‘Word from the Desert’ is an email regularly sent out on the Yahoo! Orthodox Convert List-Serve 
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…your passions especially - in your home life, where they appear freely, like moles in a safe place.
St. John of Kronstadt
Praxis St. John of Kronstadt …about good or stormy weather. When it senses a storm, it attaches itself beneath a large rock so as not to be swayed. By this example, there is nothing that God neglects. If God does not abandon the urchin, then He will also embrace each of our lives with the same loving care.
St. Basil the Great
St. Basil the Great …and at the city of Antinoe we visited Phebamon the Sophist for the benefit of his words. He told us that in the district around Hermopolius there had been a brigand whose name was David. He had rendered many people destitute, murdered many and committed every kind of evil deed; more so that any other man, one might say. One day, while he was still engaged in brigandage on the mountain, together with a band of more than thirty, he came to his senses, conscience-stricken by his evil deeds. He left all those who were with him and went to a monastery. He knocked at the monastery gate. The porter came out and asked him what he wanted. The robber-chief replied that he wanted to become a monk, so the porter went inside and told the abbot about him. The abbot came out and, when he saw that the man was advanced in age, he said to him, “You cannot stay here, for the brethren labor very hard. They practice great austerity. Your temperament is different from ours and you could not tolerate the rule of the monastery.” But the brigand insisted that he could tolerate these things, if only the abbot would accept him. But the abbot was persistent in his conviction that the man would not be able.
Repentence John Moschus …”Give me faith. Give me the love of Jesus. Give me humility.” These things are all gifts. Only God can grant them. Pray. Pray. Pray.
Gerontissa Makrina (+1995)
Prayer Gerontissa Makrina …is not so great as the damage done by anger; nor is the profit from spiritual reading as great as the harm done when we scorn or grieve a brother.
St. John Cassian
Anger St. John Cassian …the mind of judge toward yourself, and toward your neighbor the heart of a mother.
Elder Cleopa of Romania (+1998)
Praxis Elder Cleopa of Romania …some of the Fathers used to relate that if one came to him to ask for a word, he would say, “Look, I am going to play the part of God and seat myself on the throne of judgment. What do you want me to do for you, then? If you say, `Have mercy on me,’ God says to you, `If you want me to have mercy on you, do you also have mercy on your brother; if you want me to for give you, do you also forgive your neighbor.’ Can there be injustice in God? Certainly not; but it depends on us whether we wish to be saved.”
…and in the room there is a lamp. If, however, we don’t flip the switch, we will remain in darkness. Similarly, there is Christ and there is our soul. If, however, we don’t flip the switch of prayer, our soul will not see the light of Christ and will remain in the darkness of the devil.
Elder Porphyrios, +1991
Prayer Elder Porphyrios …came to Abba Theodore and said to him, “Look how such and such a brother has returned to the world.” The old man said to him, “Does that surprise you? No, rather be astonished when you hear that someone has been able to escape the jaws of the enemy.”
Anonymous …to cause us problems in order to exercise our patience and humility; however, instead of being grateful for the chance God gives us, we react and refuse to be cured. It is like refusing to pay the doctor who is going to give us a shot when we are ill.
Fr. Paisios Eznepides (+1994)
Fr. Paisios Eznepides …lived a most harsh and rough life in the desert. He was smitten in his mind with troublesome self-conceit; he went to church and argued with the priests, and he said, “I was ordained priest just this past night by Christ; now allow me to perform the functions of a priest.”
The fathers took him away from the desert and brought him to a less ascetic and less exacting way of life, and they cured this man of his arrogance by bringing him, who had been the sport of demons, to a knowledge of his own weakness.
Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 53
Compassion, Praxis, Pride …in the desert for many years and had never quarreled. The first said to the other, “Let us also have a fight like other men do.” The other replied, “I do not know how to fight.” The first said to him, “Look, I will put a brick between us, and I will say it is mine, and you say, `No, it is mine,’ and so the fight will begin.” So they put a brick between them and the first said, “This brick is mine,” and the other said, “No, it is mine,” and the first responded, “If it is yours, take it and go” – so they gave it up without being able to find an occasion for an argument.
…Christ speaks to you; when you pray, you are speaking to Him… The Bible should be read not just for analysis, but as an immediate dialogue with the living Word Himself – to feed our love for Christ, to kindle our hearts with prayer and to provide us with guidance in our personal life.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
Praxis St. Tikhon of Zadonsk …to the full measure of this Name, and you will find it on your mouth and on the mouths of your children. When you make high festival and when you rejoice, cry “Jesus.” When anxious and in pain, cry “Jesus.” When little boys and little girls are laughing, let them cry, “Jesus.” And those who flee before barbarians, cry, “Jesus.” And those who go down to the river, cry “Jesus.” And those who see wild beasts and sights of terror, cry “Jesus.” Those who are taken off to prison, cry “Jesus.” And those whose trial has been corrupted and who receive injustice, cry the Name of Jesus.
Shenoute of Atripe, Contra Origenistas 821
5th century
Shenoute of Atripe …came to see Abba Sisoes and said to him, “My brother has hurt me and I want to avenge myself.” The old man pleaded with him saying, “No, my child, leave vengeance to God.” He said to him, “I shall not rest until I have avenged myself.” The old man said, “Brother, let us pray.” Then the old man stood up and said, “God, we no longer need you to care for us, since we do justice for ourselves.” Hearing these words, the brother fell at the old man’s feet, saying, “I will no longer seek justice from my brother; forgive me, abba.”
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Abba Sisoes expressed himself freely one day, saying, “Have confidence: for thirty years I have not prayed to God about my faults, but I have made this prayer to him: “Lord Jesus, save me from my tongue,” and until now every day, I fall because of it, and commit sin.”
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Abba Joseph asked Abba Sisoes, “For how long must a man cut away the passions?” The old man said to him, “Do you want to know how long?” Abba Joseph answered, “Yes.” Then the old man said to him, “So long as a passion attacks you, cut it away at once.”
Abba Sisoes the Great, commemorated 6 July
Praxis Abba Sisois …at least speak as though you are a sinner. If you are not a peacemaker, at least do not be a troublemaker. If you cannot be assiduous, at least in your thought be unlike a sluggard. If you are not victorious, do not exalt yourself over the vanquished. If you cannot close the mouth of a man who disparages his companion, at least refrain from joining him in this.
St. Isaac of Syria
Praxis St. Isaac of Syria …there lived, many years ago, five natural brothers. Because of Satan’s envy, they started quarrelling among themselves in such a way that they became known as troublemakers. They did ask forgiveness of each other every night, however, and thus they were forgiven.
Many years were passed in this way. Then one day no noise was heard coming from their hut. That night the dikaios of the skete was informed in his sleep that all five brothers had reposed in the Lord. He went with some other fathers to the hut, and indeed they saw that it was true. All five of them had departed to the Lord in a position of prostration, while asking forgiveness of each other. The forgiving and merciful God had taken them away right after Vespers.
Thus God gave a sign of justification and salvation, a proof of correction and forbearance, and a sign that one should never judge his fellow men.
from An Athonite Gerontikon
Forgiveness, Mercy Anonymous, Gerontikon …and to be alone in the heights of the love of God. That is to say, just God and you; just Christ and you. The love of Christ is offered and always passes through other people.
Elder Porphyrios the Kapsokalyvite (1906-1991)
Community Elder Porphyrios …at the time when the cruelties of wicked emperors were raging against Christians, and he welcomed into his house a certain clergyman who was fleeing from the persecutors. This man he observed to be engaged in continual prayer and watching day and night. All of a sudden, Divine grace shone on Alban, and he began to imitate the example of faith and piety which was set before him, and being gradually instructed by his wholesome admonitions, he cast off the darkness of idolatry, and became a Christian in all sincerity of heart. The aforesaid clergyman having been some days entertained by him, it came to the ears of the wicked ruler, that this holy confessor of Christ, whose time of martyrdom had not yet come, was concealed at Alban’s house. Whereupon he sent some soldiers to make a strict search after him. When they came to the martyr’s house, St. Alban immediately presented himself to the soldiers, instead of his guest and master, in the habit or long coat which he wore, and was led bound before the judge.
Biography The Venerable Bede …of humble appearance but of overbearing disposition. She was exceedingly rich, but never gave an obol to a stranger, virgin, church, or poor man. Despite the many rebukes of the fathers, she did not turn herself away from material wealth. Now she had some relatives and she adopted one of them, her sister’s daughter, and night and day without any longing for heaven she kept promising her all her wealth…
Now they say that the blessed Macarius wished to “tap a vein” of this virgin to alleviate her greed. This Macarius, priest and superior of the poorhouse for cripples, devised the following ruse. In his younger days he had been a worker in stones, what they call a gem engraver. He went to her and said: “Some precious stones, emeralds, and hyacinths, have come into my possession. Whether they are simply a find or stolen property, I cannot say. Their value has not been ascertained, since they are priceless, but they can be had by anyone who has five hundred coins. If you take them, you will get your five hundred coins back from one stone; the rest you can use to pretty up your niece.”
Greed Abba Macarius the Great 