Month: March 2013

Desert Fathers: Passing Judgement

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judgment

When Isaac of Thebaid visited a community, he saw that one of the brothers was sinful, and passed sentence on him.

But when he was returning to his cell in the desert, the angel of the Lord came and stood in front of the door of his cell, and said, “I will not let you go in.” He asked, “Why not?” The angel of the Lord replied, “God sent me to ask you, ‘Where do you tell me to send that sinful brother whom you sentenced?'”

At once Isaac repented, saying, “I have sinned, forgive me.” The angel said, “Get up, God has forgiven you. In future take care to judge no man before God has judged him.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Desert Fathers: Restoring the sinner

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Antony of Egypt

Once a brother in the community of Elias fell when he was tempted. He was expelled from the community, and went to the mountain to Antony.

When he had been with him for some time, Anthony sent him back to his community, but when they saw him, they sent him away again. So he went back to Anthony and said, “They won’t have me, abba.” So anthony sent a message to them saying, “A ship was wrecked in the ocean and lost its cargo, and with great difficulty the empty ship was brought to land. Do you want to run the ship that has been  rescued onto the the rocks and sink it?”

They realized that Antony had sent him back, and at once accepted him.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Desert Fathers: Crown of Temptation

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 crown

A hermit said that for nine years a brother was goaded by his thoughts to despair of his salvation. He judged himself and said, “I have ruined myself, I have perished already, I will go back to the world.” On his journey he heard a voice saying, “Those temptations which you endured for nine years were your crowns. Go back to your cell, and I will take these evil thoughts from you.” So he realized that it is not right to despair of oneself because of the temptations that come. If we use these thoughts well they will give us a crown.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

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