It was said of a brother that he had to fight against blasphemy and he was ashamed to admit it. He went where he heard some great old men lived to see them, in order to open his heart to them but when he got there, he was ashamed to admit his temptation. So he kept going to see Abba Poemen. The old man saw he was worried, and he was sorry he did not tell him what was wrong. So one day he forestalled him and said, ‘For a long time you have been coming here to tell me what is troubling you, and when you are here you will not tell me about it, but each time you go away unhappy, keeping your thoughts to yourself. Now tell me, my child, what it is all about.’ He said to him, ‘The demon wars against me to make me blaspheme God and I am ashamed to say so.’ So he told him all about it and immediately he was relieved. The old man said to him, ‘Do not be unhappy, my child, but every time this thought comes to you say, “It is no affair of mine, may your blasphemy remain upon you, Satan, for my soul does not want it.” Now everything that the soul does not desire, does not long remain,’ and the brother went away healed.
