Lower Than Every Created Being

A brother said to Sisois, "I look into my own mind and I see that it is recollected and intent upon God."

Sisois said to him, "It is nothing special that your mind should be with God. The great thing is to see yourself to be lower than every created being. Bodily toil will put that right, and lead you on the way to humility."

Protect Me From My Tongue

Sisois once said with confidence, "For thirty years I have not prayed to God without sin. When I pray, I say, 'Lord Jesus Christ, protect me from my tongue.' Even now, it causes me to fall every day."

Close the Door

A brother said to Sisois, "I want to guard my heart."

Sisois replied, "How can we guard the heart if our tongue leaves the door of the fortress open?"

Vessels of Passion

A brother said to Sisois, "Why do my passions not leave me?"

He said to him, "Because the vessels that fill those passions are within you. Empty them and the passions they cause will go away."

~~Vessels by Paige Russell

Serenity

Sisois said, "Be despised; put your self-will behind your back; be free of worldly concerns, and you will have peace."

~~Serenity by Ann Self

Speak Simply

Ammon (of the place called Raithu) brought this question to Sisois: "When I read Scripture, I am tempted to make elaborate commentaries and prepare myself to answer questions on it."

He replied, "You don't need to do that. It is better to speak simply, with a good conscience and a pure mind."

~~Photo by Dean Koenig

Rapt in Prayer

They said of Sisois that unless he soon lowered his hands when he stood up to pray, his mind was caught up to heaven. So, if he happened to be praying with another brother, he quickly lowered his hands and ended his prayer, so that his mind should not be rapt or cause him to go on praying too long for his brother.

Vengeance is Mine

A brother who was hurt by another brother went to the Theban Sisois and said, "I want to get back at a brother who has hurt me."

Sisois begged him, "Don't do that, my son, leave vengeance in the hands of God."

But he said, "I can't rest until I get my own back."

Sisois said, "My brother, let us pray." Then standing, he prayed, "O God, we have no further need of you, for we can take vengeance by ourselves."

The brother heard it and fell at the hermit's feet, saying, "I won't quarrel with my brother any longer; I beg you to forgive me."

The Test of Obedience

Once a man who wanted to become a monk came to see Sisois of the Thebaid. The hermit asked him, "Have you any ties in the world."

He said, "I have a son."

Sisois said to him, "Go and throw him in the river, and then you can be a monk."

He went to throw his boy in the river, but Sisois sent a monk to stop him. He was already holding his son ready to throw him in, when the brother said, "Stop! What are you doing?"

He said, "The abba told me to throw him in."

The brother said, "Now the abba says, do not throw him in."

So he left his son, and came back to the hermit; and tested by such obedience he became a strong monk.

~~The Binding of Isaac silkscreen print by Tamar Messer

Soul Peace

A brother said to Pistamon, "What am I to do? I am anxious when I sell what I make."

Pistamon replied, "Sisois and others used to see what they made. There is no harm in this. When you sell anything, say straight away the price of the goods. If you want to lower the price a little, you may and so you will find peace."

The brother said, "I have enough for my needs from other sources, do you think I need worry about making things to sell?"

Pistamon answered, "However much you have, do not stop making things, do as much as you can, provided your soul is at peace."