Tag: Vivian
A Camel Loaded with Bread
An old man said, `If temptation comes upon a person, from all sides afflictions multiply against him in order to discourage him and make him grumble’. And the old man recounted the following story: There was a certain brother at Kellia and temptation came upon him, and if someone saw him, that person wanted neither… Read More ›
Moderating the Passions
Abba Nilus said, ‘The person who loves contemplative quiet remains invulnerable to the enemy’s arrows, but the person who mixes with crowds of people continuously receives blows. When the irascible part of the soul is at peace it becomes gentle, and when desire has been stilled by contemplative quiet it is inclined to be more… Read More ›
Acceptable Prayer to God
How can a person know that his prayer is acceptable to God? When a person makes sure that he does not wrong his neighbor in any way whatsosever, then let him be sure that his prayer is acceptable to God. But if someone harms his neighbor in any way whatsoever, either physically or spiritually, his… Read More ›
How to Pray
Abba was asked, “How should one pray?” The old man said, “There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, ‘Lord, as you will, and as you know have mercy.’ And if the conflict grows fiercer say, ‘Lord, help!’ He knows very well what… Read More ›
Good and Evil
One day Abba Macarius the Egyptian went up from Scetis to the mountain of Nitria. As he approached the place he told his disciple to go on ahead. When the latter had gone on ahead, he met a priest of the pagans. The brother shouted after him, saying, ‘Oh, oh, devil, where are you off… Read More ›
Do not exhibit your way of life
All guests who arrive should be received as Christ, for he himself will say, I was a stranger and you took me in. Proper respect should be shown to all, especially fellow monks and pilgrims. (RB 53: 1-2) One brother, an ascetic who was not eating bread, went to visit a great old man. Some… Read More ›
Three Biscuits, Six Biscuits
There was an old man and each day he would eat three biscuits. A brother came to visit the old man and when they had sat down to eat, he set three biscuits before the brother.When the old man saw that the brother was still hungry, he brought him three more. When they had their… Read More ›
Working a Field filled with Thorn-apples and Thistles
A brother succumbed to temptation and on account of what was afflicting him quit keeping the monastic rule; wanting to start all over again, he was thwarted by his affliction and said to himself, `When will I find myself like I once was?’ Despondent, he was unable to begin his monastic work so he went… Read More ›
Dust to Dust
I, your brother Paphnutius, was thinking one day that I would go into the further desert so I could see whether there were any brother monks in the farthest reaches of the desert. So I walked four days and four nights without eating bread or drinking water. I continued walking on into the farther desert… Read More ›