Desert Fathers

"Στέϕανοϛ μοναχοῦ εἰρήνη καὶ ἁγιασμόϛ. Ὁ κεκτημένοϛ αὐτὰ ὅψεται τὸν Κύριον."

"Φάοϛ καθαρὸν ἐπὶ γῆϛ μοναχὸϛ ἀπαθήϛ, πὰρ’ ᾧ οὐχ εὑρέθη ϕιλαργυρία. “Φιλαργυρία γὰρ πάντων κακῶν ῥίζα,” ἤ οὐ τίκτει καρπὸν ἀγαθόν ποτε."

"Χιόνοϛ λαμπρότεροϛ εὐρεθήσεται μοναχὸϛ ἀνώτεροϛ τῶν σαρκικῶν ἐπιθυμίαν ὑπάρχων. Χριστὸν ἀντὶ χρυσοῦ ποθῶν, ὅψεται αὐτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθοσύνηϛ στεϕανοῦντα αὐτόν."

"If Hyperechios were with us today, he would not be on Wikipedia, or Twitter, or Facebook, or any of our phantasmagoriae of social media."

"As soon as this earth's great elder, the blessed Antony, who prayed for the whole world, departed, everything has been torn apart and is in anguish, and the Wrath devastates Egypt. While he was truly on earth, he extended his hands and prayed and spoke with God all day long. He did not let the Wrath descend on us. Lifting up his thoughts, he kept it from coming down. But now that those hands are closed, no one else can be found who might halt the violence."

"He also said: “Woe to that man whose reputation is greater than his performance.”"

"Amma Sarah sent someone to say to Abba Paphnutius, 'Have you really done the work of God by letting your brother be despised?' and Abba Paphnutius said, 'Paphnutius is here with the intention of doing the work of God, and he has nothing to do with anyone else.'"

"Abba Pior he used to eat walking around. When somebody enquired: “Why do you eat like that?” he said: “I do not want to treat food as work, but as incidental.” To somebody else who had asked about it he replied: “It is so that my soul may not experience any physical pleasure even when I am eating.”"

"Abba Orsisius said: “Unbaked brick set in a foundation near to a river does not last one day, but it lasts like stone if it is baked. Likewise a person with a carnal mentality and not purged by the fire of the word of God, like Joseph, falls apart when he proceeds to govern. For there are many temptations for such people in the midst of folk. A person aware of his own limitations does well to flee from the burden of authority; but they who are firm in the faith are immoveable. If one wants to speak of the most holy Joseph himself, he will say that he was not earthly. Many times he was tempted, and in what a country, where there was not a trace of godliness at that time! But the God of his fathers was with him and drew him out of all affliction; and now he is with his fathers in the Kingdom of Heaven. As for ourselves, knowing our own limitations, let us fight the good fight; for in that way we will only just be able to escape the judgment of God.”"

"Abba Longinus said: “Once you become distressed [ill], say: ‘Be distressed then and die; but if you ask me for something to eat other than at mealtime, I will not even provide you with the daily ration.’”"

"Abba Carion said: “I have performed many physical tasks, more than my son Zachariah, but I have not achieved his stature in his humility and silence.”"

"Abba Carion said: “A man who stays with a youth comes to grief if he be not strong. If he be strong he does not come to grief; however, he does not progress.”"

"Abba Poemen said to Abba Joseph: “Tell me how I may become a monk.” Said the elder to him: “If you want to find repose both here and there, say in every situation: ‘I, who am I?’ and do not pass judgment on anybody.”"

"Abba Lot visited Abba Joseph and said to him: “Abba, to the best of my ability I do my little synaxis, my little fasting; praying, meditating, and maintaining hesychia; and I purge my logismoi to the best of my ability. What else then can I do?” The elder stood up and stretched out his hands to heaven; his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. He said to him: “If you are willing, become altogether like fire.”"

"A brother asked Abba Joseph: “I want to come out of the coenobion and live alone.” The elder said to him: “Stay wherever you see your soul experiencing repose and not being damaged.” The brother said to him: “I experience repose both in the coenobion and living alone; what do you want me to do?” The elder said to him: “If you experience repose both in the coenobion and living alone, put your two logismoi as though in a balance and do that which is the more likely to be to your benefit and [to which] your logismos prompts you.”"

"He also said: “By whispering, the serpent expelled Eve from Paradise, and he who bites back at his neighbor is like it, for he ruins the soul of him who hears and does not keep his own safe.”"

"They used to say of Abba Isaac that he used to eat ashes from the thurible used at the Eucharist with his bread."

"Once they came to make Abba Isaac a priest. When he heard, he fled into Egypt, went into a field, and hid amidst the crop. The fathers went after him and, when they got to that same field, sat down to rest a little there, for it was night. They set the ass free to pasture, but the ass went and stood by the elder. When they sought the ass at dawn, they found Abba Isaac too. They were amazed and wanted to bind him but he would not let them. “I am not running away any more,” he said, “for it is the will of God and no matter where I run away to, I will come to it.”"

"Abba Isidore of Pelusium used to say: “A life without a word is more advantageous than a word without life; for the first, even in silence, is advantageous, while the second is a trouble-maker when it cries out, whereas if life and word run together they constitute the portrait of all philosophy.”"

"He also said: “For my part, when I was younger and staying in my cell, I had no time limit to synaxis; night and day were synaxis for me.”"

"They also used to say of him that he once braided cord for two baskets and stitched it together as one basket but didn’t realize it until he approached the wall, for his logismos was occupied in contemplation."

"The same Abba Theophilus the archbishop once visited Scete. When the brothers were assembled they said to Abba Pambo: “Tell the pope one saying so he might reap benefit in this place.” Said the elder to them: “If he reaps no benefit from my silence, nor can he benefit from my speaking.”"

"Abba Theodore of Enaton said: “If God were to lay to our account our lack of attention in prayers and our distractions in psalm-singing, we could not be saved.”"

"Think each day: “I have only today to live in the world,” and you will not sin against God."

"There was an elder at The Cells named Apollo, and if anybody came asking him to undertake any task, he would go off joyfully saying: “Today I am going to work for my soul with Christ, for he is its reward.”"

"Ἱλαρὸϛ τῇ ὄψει μοναχόϛ ἀσκητοῦ ἀνάπαυσιϛ καὶ λογισμῶν πονηρῶν καθαίρεσιϛ."

"Ἐν πάντι καιρῷ ἔστω ὁ χιτὼν τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἄσπιλοϛ οὐκ ὁ ὕϕαντοϛ ἀλλ’ ὁ πνευματικόϛ. Ἐν μέσῃ γὰρ νυκτὶ ὁ τοιοῦτοϛ συνεισελεύσεται τῷ νυμϕίῳ Χριστῷ εἰϛ τὴν παστάδα. Ἔλαιον ἐπικομιζέτω ὁ μοναχὸϛ εἰϛ ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμϕίου."

"He also said: “Let your consciousness always dwell on the Kingdom of Heaven and soon you shall inherit it.”"

"He also said: “It is good to eat flesh and to drink wine and not to eat the flesh of your brothers in backbiting.”"

"Abba Macarius said to Abba Zachariah: “Tell me, what is the task of the monk?” “You are asking me, father?” he said, and Abba Macarius said: “I have full confidence in you, Zachariah my son, for there is somebody inciting me to ask you.” Abba Zachariah said to him: “In my opinion, to constrain oneself in all things: that is being the monk.”"

"Love humility, and it will protect you from your sins."

"Someone also asked [Isaiah]: “What is it to live in peace within the cell?”"

"Be vigilant in attending to yourself, … that you may set God before you at all times."

"Humility means not reckoning oneself as anything in every situation and cutting off one’s own will in everything and calmly enduring whatever occurs externally."

"And as for the conversation, when you see yourself almost theologizing, remember that silence is more admirable and more glorious than that."

"To renounce one’s own will is a sacrifice of blood. It means that one has reached the point of laboring to death and of ignoring one’s own will. The statement ‘Behold, we have left everything and have followed you’ is about perfection; it is not about property and small amounts of money, but about thoughts and desires. You, however, have not yet come to this perfection; when you approach there, you will hear what you have to do. For the time being, simply remain carefree in all matters and concerns. As for your property, keep it for now for your nurture. The Lord Jesus Christ will bring you to that ineffable joy; for he is eternal light. Amen."

"'How much joy, how much peace of soul would a man not have wherever he went, as Abba Poemen says, if he was one who habitually accused himself?'"

"Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should I behave in the place where I live?" The old man said, "Have the mentality of an exile in the place where you live, do not desire to be listened to and you will have peace.""

"Ward: Abba Isaac came to see Abba Poemen and found him washing his feet. As he enjoyed freedom of speech with him he said, "How is it that others practice austerity and treat their bodies hardly?" Abba Poemen said to him, "We have not been taught to kill our bodies, but to kill our passions.""

"Ward: Abba Poemen said, "If I am in a place where there are enemies, I become a soldier.""

"Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "Can a man keep all his thoughts in control, and not surrender one to the enemy?" And the old man said to him, "There are some who receive ten and give one.""

"Ward: He also said concerning Abba Pior that every day he made a new beginning."

"Ward: [Abba Poemen] also said, "The first time flee; the second time, flee; and the third, become like a sword.""

"Ward: "If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you live.""

"Ward: "Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.""

"Ward: "If you are silent, you will have peace wherever you live.""

"Ward: Abba Poemen said to Abba Isaac, "Let go of a small part of your righteousness and in a few days you will be at peace.""

"Ward: A brother asked Abba Poemen, "How should a man behave?" The old man said to him, "Look at Daniel: no-one found anything in him to complain about except for his prayers to the Lord his God.""

"Ward: "Even if a man were to make a new heaven and earth, he could not live free of care.""

"Ward: Abba Poemen said, "Do not judge yourself, but live with someone who knows how to behave himself properly.""