Tag: hospitality
Do Not Drive Away Hospitality
Once three brothers came to visit an old man in Scetis and one of them said to him, “Abba, I have committed to memory the Old and New Testaments.” And the old man answered, “You have filled the air with words.” The second one said to him, “I have written out the Old and New… Read More ›
My rule is to welcome you with hospitality
A brother came to see a certain hermit and, as he was leaving, he said, “Forgive me abba for preventing you from keeping your rule.” The hermit replied, “My rule is to welcome you with hospitality and to send you away in peace.” It was said of an old man that he dwelt in Syria on the way… Read More ›
Hospitality: Open your Doors
A brother came to Poemen in the second week of Lent and told him his thoughts, and found peace of mind from his answer. Then he said, ‘I almost didn’t come to see you today.’ Poemen asked him why. He said, ‘I was afraid that the door wouldn’t be opened as it is Lent.’ Poemen… Read More ›
Hospitality
A brother said to Poemen, ‘If I give my brother something, for instance a piece of bread, the demons made the gift worthless by making me think that it was done to please men.’ The hermit said to him, ‘Even if it is done to please men, we still ought to give our brothers what… Read More ›
Hospitality in the Desert
They said there was a man in Syria who lived near the way into the desert, and it was his work faithfully to refresh every monk who came from the desert, at whatever time he came. One day a hermit arrived, and he offered him food. But the hermit refused, saying, ‘I am fasting.’ The… Read More ›
God Knows Our Hearts
Mammon is the Hebrew word for “riches;’ just as in Punic the word for “profit” is mammon. What are we to do? What did the Lord command? “Make yourselves friends with the mammon of iniquity [dishonest wealth], so that they too, when you begin to fail, may receive you into eternal shelters:” It is easy,… Read More ›
A day with Victor
(written June 2008) Four days ago Victor took a turn for the worse. He became very weak at breakfast and during the meal he threw up some bile. So we took him to his room and put him to bed. He is DNR, (do not resuscitate) but we always talk to them anyway, in case… Read More ›
Do You Belong?
Hospitality is more than following the Rule or serving dessert — it may affect a person’s health as well… An important driver for a lifestyle of optimism is a sense of purpose. There’s much truth in Nietzche’s “If you know the why, you can live any how.” Ultimately, what creates purpose is the experience that… 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 ›
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers
It’s fairly common — as far as angel encounters — to hear about “mysterious strangers” who appear in the way of beggars or homeless. This draws us to the Scripture that says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). When we die,… Read More ›