Author: pilgrim

Desert Fathers: Away from annoying people

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solitude

A brother was restless in his community and he was often irritated. So he said, “I will go and live somewhere by myself. I will not be able to talk or listen to anyone and so I shall be at peace, and my passionate anger will cease.” He went out and lived alone in a cave.

But one day he filled his jug with water and put it on the ground. Suddenly it happened to fall over. He filled it again, and again it fell. This happened a third time. In a rage he snatched up the jug and smashed it.

Coming to his senses, he knew that the demon of anger had mocked him, and he said, “Here am I by myself, and he has beaten me. I will return to the community. Where you live, you need effort and patience and above all God’s help.” So he got up, and went back.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Desert Fathers: Robbery Accomplice

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macarius

When Macarius was living in Egypt, one day he came across a man who had brought a donkey to his cell and was stealing his possessions. As though he was a passer-by who did not live there, he went up to the thief and helped him to load the beast, and sent him peaceably on his way, saying to himself, “We brought nothing into this world but the Lord gave, as he willed, so it is done: blessed be the Lord in all things”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

Desert Fathers: Time To Quarrel

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argument

Two hermits lived together for many years without a quarrel.

One said to the other, “Let’s have a quarrel with each other, as is the way of men.” The other answered, “I don’t know how a quarrel happens.” The first said, “Look here, I put a brick between us, and I say, ‘That’s mine’. Then you say, ‘No, it’s mine’. That is how you begin a quarrel.”

So they put a brick between them, and one of them said, “That’s mine.” The other said, “No; it’s mine” He answered, “Yes, it’s yours. Take it away.” They were unable to argue with each other.  

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V, 17:22

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