Tag: The Desert Fathers
Desert Fathers: Keeping the Word of God
One of the hermits said, “… Adam, even though he was in Paradise, disobeyed God’s command while Job, who was living on a dung hill, kept it. It seems that God requires from us a good intention, that is, that we should fear him always”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
Desert Fathers: Walking the walk
Poemen also said, “Teach your heart to follow what your tongue is saying to others.”
He also said, “Men try to appear excellent in preaching but they are less excellent in practising what they preach.”
– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V
Desert Fathers: Restoring the sinner
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