The Benefits of Odor

Daniel said that Arsenius only changed the water for his palm leaves once a year, otherwise he just added to it. He would make a plait of palm leaves and weave it until noon. The elders asked him why he would not change the water for the palm leaves, which was stinking.

He said to them, "When I was in the world I used incense and sweet-smelling ointments, so now I profit by this stink."

Death

When Archbishop Theophilus of holy memory was dying, he said, "Arsenius, you are blessed of God because you have always kept this moment before your eyes."

Silence

Once Arsenius came to a place where there was a bed of reeds shaken by the wind. He said to the brothers, "What is this rustling noise?"

They said, "It is the reeds."

He said to them, "If a man sits in silence and hears the voice of a bird, he does not have quiet in his heart; how much more difficult is it for you, who hear the sound of these reeds?"

Blasphemy

Evagrius said, "A monk was told that his father had died. He said to the messenger, 'Do not blaspheme. My Father cannot die.'"

King of Righteousness

Daniel told the story of a hermit who used to live in the lower parts of Egypt, and who said in his simplicity that Melchizedek was the Son of God. Now, when the blessed man, Theophilus, the archbishop of Alexandria, heard of it, he sent a message asking that the monks bring this hermit to see him.

When Theophilus saw him, he realized this hermit was a man of vision and that everything that he asked for God had given him, and that he had only said this out of his simplicity.

The archbishop dealt with him wisely, in the following manner, saying, "Abba, pray to God for me, because I have begun to think that Melchizedek was the Son of God. And, it cannot be true, for the high priest of God was a man. But, because I had doubts in my mind about this, I sent for you to pray to God for me that he may reveal the truth of the matter to you."

Then, because the hermit had confidence in the power of prayer, he said firmly to the archbishop, "Wait three days, and I will ask God about this and then I shall be able to tell you who Melchizedek was."

So, the hermit went away and after three days, returned, and said to the blessed Archbishop Theophilus, Melchizedek was a man."

The Archbishop said to him, "How do you know that, abba?"

The hermit said, "God showed me all the Patriarchs, one by one, and they passed before me one after the other, from Adam to Melchizedek, and an angel said to me, 'This is Melchizedek.' That is indeed how the truth of this matter appeared to me."

The hermit went away and he, himself, proclaimed that Melchizedek was a man, and the blessed Theophilus rejoiced greatly.

"Melchizedek blesses Abraham" from The Story of the Bible by Charles Foster (Illustrations by F.B. Schell and others). Melchizedek is derived from the Hebrew Melech or king and Tzadiq or righteous.

Morning Star and Pillar of Light

Hilarion once came from Palestine to Antony on the mountain and Antony said to him, "Welcome morning star, for you rise at break of day."

Hilarion said, "Peace be to you, pillar of light, for you sustain the world."

May It Be Well With You

John the Less of the Thebaid, a disciple of Ammon, was said to have lived for twelve years serving a hermit who was ill, sitting on a mat near him. But the hermit was always cross with him, and although John worked a long time for him, he never said, "May it be well with you."

But when the hermit was on his deathbed, in the presence of the brothers of the place, he held John's hand and said, "May it be well with you. May it be well with you."

The hermit commended John to the others, saying, "He is an angel, not a man."

~~Photo of "Doves" in Assisi by Frank Logue