"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
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
[Syncletica] also said, “It is dangerous for a man to try teaching before he is trained in the good life. A man whose house is about to fall down may invite travellers inside to refresh them, but instead they will be hurt in the collapse of the house.
“It is the same with teachers who have not carefully trained themselves in the good life; they destroy their hearers as well as themselves. Their mouth invites to salvation, their way of life leads to ruin.”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
…Silvanus said, “I think Mary always needs Martha, and by Martha’s help Mary is praised.”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
Another brother spoke with the same Theodore, and he began to talk about matters of which he had no experience.
Theodore said to him, “You’ve not yet found a ship to sail in, nor put your luggage aboard, not put out to sea, and you’re already acting as if you were in the city which you mean to reach. If you make some attempt to do the things you are discussing, then you can talk about them with understanding.
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
Lent, the traditional season of penance, is drawing to a close. As we enter Holy Week I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of the prayers from the Byzantine Rite. These prayers are prayed by the priest as you stand before the icon of Christ prior to confessing:
God our Savior, through your prophet Nathan You granted the repentant David the forgiveness of his sins. You also accepted Manasseh’s prayer of repentance. In your love now receive your servants here present who repent for the sins they have committed.
O Lord, Who forgive offenses and pass over transgressions, overlook all that they have done. As You have said “I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that he should turn from his wickedness and live” and, another time, that sins should be forgiven even to “seventy-times-seven.” How incomparable is your goodness and how limitless your mercy; for if You were to take notice of iniquities, who should be able to stand? You are the God of the repentant and we glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Behold my spiritual child, Christ stands here invisibly and receives your confession. Therefore, be not afraid or ashamed and conceal nothing from your confessor, but tell without hesitation all that you have done so you shall have pardon from our Lord Jesus Christ. Behold his holy image is before us and I am but a witness bearing testimony before Him of the things which you have to say, but if you shall conceal anything you shall have the greater sin. Take heed, therefore, lest having come to the Physician, you depart unhealed
Might it be time to go to the Sacrament of Confession?
Silvanus…acted like a skilled physician and put on his [brother’s] soul a poultice made of texts from Scripture, showing him that repentance is available for all who in truth and in charity turn to God.
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
A brother who was hurt by another brother went to the Theban Sisois and said, “I want to get back at a brother who has hurt me.”
The hermit begged him, “Don’t do that, my son, leave vengeance in the hands of God.”
But he said, “I can’t rest till I get my own back.”
The hermit said, “My brother, let us pray.” He stood and said, “O God, we have no further need of your, for we can take vengeance by ourselves.”
The brother heard it and fell at the hermit’s feet, saying, “I won’t quarrel with my brother any longer; I beg you to forgive me.”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V