send David and his harp, and all those who sing with him, so that when the soul heareth the sweetness of their voices it shall come forth'; and they came down and surrounded the soul, and as they were singing psalms and hymns the soul leaped forth, and it was rejoicing in the hands of Michael, and was taken up on high with gladness."

'When I was at Theopolis with patriarch Gregory, abba Cosmas visited us, a eunuch from the Laura of Pharan. He was an outstandingly religious man, extremely zealous in upholding the true faith and teachings, well versed in the knowledge of the divine Scriptures. He had hardly been there for more than a few days when he died, and the patriarch ordered his precious relics to be buried in his own monastery next to a certain bishop. I went there one day to pay my respects to the tomb of the old man, and found a poor man lying on the tomb asking alms of those going in to the church. When he caught sight of me he prostrated himself three times as he prayed to the old man.

"Abba", he said to me, "this old man whom you buried these two months past was assuredly a very great person."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Well, sir," he replied, "I was paralysed for twelve years but God cured me through him. And whenever I am in trouble he comes to me and brings me consolation and peace. And here's another miracle of his: from the day in which you buried him until now, I hear him crying out each night to the bishop [buried next to him] 'Don't touch me, you heretic. Don't come near me, you enemy of the holy Catholic Church of God.' Hearing this cry from the one who healed me, I went to the patriarch and told him everything exactly as it had happened, and begged him to lift the body of the old man from the place where it was and bury it elsewhere.

"Believe me, my son," said abba Gregory the patriarch, "abba Cosmas cannot come to any harm from any heretic. All this has come to pass so that we should take note of the old man's virtue and zeal for the faith. As he was in this life so he is now that he is laid to rest. And he lets us know his opinion about the bishop, lest we should think that he had been orthodox and Catholic."'

- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

'It is possible to restrict many things to what is absolutely necessary through prayer and abstinence; but it is impossible to overlook them entirely. This is precisely why he who desires to attain the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and to become a perfect man (Ephesians 4:13), in accordance with Holy Scripture, should not prefer various duties to prayer; nor should he undertake these, unless it is necessary to do so. But when, out of necessity and the Providence of God, these duties present themselves to us, we should not dismiss them and cast them aside, on the pretext, perhaps, of prayer; but we should discern the difference between prayer and service that presents itself at a given moment and serve the Providence of God without excuses.'

St. Mark the Ascetic, from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Once upon a time there lived an ascetic in the Thebaid by the name of Diocletos. Having started out as a grammarian, he subsequently devoted himself to the study of philosophical issues, though in due course Divine Grace attracted him to the study of Heavenly philosophy. Hence, at the age of twenty-eight he renounced the world and entered a cave, where he dwelt for thirty-five years.

This blessed man said that when the mind becomes estranged from the vision of God, it becomes either demonic or bestial.

Desiring to learn how such a pernicious change occurs in the mind, we put various questions to him. He answered us with the following explanation: "When the mind of man withdraws from the vision of God, it will necessarily either follow the appetitive faculty and fall into the clutches of the demon who leads men into bestial wantonness, or it will be dominated by the incensive faculty, from which all of the demonic impulses of wantonness are engendered.

I then posed the following question: "How is it possible for the mind to abide unceasingly with God?" The Elder replied: "As long as the soul, whether a man is thinking or engaged in action, is guided by the law of piety and by Divine thoughts, our mind abides with God."

from Palladios

Whoa!  A  cautionary tale and a good one! 
May St. Mark The Aesetic pray for those
seeking a desert experience.
:crucifix: :crucifix: :crucifix:

It truly makes me realize the need to improve prayer life!

An Elder related that the Fathers had once gathered for their spiritual edification. One of them suddenly got up and grabbed the small cushion which was on his seat; having placed it on his shoulders, and holding it up with both of his hands, he stood in the midst of them all and, looking towards the East, prayed, saying: "Oh my God, have mercy on me."

Thereupon he replied to himself: "If you want Me to be merciful to you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will show you mercy."

And once again he said: "O my God, have mercy on me."

Again, he replied to himself: "I told you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will have mercy on you."

After repeating this scene many times, he finally sat down.

The Fathers then asked him: "Explain to us what this action of yours means."

What do folks think the explanation was?

 :D

Any guesses?

I don't know. Perhaps the pillow helped ease the pain of the cross he was carrying, and by letting go he was truly carrying the cross as he was meant to. I'm guessing ;D

I like that guess my brother! I knew folks would come up with some inspired answers if I held back the one the Elder had!

 :D

I'll wait patiently to hear the true answer :)

I like how: "After repeating this scene many times, he finally sat down."

So if it were written a different way it would perhaps be:

"Oh my God, have mercy on me."

Thereupon he replied to himself: "If you want Me to be merciful to you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will show you mercy."

And once again he said: "O my God, have mercy on me."

Again, he replied to himself: "I told you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will have mercy on you."

And once again he said: "O my God, have mercy on me."

Again, he replied to himself: "I told you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will have mercy on you."

And once again he said: "O my God, have mercy on me."

Again, he replied to himself: "I told you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will have mercy on you."

And once again he said: "O my God, have mercy on me."

Again, he replied to himself: "I told you, let go of what you are carrying, and I will have mercy on you."

...

It reminds me of a quote I heard somewhere, I think it goes like;
"The good is the enemy of the better and the better is the enemy of the best."
Don't know if I'm even in the ballpark, :shrug:
I just hadn't thought of that quote in years.

Time to go pray! :+: :principalities: :angelbell: :seraphim: :angelyellow: :cherubim:

Was he agonizing over some spiritual load he had and did the pillow represent  this "load" he appeared loath to let go of?
He sat down with the pillow still on his back.

Sounds like this, whiterockdove:

'Every time that these three come before thee, good, better, and best, if it be possible to thee, attach thyself always to the best. If thou canst not have the best, see that thou dost attach thyself then to the better before the good. This is what God doth wish that we should do, and this alone, in order that we may all become virtuous men.'

St. Bernardine of Siena

I will finish the story now! :D

The Elder replied to them: “The cushion which I carried on my shoulders symbolizes my will; I besought God to have mercy on me while I was carrying my will; and God said to me, ‘Let go of what you are carrying, that is, your will, and I will have mercy on you.’ And we” -- the Elder concluded -- , “if we want God to have mercy on us, let us forsake our own desires -- then we will obtain God’s mercy.”

Aha!
 Thy will, Lord, not mine, be done!
Amen.

The pillow image is fitting for me;
I sure hold onto my pillow some days Zzzz
And put a second pillow over the alarm clock ::)

On one occasion, I was sitting with the Blessed Abbot Sergios from the Jordan Plain. While I was reading the Book of Proverbs, I came to the verse that says:

"With much wood, fire increaseth; but where there is not a contentious man, strife ceaseth." [Prov. 26:20]

And I asked the Blessed Sergios to explain it to me.

He said in reply:

"Just as wood causes a fire to flare up and, if we do not throw enough of it on the fire, it goes out, so also does it happen with the passions; that is, there are certain causes which, if cut off, no longer activate the passions.

For example, the causes of anger are giving and taking, wanting to do one's own will, taking delight in teaching and showing off to other people, and thinking oneself to be intelligent and wise."

Ahh! Thank you Shin, more wisdom from the desert fathers.

A certain brother asked an old man, saying, "Why is it that I feel disgusted when sitting in my cell, and why am I sluggish in respect of works of spiritual excellence?" And the old man answered and said unto him, "Because thou dost not keep in mind the rest which  those who labour expecl:, and the torments which are laid up for the lazy. For if, in very truth, thou wert seeing these things, thou wouldst be watchful and strenuous in thy labour."

. . .

Whilst Abba Sylvanus was living on Mount Sinai brother Zechariah went to the work of the service [i.e., singing and prayer]; and when he had gone the old man said unto him, "Open out the water [courses] and water the garden."

Then he went forth straightway, and covered his face with his cloak, and he could see only his feet; and during the time when he was watering [the garden], a brother came to him, and he perceived what he was doing, and he went in to him, and made an apology, and entreated him, saying, "Tell me, O father, why thou didst cover thy face with thy cloak and didst in this manner water the garden?" The old man said unto him, "My son, that mine eyes might not look upon the trees, and that my mind might not be distracted in its work, and become buried in the trees."

Abba Isidore of Pelusia said, "To live without speaking is better than to speak without living. For the former who lives rightly does good even by his silence but the latter does no good even when he speaks."

He also said, "Many desire virtue but fear to go forward in the way that leads to it, while others consider that virtue does not even exist. So it is necessary to persuade the former to give up their sloth, and teach the others what virtue really is."

Abba Isaac said, "When I was younger, I lived with Abba Chronius. He would never tell me to do any work, although he was old and tremulous; but he himself got up and offered food to me and to everyone. Then I lived with Abba Theodore of Pherme and he did not tell me to do anything either, but he himself set the table and said to me, "Brother, if you want to, come and eat." I replied, "I have come to you to help you, why do you never tell me to do anything?" But the old man gave me no reply whatever. So I went to tell the old men. They came and said to him, "Abba, the brother has come to your holiness in order to help you. Why do you never tell  him to do anything?" The old man said to them, "Am I a cenobite, that I should give him orders? As far as I am concerned, I do not tell him anything, but if he wishes he can do what he sees me doing." From that moment I took the initiative and did what the old man was about to do. As for him, what he did, he did in silence, and so he taught me to work in silence."

'Have no dealings with heretics, guard your tongue and your stomach, and wherever you go say constantly: "I am a stranger and a pilgrim."'

St. Olympius

There was a certain man who was a slave and he became a monk, and he persisted in a life of self-abnegation for five and forty years, and bread, and water, and salt, were sufficient for his food; now after some time the man who had been his master repented, and he also made himself to be remote from the world. And when the time came for him to depart from this world, he said unto his slave, who was now his Rabba, I see the hosts of wickedness surrounding me, but through thy prayer they are going back from me." And when the call came for that slave one stood on his right hand, and the other on his left, and he heard them saying unto him, "Dost thou wish to come, O father, or shall we go and leave thee?" And he said, "I desire not to remain, take my soul"; and thus he ended [his life].

Abba Anthony besought God to inform him why young children died whilst so many old men lived, and why upright men were poor whilst the wicked were rich, and why some were blind and others had their sight, and why the righteous suffered from illness whilst the wicked were healthy, and a voice came, which said, "Anthony, take care of thine own self, for these matters are the judgements of God."

An Admonition of the Holy Fathers.

Be thou an enemy unto all folly and sin. Dejection driveth away the fear of God, captivity [to sin] driveth away the virtues from the soul. There are three excellences which illumine the mind always; a man must not see the vices of his neighbours, and he must do good unto those who do evil to him, and he must bear with gladness all the trials which come upon him. And these produce three other excellences, namely, a man must not look upon the vices of his brother, and this excellence produceth love; and he must bear the trials that come upon him, and this excellence produceth self-denial. There are three excellences of which the mind hath need, and a man should observe them always: He should lean away from follies, and he should not be lax in his service, and he should make strong his heart. There are three excellences, the which if a man see them with him he knoweth within himself that he is delivered from devils, namely, knowledge whereby he will be able to understand and to discern between thoughts, and the sight of everything before it cometh to pass, and the power of not becoming entangled with evil thoughts of any kind.

There are three things which gain dominion over the soul until it arriveth at great weakness, captivity [to sin], and dejection, and sickness, and these contend against every man's soul, and from them are produced evil thoughts, and when a man buildeth up they overthrow [what he hath built]. There are three excellences which benefit and strengthen the soul: mercy, the absence of lust and long-suffering, and besides these three excellences the mind hath need to pray without ceasing continually, and a man must fall down and cry out before God, and hate all evil passions.

An Egyptian brother came to see Abba Zeno in Syria, and accused himself to the old man about his temptations. Filled with admiration, Zeno said, 'The Egyptians hide the virtues they possess and ceaselessly accuse themselves of faults they do not have, while the Syrians and Greeks pretend to have virtues they do not have, and hide the faults of which they are guilty.'

In a village there was said to be a man who fasted to such a degree that he was called 'the Faster'. Abba Zeno had heard of him, and he sent for him. The other came gladly. They prayed and sat down. The old man began to work in silence. Since he could not succeed in talking to him the Faster began to get bored. So he said to the old man 'Pray for me, Abba, for I want to go.' The old man said to him. 'Why?' The other replied, 'Because my heart is as if it were on fire and I do not know what is the matter with it. For truly, this when I was in the village and I fasted until the evening, nothing like this happened to me.' The old man said, 'In the village you fed yourself through your ears. But go away and from now on eat at the ninth hour and whatever you do, do it secretly.' As soon as he had begun to act on this advice, the Faster found it difficult to wait until the ninth hour. And those who knew him said, 'The Faster is possessed by the devil.' So he went to tell this to the old man who said to him, 'This way is according to God.'

One of the old men used to say, "The Prophets compiled the Scriptures, and the Fathers have copied them, and the men who came after them learned to repeat them by heart; then hath come this generation and [its children] have placed them in cupboards as useless things."

The old man Poemen used to say, "Thou shalt have no dealings whatsoever with a child of the world, and thou shalt hold no converse with women" and he also said, "Thou shalt possess no knowledge of the judge (or governor), lest, when thou hearest his words, thou perform his work."

One of the old men used to say, "I have never taken one step forwards without first of all learning where I was about to set my foot, and I have neither crossed my boundary to walk on a height, nor have I descended into a deep place, and been troubled by so doing; for my only care hath been to beseech God until He brought me forth from the old man."

On one occasion the brethren were gathered together in Scete that they might enquire into the history of Melchisedek, and they forgot to invite Abba Copres to be with them; finally, however, they did call him, and they enquired of him concerning the matter. And he smote three times on his mouth, and said, "Woe be to thee! Woe be to thee, O Copres, for thou hast left undone what God commanded thee to do, and thou art enquired of concerning the things which God hath not demanded of thee" and they all left the place and fled to their cells.

An old man used to say, "Freedom of speech (or boldness) is a wind which parcheth, and it smiteth the fruit at the harvest."