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.”
God has forgiven you
It was said of a certain Abba Apollo of Scetis, that he had been a shepherd and was very uncouth. He had seen a pregnant woman in the field one day and being urged by the devil, he had said, ‘I should like to see how the child lies in her womb.’ So he ripped… Read More ›
What Good Work Shall I Do?
A brother asked one of the elders: what good thing shall, I do and have life thereby? The old man replied: God alone knows what is good. However, I have heard it said that someone inquired of Father Abbot Nisteros the great, the friend of Abbot Anthony, asking: What good work shall I do? And… Read More ›
Hospitality and Fasting
We came from Palestine to Egypt and went to see one of the fathers. He offered us hospitality and we said, “ Why do you not keep the fast when visitors come to see you? In Palestine they keep it.” He replied, “Fasting is always with me but I cannot always have you here. It… Read More ›
The soul that loves God
The soul that really loves God and Christ, though it may do ten thousand righteousnesses, esteems itself as having wrought nothing, by reason of its insatiable aspiration after God. Though it should exhaust the body with fastings, with watchings, its attitude towards the virtues is as if it had not yet even begun to labour for them. Souls that… Read More ›
He humbled Himself for Our Sake
Would we reproach God for all these blessings? Or would we disparage Him, deeming Him less than He should be, because He had wrapped a towel around His waist and washed his disciples’ feet, thus demonstrating that humility is the surest road to true glory? He had humbled Himself for the sake of the soul… Read More ›
Prayer without Ceasing: O God, Come to my assistance
. . . this was delivered to us by a few of those who were left of the oldest fathers, so it is only divulged by us to a very few and to those who are really keen. And so for keeping up continual recollection of God this pious formula is to be ever set… Read More ›
There is nothing impossible
There is nothing impossible unto those who believe; lively and unshaken faith can accomplish great miracles in the twinkling of an eye. Besides, even without our sincere and firm faith, miracles are accomplished, such as the miracles of the sacraments; for God’s Mystery is always accomplished, even though we were incredulous or unbelieving at the time of its celebration. “Shall their… Read More ›
Vainglory and Pride
35. One who had the gift of sight told me what he had seen. ‘Once,’ he said, ‘when I was sitting in assembly, the demon of vainglory and the demon of pride came and sat beside me, one on either side. The one poked me in the side with the finger of vain-glory and urged… Read More ›
Do not give up, but stand courageously
Let us charge into the good fight with joy and love without being afraid of our enemies. Though unseen themselves, they can look at the face of our soul, and if they see it altered by fear, they take up arms against us all the more fiercely. For the cunning creatures have observed that we… Read More ›
Hypocrisy and lies, mother and daughter
Fire is produced from stone and steel; lying comes from loquacity and gossip. And the lie destroys love. No one who has any sense would say that telling lies is not an important sin. The Holy Spirit has severely condemned it. “You destroy those that speak lies,” says David to God ( Psalm 5: 7)…. Read More ›