Desert Wisdom 
Collection of the Wisdom of the Desert Fathers. St.Benedict pointed to the the writings of the early Desert Fathers, specifically mentioning the St. Basil and John Cassian (RB 73:5) as sources for “further perfection.”
Blessed be the Lord in all things
When Abba Macarius was in Egypt, he found a man who had brought a beast to his cell and he was steeling his possessions. He went up to the thief as though he were a traveler who did not live there and helped him to load the beast and led him on his way in… Read More ›
Do not underestimate the mercy of God
An old man was asked by a certain soldier if God received a penitent man. And after heartening him with many words, he said to him at the last, “Tell me, beloved, if your cloak were torn, would you throw it away?” He said, “No, I would patch it and wear it.” The old man… Read More ›
Do you have any saints?
The story is told of Blessed Basil that, making a visitation of his monasteries, he said to one of the hegemons, “Have you got any saints here?” The Abba said, “Through your prayers, my lord, we all desire to be saints.” And again, Blessed Basil said to him, “No, I mean have you GOT any… Read More ›
On Modesty
Malice, or any other passion that has taken root in your heart, has a tendency – in accordance with the infallible law of evil – to discharge itself outwardly. This is why it is usually said of an evil or angry man that he has vented his anger upon another person or upon another object…. Read More ›
God is everywhere
Abba Doulas, the disciple of Abba Bessarion said, ‘One day when we were walking beside the sea I was thirsty and I said to Abba Bessarion, “Father, I am very thirsty.” He said a prayer and said to me, “Drink some of the sea water.” The water proved sweet when I drank some. I even… Read More ›
If you do not strive, you will not find
Look what good things occur to someone as a result of divine care! Sometimes, when a person is on his knees at the time of prayer, with his hands outspread or extended heavenwards, his eyes gazing on the Cross, and with the whole movement of his mind, as it were, stretched towards God in entreaty,… Read More ›
Guard Fiercely again Spiritual Delusion
Even a pious person is not immune to spiritual sickness if he does not have a wise guide — either a living person or a spiritual writer. This sickness is called “prelest”, or spiritual delusion, imagining oneself to be near to God and to the realm of the divine and supernatural. Even zealous ascetics in… Read More ›
On Malice
As water standing behind an earth dam, and finding an aperture, washes it wider and wider and filters through it, if we do not strengthen the dam, or strengthen it insufficiently, at last, with growing weakness on our part and with repeated efforts, the water gets through with greater and greater force, so that at… Read More ›
Simple beyond measure.
You have heard from many all about the blessed Innocent, the priest of the Mount of Olives. Nevertheless you will also hear from us, who lived with him for three years. He was simple beyond measure. Once he had been one the palace dignitaries in the early days of Emperor Constantius. This Innocent was so… Read More ›
Be Ever Vigilant
In the nearby desert there is an elderly brother called John who excels everybody in his life, his customs, and his abstinence. When her first came to the desert he stood underneath a protruding rock face for three years continuously, always praying, never sitting or lying down. He took only what sleep he could standing… Read More ›