Author: pilgrim

Lot went to Joseph and said, “Abba, as far as I can, I keep a moderate rule, with a little fasting, and prayer, and meditation, and quiet: and as far as I can I try to cleanse my heart of evil thoughts. What else should I do?” Then the hermit stood up and spread out his hands to heaven, and his fingers shone like ten flames of fire, and he said, “If you will, you can become all flame.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

[Anthony] also said, “Our life and our death are with our neighbour. If we do good to our neighbour, we do good to God; if we cause our neighbour to stumble, we sin against Christ.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Hyperichius said, “The tree of life is high, and humility climbs it.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

A hermit said, “I would rather be defeated and humble than win and be proud.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

A hermit said, “I would learn rather than teach.” He also said, “Do not teach too early, or you will have less understanding during the rest of your life.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Syncletica of blessed memory said, “A ship cannot be built without nails and no one can be saved without humility.”

– De Vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

…Poemen said… “The nature of water is soft, the nature of stone is hard; but if a bottle is hung above a stone letting water drip down, it wears away the stone. It is like that with the word of God; it is soft and our heart is hard, but if a man hears the word of God often, it will break open his heart to the fear of God.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V