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…”A house is not built by beginning at the top and working down. You must begin with the foundations in order to reach the top.” They said to him, “What does this saying mean?” He said, “The foundation is our neighbor, whom we must win, and that is the place to begin. For all the commandments of Christ depend on this alone.”
Abba John the Dwarf …”In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire; at first they are choked by the smoke and cry, and by this means obtain what they seek — as it is said, ‘Our God is a consuming fire’ — so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work.”
She also said: “Just as the most bitter medicine drives out poisonous things, so prayer joined to fasting drives evil thoughts away.”
Amma Syncletica When I was living in Sinai, there was a brother who was good, ascetic, and handsome. He came to church for the Liturgy dressed in a little old mafort patched and darned all over. Once when I saw him coming to the Liturgy I said to him, “Brother, do you not see the brothers, looking like angels for the Liturgy in church? How can you always come here in that garb?” He said to me, “Forgive me, abba, but I have nothing else.” So I took him in to my cell and gave him a tunic and whatever else he needed. After that he wore them like the other brethren and was like an angel to look at.
Now once it was necessary for the fathers to send ten brethren to the emperor about something or other, and he was chosen as one of the group to go. When he heard this, the brother made a prostration before his abba saying, “In the Lord’s name, excuse me, for I am the slave of a great man there, and if he recognizes me, he will deprive me of my habit and force me to serve him again.” The brothers were convinced and left him behind. But later, they learned from someone who had had known him well when he was in the world that he had been the head of imperial administration and that he had spoken as he did as a ruse, so that no one would know this or bother him about it. So great, amongst the fathers, was their concern to flee from glory and the peace of this world!
Humility Abba Cronius, Abba Joseph …whose head is under water cannot inhale pure air, so a man whose thoughts are plunged into the cares of this world cannot absorb the sensation of the world to come.
St. Isaac the Syrian
The Next World, Thoughts St. Isaac of Syria …that when some evildoers came to harm him, he took a basin and wanted to wash their feet. But they were filled with confusion, and began to do penance.
Humility Abba John the Persian …was taken (from Mt. Athos) to Thessaloniki to appear in court, where he as unjustly accused of taking an ancient book which had been stolen by a tourist. He had no money to pay the fine. “Either you pay, Father, or you go to jail,” the judge said to him.
“I prefer to go to prison. I have no money. Besides, this way, I will remember the eternal prison,” he replied.
When finally some of the faithful paid the fine, he said, “I have been freed from the earthly prison. I wonder if I will be set free from the eternal one?”
Someone asked him, “How was it in Thessaloniki, Elder Philaretos, how were the people?” He had not been there for fifty years, and he replied, “What can I say, Fathers? They were all rushing about for their salvation. I am the only negligent and lazy one.”
from An Athonite Gerontikon
The Next World Philaretos …which never bear any fruit as long as their branches stay up straight, but if stones are hung on the branches to bend them down they begin to bear fruit. So it is with the soul. When it is humbled it begins to bear fruit, and the more fruit it bears the lowlier it becomes. So also the saints; the nearer they get to God, the more they see themselves as sinners.
I remember once we were speaking about humiliation and one of the great lights of Gaza, hearing us say, “The nearer a man is to God the more he sees himself to be a sinner,” was astonished, and said, “How is this possible?” He did not know, and wanted to know the answer. I said to him, “Tell me, how do you regard yourself in respect to the other citizens here?” And he said, “I regard myself as great, and among the first of the citizens.” I said then, “If you went away to Caesaraea, how would you regard yourself then?” “I would value myself somewhat less than the great folk there.” So I said, “If you went away to Antioch, what then?” And he replied, I would regard myself as one of the common people.” I said, “And if you went into the presence of the Emperor, what would you think of yourself then?” He replied, “I should think of myself as just one of the poor.” Then I said to him, “There you are! In the same way, the saints, the nearer they approach to God, the more they see themselves as sinners.”
Kind Lord who bore the Cross,Source of all our light,
All-creative, gracious, Word-begot,
Now made flesh within the Virgin’s womb,
Yet mighty in your Father, first,
Before the stars, or earth, or seas were made.
Turn your saving face, I pray,
Upon this fertile scene,
That with your peace, and in your light,
And under your ennobling name,
We may enjoy this food.
Without you, Lord, nothing is sweet;
Whatever we eat dissatisfies;
Unless our food and drink
Are savored first, by sanctifying faith,
Tinged with Christ’s own favor.
So let our simple bread bear the taste of God.
May Christ flow within our cups.
May the threefold holiness above
Direct our sober words, and jests,
Our laughter and our talk,
Whatever we do, and all we are.
from a table prayer byAurelius Clemens Prudentius, early 5th century
…thought that he had attained perfection in the virtues. He prayed to God, saying, “Show me perfection of the soul, and I will do it.” God wanted to humble him in his thoughts, and said to him, “Go to this archimandrite (monastic superior), and do whatever he tells you.”
Then God revealed to the archimandrite, before the other one came to him, “Look, this hermit is coming to you. Tell him to take a whip and go take care of your pigs.” When the old man came, he knocked on the door and entered the archimandrite’s presence. After they had greeted one another, they sat down. The hermit who had come said to him, “Tell me what to do that I may be saved.” The other one said, “You will do whatever I tell you?” And he replied, “Certainly.” And he said to him, “Then take a whip and go care for the pigs.”
Those who had known the hermit or had heard about him, when they saw that he was taking care of the pigs, said, “Have you seen that great hermit about whom we were hearing? He has lost his wits, and is possessed by a demon, and takes care of pigs.” When God saw his humility in patiently enduring the taunts of others, he commanded him to return to his home.
…that your own desires be fulfilled. You can be sure they do not fully accord with the will of God. Once you have learned to accept this point, pray instead that “Thy will be done” in me. In every matter ask Him in this way for what is good and for what confers profit on your soul, for you yourself do not seek this so completely as He does.
Many times while I was at prayer, I would keep asking for what seemed good to me. I kept insisting on my own request, unreasonably putting pressure on the will of God. I simply would not leave it up to His providence to arrange what He knew would turn out for my profit. Finally, when I obtained my request I became greatly chagrined at having been so stubborn about getting my own way, for in the end the matter did not turn out to be what I had fancied it would.
Evagrius of Pontus
Prayer Evagrius of Pontus …”One day I went to the marketplace to sell some small goods. When I saw anger approaching me, I left the things and fled.”
Abba Isidore …”What shall I do, father, for I am not acting at all like a monk, but I eat, drink, and sleep carelessly, and I have evil thoughts and I am in great trouble, passing from one work to another and from one thought to another?” The old man said,” Sit in your cell and do the little you can untroubled. For I think the little you can do now is of equal value to the great deeds which Abba Antony accomplished on the mountain, and I believe that by remaining sitting in your cell for the name of God, and guarding your conscience, you also will find the place where Abba Antony is.”
…We should not miss any chance to us to say the Jesus Prayer. We must not let our mind wander in vain things. In saying the Jesus Prayer one’s mind finds rest and joy. It is like small children who for the whole day run around, shouting and playing and hitting each other. But the one thing that gives them rest and great joy is when at night they find themselves in their mother’s arms. This way also one’s mind instead of being scattered about, out to be devoted to mental prayer.
from An Athonite Gerontikon
Prayer Anonymous, Gerontikon When I was living in Sinai, there was a brother who was good, ascetic, and handsome. He came to church for the Liturgy dressed in a little old mafort patched and darned all over. Once when I saw him coming to the Liturgy I said to him, “Brother, do you not see the brothers, looking like angels for the Liturgy in church? How can you always come here in that garb?” He said to me, “Forgive me, abba, but I have nothing else.” So I took him in to my cell and gave him a tunic and whatever else he needed. After that he wore them like the other brethren and was like an angel to look at.
Now once it was necessary for the fathers to send ten brethren to the emperor about something or other, and he was chosen as one of the group to go. When he heard this, the brother made a prostration before his abba saying, “In the Lord’s name, excuse me, for I am the slave of a great man there, and if he recognizes me, he will deprive me of my habit and force me to serve him again.” The brothers were convinced and left him behind. But later, they learned from someone who had had known him well when he was in the world that he had been the head of imperial administration and that he had spoken as he did as a ruse, so that no one would know this or bother him about it. So great, amongst the fathers, was their concern to flee from glory and the peace of this world!
Humility Abba Cronius …and nothing is so useful to every Christian as remembrance and contemplation of eternity. Eternity restrains a man from sin, calms his passions, turns him from the world and all its vanity, makes his heart contrite, gives birth to tears of repentance, incites him to prayer, and works true sighing of the heart. Contemplation and remembrance of eternity can correct even the most depraved man.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, 1724-1783
commemorated 13 August
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk …”Which is better, bodily asceticism or interior vigilance?” The old man replied, “Man is like a tree, bodily asceticism is the foliage, interior vigilance the fruit. According to that which is written, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire” it is clear that all our care should be directed towards the fruit, that is to say, guard of the spirit; but it needs the protection and the embellishment of the foliage, which is bodily asceticism.”
Praxis Abba Agathon …”Can a man lay a new foundation every day?” The old man said, “If he works hard, he can lay a new foundation at every moment.”
Praxis Abba Moses, Abba Silvanus …Father Augustine the Russian (+ 1965) lived alone in a hermitage dependent on the monastery of Philotheou (on Mount Athos). He had a great love for every person, and every time he met anyone, whether monk or layman, he would make a deep bow to him. “He carries the grace of Holy Baptism,” he would say whenever someone asked why he did this.
from a prose sermon, On the Transfiguration,
attributed to St. Ephrem the Syrian
translated by Archimandrite Ephrem Lash
1. From the land comes the joy of harvest, from the vineyard fruits that give food, and from the Scriptures teaching that gives life. The land has one season for the harvest, and the vineyard has one season for the vintage, but the Scripture when read always overflows with teaching that gives life. The land when it has been harvested lies fallow and the vineyard when the grapes have been picked is unproductive, but when Scripture is harvested the grapes of those who expound it are not lacking in it. It is picked every day and the grape clusters of the hope in it are never exhausted. Let us then draw near to this land and enjoy its life-giving furrows; and let us harvest from it grapes of life, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said to his Disciples, `There are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of man coming in his glory’.
Sermon St. Ephraim the Syrian …and leaves it without a roof, this house can’t be used at all. In the same way, if a man acquires all the virtues but not love, the house remains roofless and is of no benefit at all.
Elder Philotheos of Paros, +1980
Elder Philotheos of Paros 