From the Desert: Fatigue

[Shin]

Abba John the Eunuch, when he was young, asked a certain Elder: "How is it that you can do the work of God with ease, while we, since we are overcome by fatigue, cannot do so?"

The Elder replied: "We can do this, since we place the work of God first in order and consider the satisfaction of bodily needs totally secondary; while yuo, on the contrary, give primary significance to the satisfaction of your bodily needs and reckon the work of God insignificant; and thus you get tired. For you do not reflect on the words that the Savior addressed to the Disciples: 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God. . . and all these things shall be added unto you.' (Matt. 6:33)

- from the sayings of the desert fathers

'When the body hungers and demands food, let us remember that the soul also has the same need.'

St. Ephraem