Humility

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶7. Abba Anthony said, 'I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, "What can get through from such snares?" Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Humility." '

How to be saved

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶6. Abba Pambo asked Abba Anthony, 'What ought I to do?' and the old man said to him, 'Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.'

Without temptations no-one can be saved

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶5. He also said, 'Whoever has not experienced temptation cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.' He even added, 'Without temptations no-one can be saved.'

The great work of a man

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶4. Abba Anthony said to Abba Poemen, 'This is the great work of a man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath.'

Keep your attention on yourself

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶2. When the same Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgements of God, he asked, 'Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?' He heard a voice answering him, 'Anthony, keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgement of God, and it is not to your advantage to know anything about them.'

Peace

Venerable Poemen the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶81. [Abba Poemen] also said, 'If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you live.'

What does not satisfy your heart

Venerable Poemen the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶80. [Abba Poemen] also said, 'Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.'

Keep silence

Venerable Poemen the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶79. Abba Poemen, said that a brother who lived with some other brothers asked Abba Bessarion, 'What ought I to do?' The old man said to him, 'Keep silence and do not always be comparing yourself with others.'

Look towards the east

Venerable Moses the Ethiopian
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶1. It happened that Abba Moses was struggling with the temptation of fornication. Unable to stay any longer in the cell, he went and told Abba Isidore. The old man exhorted him to return to his cell. But he refused, saying, 'Abba, I cannot.' Then Abba Isidore took Moses out onto the terrace and said to him, 'Look towards the west.' He looked and saw hordes of demons flying about and making a noise before launching an attack. Then Abba Isidore said to him, 'Look towards the east.' He turned and saw an innumerable multitude of holy angels shining with glory. Abba Isidore said, 'See, these are sent by the Lord to the saints to bring them help, while those in the west fight against them. Those who are with us are more in number than they are.' Then Abba Moses, gave thanks to God, plucked up courage and returned to his cell.

Do this and you will be saved

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶1. When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by accidie*, and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, 'Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?' A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard the angel saying to him, 'Do this and you will be saved.' At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved.

*accidie - despondency, depression, listlessness

Let me now make a beginning of good

Venerable Arsenius the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶3. It happened that when Abba Arsenius was sitting in his cell that he was harassed by demons. His servants, on their return, stood outside his cell and heard him praying to God in these words, 'O God, do not leave me. I have done nothing good in your sight, but according to your goodness, let me now make a beginning of good.'

If you have a heart

Venerable Pambo the Hermit
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶10. Abba Pambo said, 'If you have a heart, you can be saved.'

Leave vengeance to God

Venerable Sisoes the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶1. A brother whom another brother had wronged 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.'

Get up again and again

Venerable Sisoes the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶38. A brother asked Abba Sisoes, 'What shall I do, abba, for I have fallen?' The old man said to him, 'Get up again.' The brother said, 'I have got up again, but I have fallen again.' The old man said, 'Get up again and again.' So the brother said, 'How many times?' The old man said, 'Until you are taken up either in virtue or in sin. For a man presents himself to judgement in the state in which he is found.'

Interior activity into accord with God

Venerable Arsenius the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶9. A brother questioned Abba Arsenius to hear a word of him and the old man said to him, 'Strive with all your might to bring your interior activity into accord with God, and you will overcome exterior passions.'

Two reasons to weep

Venerable Pambo the Hermit
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶4. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, of holy memory, begged Abba Pambo to come down from the desert to Alexandria. He went down, and seeing an actress he began to weep. Those who were present asked him the reason for his tears, and he said, 'Two things make me weep: one, the loss of this woman; and the other, that I am not so concerned to please God as she is to please wicked men.'

Bend the bow so much and it will break

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶13. A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him, 'Put an arrow in your bow and shoot it.' So he did. The old man then said, 'Shoot another,' and he did so. Then the old man said, 'Shoot yet again,' and the hunter replied 'If I bend my bow so much I will break it.' Then the old man said to him, 'It is the same with the work of God. If we stretch the brethren beyond measure they will soon break. Sometimes it is necessary to come down to meet their needs.' When he heard these words the hunter was pierced by compunction and, greatly edified by the old man, he went away. As for the brethren, they went home strengthened.

How to please God

Venerable Anthony the Great
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

¶3. Someone asked Abba Anthony, 'What must one do in order to please God?' The old man replied, 'Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved.'