Saints

"Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." [...] Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.""

"Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.""

"There is also this remarkable fact: Paul quotes none of the miracles of the New Testament. He says not one word about the multitude being fed miraculously, not one word about the resurrection of Lazarus, nor of the widow’s son. He had never heard of the lame, the halt, and the blind that had been cured; or if he had, he did not think these incidents of enough importance to be embalmed in an epistle."

"The Lord has taught with very great fulness, that souls not only continue to exist, not by passing from body to body, but that they preserve the same form [in their separate state] as the body had to which they were adapted, and that they remember the deeds which they did in this state of existence, and from which they have now ceased, - in that narrative which is recorded respecting the rich man and that Lazarus who found repose in the bosom of Abraham [Luke 16:19ff]."

"Kane: And he cried in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And Lazarus did arise from the grave...I have always believed that faith was measured in deeds, not words. And while many of my children worshiped my name, their deeds betrayed them."

"Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was [a]who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. [...] Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus."

"Just as between the rich man in hell and Lazarus in Abraham's bosom there was a yawning gulf fixed, so is there also a yawning distinction between suffering and sin."

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

"Perhaps they only looked for a Jesus to heal them, raise them Lazarus-like from the darkness."

"Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own good, which we hold, but theirs."

"For the Ishmaelites, who were enslaved in their many tens of thousands to the darkness of impiety, have been illuminated by his standing on the pillar. For this dazzling lamp, as if placed on a lampstand, has sent out rays in all directions, like the sun. The Ishmaelites, arriving in companies, two or three hundred at the same time, sometimes even a thousand, disown with shouts their ancestral imposture; and smashing in front of this great luminary the idols they had venerated and renouncing the orgies of Aphrodite—it was this demon whose worship they had adopted originally—they receive the benefit of the divine mysteries, accepting laws from this sacred tongue and bidding farewell to their ancestral customs, as they disown the eating of wild asses and camels. I myself was an eyewitness of this, and I have heard them disowning their ancestral impiety and assenting to the teaching of the Gospel. And I once underwent great danger: he told them to come up and receive from me the priestly blessing, saying they would reap the greatest profit therefrom. But they rushed up in a somewhat barbarous manner, and some pulled at me from in front, some from behind, others from the sides, while those further back trod on the others and stretched out their hands, and some pulled at my beard and others grabbed at my clothing. I would have been suffocated by their too ardent approach, if he had not used a shout to disperse them."

"As his fame circulated everywhere, everyone hastened to him, not only the people of the neighborhood but also people many days' journey distant, some bringing the paralyzed in body, others requesting health for the sick, others asking to become fathers; and they begged to receive from him what they could not receive from nature. On receiving it and obtaining their requests, they returned with joy; and by proclaiming the benefits they had gained, they sent out many times more, asking for the same things. So with everyone arriving from every side and every road resembling a river, one can behold a sea of men standing together in that place, receiving rivers from every side. Not only do the inhabitants of our part of the world flock together, but also Ishmaelites, Persians, Armenians subject to them, Iberians, Homerites, and men even more distant than these; and there came many inhabitants of the extreme west, Spaniards, Britons, and the Gauls who live between them."

"More than all this I myself admire [Symeon's] endurance. Night and day he is standing within the view of all; for having removed the doors and demolished a sizeable part of the enclosing wall, he is exposed to all as a new and extraordinary spectacle—now standing for a long time, and now bending down repeatedly and offering worship to God. Many of those standing by count the number of these acts of worship. Once one of those with me counted 1,244 of them, before slackening and giving up count. In bending down he always makes his forehead touch his toes—for his stomach's receiving food once a week, and little of it, enables his back to bend easily. During the public festivals he displays another form of endurance: after the setting of the sun until it comes again to the eastern horizon, stretching out his hands to heaven he stands all night, neither beguiled by sleep nor overcome by exertion."

"Be like the master sailors piloting their ships as you watch the wind to see what direction it is taking you, whether it is a good wind or bad that is coming."

"My son, obey God and keep his commandments, and be wise and remain in your dwelling, which is your delight, and your cell will remain with you in your heart as you seek its blessing, and the labor of your cell will go with you to God. For you will know God in your cell. Keep him with you and the Devil will depart from you, which will allow you to tame him. Do not forsake God. Do not forsake your cell. For the incense of God is a wise man in his cell. The altar of God is a wise man in his cell. The glory of God will appear to him there. A poor man who remains in his cell is a king and lord. Honor him, for God is dwelling in him."

"Truly the lion leaves the desert and erases his pawprints with his tail. If he prevails over the person who has come out to [hunt] him, he goes up in complete confidence. Now then, you who are poor, you shall look boldly upon your enemies like the roaring lions.”"

"Do not be like the thorny acacias that grow on the mountain, which is God (Coptic: pnoute). Instead, be like a reed growing in the water, which is the abyss (Coptic: pnoun)."

"Therefore, let us be imitators of the saints and not forget the formation that our Father gave us while he was still alive. Let us not extinguish the burning lamp he placed above our heads. Walking [in] this world by the light of this lamp, let us remember that it is through his zeal that God has received us into his household. He gave a hospice to wayfarers, he showed a harbor of peace to those on a storm-tossed sea. [He provided] bread in hunger, shade in heat, clothing in nakedness. He instructed the ignorant by spiritual precepts. He encircled with chastity those enslaved by vices and joined to himself those from afar."

"Therefore, brothers, let us be equal, from the least to the greatest, whether rich or poor, perfect in harmony and humility. Let no one look after his own pleasure when he sees a brother living in poverty and hardship; let this saying of the prophet be told of you, “Did one God not create [all of] you? Have you not all one father? Why has each of you abandoned his brother, thus profaning the covenant of your fathers? Judah has been forsaken, and abomination has been committed in Israel" (Mal. 2:10–11). Our Lord and Savior gave his apostles this precept, “I gave you a new commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you. By this you shall truly be known as my disciples” (John 13:34–35). We should, therefore, love one another and show that we are truly the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ and sons of Pachomius and disciples of the Koinonia."

"Let us be even more vigilant, in the knowledge that God has granted us, through our father Pachomius, the great grace to renounce the world and consider as nothing all the worries of the world and the cares of worldly affairs. What opportunity has been left to us to have anything as our own, “from a thread to a shoe strap” (Gen. 14:23), since we have masters who “with fear and trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3) are so solicitous on our behalf both for food and clothing and during ill health, if it should occur, that we need not worry about anything and thereby lose the soul's benefits for the sake of the flesh? We are free; we have cast from our necks the yoke of enslavement to the world. And let us think of the traditions of our father as a ladder which leads to the kingdom of heaven."

"Vexilla regis prodeunt: Fulget crucis mysterium Quo carne carnis conditor, Suspensus est patibulo."

"Crux fidelis, inter omnes Arbor una nobilis: Nulla silva talem profert, Fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulces clavos, Dulce pondus sustinet."

"About the same time I discovered the teachings of Swami Rama Tirtha, who lived at the turn of the century and was another great Vedantin. I felt a special inner kinship to Swami Rama, who was a poetic, inspirational and independent figure."

"Sanatana means Eternal. In its purest form, this religion is Sanatana, because it is based on Truth. Truth is immortal and is never annihilated. It remains the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore our true Sanatana Dharma, in its purest form, cam never be exterminated. It, however, does not follow that we should relax into inaction, in the belief that our religion is the best or that it can never be destroyed. No, no. This idle thinking is the result of our indolent minds. It is, therefore, absolutely essential for the followers of Sanatana Dharma to keep it safe from the evil and aggressive designs of the non-Hindus, who are generally ever ready to malign us."

"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 Serapion said: “Just as the soldiers of the emperor standing before him cannot turn their attention to left or to right, so too if a person stand before God and rivet his attention on his presence, in fear of him all the time, no action of the enemy can terrorize him.”"

"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."

"There was an elder called Abba Pambo, and of him it was said that for three years he interceded with God saying: “Do not glorify me on earth”— and God so glorified him that nobody could stare him in the face on account of the glory his face possessed."

"They used to say of Abba Cheremon at Scete that his cave was forty miles from the church, and twelve miles from the marsh and water. Thus he took his handiwork to his cave carrying two water jars side by side, and stayed there in hesychia."

"They used to say of Abba Theodore of Phermē that he exceeded many in these three points: indifference to possessions, spiritual discipline, and avoiding people."

"Concerning Spyridon, so great was the sanctity when he was a shepherd that he was deemed worthy to become a shepherd of men too. He was called to be bishop of one of the cities of Cyprus, Trimithus by name. Being a very modest person, he tended his sheep while holding the bishopric. Once in the middle of the night some thieves crept up to the sheepfold intending to steal some of the sheep. But God, who was saving the shepherd, saved the sheep too: the thieves were trussed up near the fold by an unseen force. At first light the shepherd came to the sheep and, finding [the thieves] with their hands [tied] behind their backs, he realized what had happened. He offered a prayer then released the thieves. He admonished and exhorted them at some length to pursue honest work rather than live from evil-doing. He gave them one ram and sent them on their way; calling out laughingly he said: “The ram is so you will not seem to have been up all night for nothing.”"

"A brother asked Abba Serapion: “Tell me a saying.” The elder said: “What can I say to you? That you took the goods of widows and orphans and set them in this embrasure?”—for he saw that it was full of books."

"Abba Theodore of Phermē possessed three fine books. Visiting Abba Macarius, he said to him: “I have three fine books and I benefit from them; the brothers borrow them and benefit too. Tell me what I ought to have done. Am I to keep them for my benefit and the brothers’ or sell them and give [the proceeds] to the poor?” In answer the elder said: “Deeds are good, but indifference to possessions is greater than all.” On hearing this he went and sold them, donating the proceeds to the poor."

"Abba Pambo said: “If you have a heart you can be saved.”"

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

"If you do something wrong in some matter, do not be steered by shame, but be converted and say, “Forgive me,” and your fault will pass away."

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

"If you ask an old man about a “thought,” freely disclose the “thought” to him if you know that he is worthy of confidence and that he will keep confidential what you have said to him."

"If your brother has prepared a dish that is not good, don't say to him: “You cooked it wrong!” For that is death for your soul. Rather, examine yourself. If it had been you who had heard that from someone else, how you would have been troubled by it!"

"Love to pray without ceasing, so that your heart will be enlightened."

"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.’”"

"The same Abba Isaiah called one of the brothers and washed his feet, then he threw a handful of lentils in a pot and served them when it came to the boil. The brother said to him: “It is not yet cooked, abba,” and he said to him: “Is it not enough for you that it saw the bright [flame] totally? That is great consolation.”"

"Abba Isaiah said: “Nothing benefits a beginner as much as an insult. A beginner who is insulted like that and tolerates it is like a tree that is watered each day.”"

"If you do your manual labor, do not be negligent, but apply yourself with the fear of God, in order not to sin by ignorance."

"A brother visited Abba Elijah who was living in hesychia at the coenobion of the cave of Abba Zabba and he said to him: “Abba, tell me a saying.” The elder said to the brother: “In the days of our fathers these three virtues were cherished: indifference to possessions, meekness, and continence. Now cupidity, gluttony, and arrogance hold monks in prey. Hold fast to which you will.”"

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

"Abba Abraham used to say of one of the people at Scete that he was a scribe and that did not eat bread. A brother came begging him to write out a book for him. The elder’s mind was rapt in contemplation; he wrote in continuous lines without punctuation. When the brother took it and wanted to punctuate it, he found it lacked some verses and he said to the elder: “There are some lines missing, abba.” Said the elder to him: “Go away, and first practice what is written; then come back and I will write the rest for you too.”"

"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.”"

"Abba Doulas the disciple of Abba Bessarion used to say: “Once, while we were travelling along the seashore, I was thirsty and said to Abba Bessarion: ‘Abba, I am very thirsty.’ The elder offered a prayer and said to me: ‘Drink from the sea.’ The water was made sweet so I drank. But I poured some into the vessel in case I got thirsty further on. Seeing me, the elder said: “Why did you pour [some into the vessel]?” I said to him: “Forgive me; in case I get thirsty further on,” and the elder said to me: ‘God is here and God is everywhere.’”"