Tag: Desert Fathers

If we wear our heavenly robe, we shall not be found naked, but if we are found not wearing this garment, what shall we do, brethren?

We, even we also, shall hear the voice that says, “Cast them into outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” (Matt. 22:13)

And, brethren, there will be great shame in store for us, if, after having worn this habit for so long, we are found in the hour of need not having put on the wedding garment.

Oh what compunction will seize us!

What darkness will fall upon us, in the presence of our fathers and our brethren, who will see us being tortured by the angels of punishment!

Bringing doxology to the One born of the Virgin in church hymns and spiritual songs,

we must,

outside the church as well,

unceasingly praise Him and give Him thanks for His ineffable loving kindness to us sinners,

who are atoned by His honorable blood and who have received through this promise life eternal,

blessed,

and unceasing.

Have unfeigned love among yourselves,

keep the tradition,

and may the God of peace be with you and confirm you in love.

Observe your thoughts,

and beware of what you have in your heart and your spirit,

knowing that the demons put ideas into you so as to corrupt your soul by making it think of that which is not right,

in order to turn your spirit from the consideration of your sins and of God.

The work of prayer belongs to the angels, and is, therefore, the special concern of the Church. Every other work, i.e., charity, nursing the brethren, visiting the sick, caring for prisoners, releasing captives, and other similar things, is done by the brethren in love and offered by them to God.

Similarly, poverty, fasting, sleeping on the ground, prostrations, vigils, etc., are
good and like a sacrifice to God, because they aim to subdue and humble the body so that we may be purified and approach God and become friends of God — yet these things do not present us directly to God, whereas prayer does so and unites us with Him.

A person praying acts towards God like a friend — conversing, confiding, requesting — and through this becomes one with our Maker Himself.

There was a man who at a lot and was till hungry, and another who ate little and was satisfied.

The one who ate a lot and was still hungry received a greater reward than he who ate little and was satisfied.

The enemy of our salvation especially strives to draw our heart and mind away from God when we are about to serve Him, and endeavors to adulterously attach our heart to something irrelevant.

Be always, every moment, with God, especially when you pray to Him.

If you are inconstant, you will fall away from life, and will cast yourself into sorrow and straitness.

Self-accusation before God is something that is very necessary for us; and humility of heart is extremely advantageous in our lives, above all at the time of prayer.

For prayer requires great attention and needs a proper awareness, otherwise it will turn out to be unacceptable and rejected, and `it will be turned back empty’ to our bosom.

No one on this earth can avoid affliction; and although the
afflictions which the Lord sends are not great men imagine them
beyond their strength and are crushed by them. This is because
they will not humble their souls and commit themselves to the will
of God. But the Lord Himself guides with His grace those who are
given over to God’s will, and they bear all things with fortitude
for the sake of God Whom they have so loved and with Whom they are
glorified for ever. It is impossible to escape tribulation in this
world but the man who is giver over to the will of God bears
tribulation easily, seeing it but putting his trust in the Lord,
and so his tribulations pass.

Do all in your power not to fall, for the strong athlete should not fall. But if you do fall, get up again at once and continue the contest. Even if you fall a thousand times because of the withdrawal of God’s grace, rise up again each time, and keep on doing this until the day of your death. For it is written, ‘If a righteous man falls down seven times’ – that is, repeatedly throughout his life – ‘seven times shall he rise again’ [Prov. 24:16].