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

Let Self-Discipline Test Your Soul

Syncletica said, "When the devil does not use the goad of poverty to tempt us, he uses wealth for the same purpose. When he cannot win by scorn and mockery, he tries praise and flattery. If he cannot win by giving health, he tries illness. If he cannot win by comfort, he tries to ruin the soul by vexations that lead us to act against our monastic vows.

"He inflicts severe sicknesses on people he wants to tempt and so makes them weak, and thereby shakes the love they feel towards God. But although the body is shattered and running a high temperature and thirsting unbearably, yet you, who endure all this, are a sinner; you should therefore remember the punishments of the next world, the everlasting fire, the torments of judgment.

"Then you will not fail in the sufferings of this present time, indeed you should rejoice because God has visited you. Keep saying the famous text: 'The Lord hath chastened and corrected me: but he hath not given me over unto death' (Psalm 118:18).

"Iron is cleaned of rust by fire. If you are righteous and suffer, you grow to a higher sanctity. Gold is tested by fire. When a messenger from Satan is given to you to be a thorn in your flesh, lift up your heart, from fever and cold, remember the text of Scripture, 'We went through fire and water,' and 'thou broughtest us out into a place of rest' (Psalm 66:12).

"If you have overcome suffering, you may expect rest, provided you are following what is good. Cry aloud the prophet's words, 'I am poor and destitute and in misery' (Psalm 66:29).

"Threefold suffering like this shall make you perfect. He said also, 'Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble' (Psalm 4:1).

"So let this kind of self-discipline test our souls, for our enemy is always in sight."

A Twofold Problem

Someone asked a hermit to accept money for his future needs but he refused, because the produce of his labor was enough for him. When the giver persisted, and begged him to take it for the needs of the poor, he replied, "If I did that my disgrace would be twofold. I do not need it, yet I would have accepted it: and when I gave it to others, I would suffer from vanity."

Sniffing Temptation

On the spirit of temptation, a hermit said, "You should be like a man walking along the street past an inn, and sniffing the smell of meat frying or roasting. Anyone who likes goes in and eats. People who do not want it, pass by and only sniff the smell.

"So you ought to put the smell away from you; get up and pray, 'Lord, Son of God, help me.' Do this against all temptations. We cannot make temptations vanish, but we can struggle against them."

At once a light appeared in his heart.

~~An Old Inn Kitchen, 1922, by Frederick William Elwell (1870-1958)

Hopelessly Devoted

They said of Helladius that he lived twenty years in his cell, and did not once raise his eyes to look at the roof.

The Faith of Daniel

A brother asked Poemen, "How ought we to live?"

Poemen replied, "We have seen the example of Daniel. They accused him of nothing except that he served his God."

~~Daniel and the Lions' Den by Peter Paul Rubens

A Martyr's Crown

One day when the brothers were sitting near him, Macarius said to them, "Look, the barbarians are coming to Scetis today; get up and flee."

They said to him, "Abba, won't you flee too?"

He said to them, "I've been waiting for many years for this day when the word of Christ will be fulfilled, 'They who take the sword shall perish by the sword' (Matthew 26:52)."

They said to him, "We will not flee either, we will die with you."

He replied, "That's nothing to do with me; let each one decide for himself if he will stay or flee."

There were seven brothers there and he said to them, "Look, the barbarians are nearly at the door," and they came in and slew them. But one of them fled and hid under a pile of rope and he saw crowns coming and crowning each of them.