Wisdom of the Oriental Orthodox Fathers

[Jimmy]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not sure what you are asking for.  Are you asking if there are any PDF books with the sayings of the Oriental Orthodox Fathers?  If that is what you are asking, I think the answer would be "no."  Unfortunately, as noted in replies 61, 62 and 63 above, there aren't really any formal compilations of any kind like we are trying to do here.

I hope you enjoy the forum.  I'm looking forward to your participation here.   

There are some pdf books though of many modern authors like H.H. Pope Shenouda.  Just do a google search.

[Salpy]

From St. Gregory of Nareg, prayer 10 of his Book of Lamentations (10th Century):

Prayer 10

Speaking with God from the Depths of the Heart

A

Both unruly sin and deep regret
plunge us into damnation, being
essentially similar even though from different sources.
But when compared they share the same character flaws:
one doubts the strength of the Almighty’s
hand like a cowardly skeptic,1
while the other, like a wild beast,
brutally cuts the thread of hope.2
Satan, flattered by the first,
constantly rejoices; while the second
provides fresh blood for the hounds of hell to lap up.

B

I catch my breath like one bludgeoned with a thick club,
until he reaches death’s shores. I catch
my breath, mustering whatever life remains
hoping that my soul will be rehabilitated, protected,
restored, and resurrected from mortal perdition
with the help of Christ’s hand,
Christ who is merciful in all things.
And with help from our heavenly Father,
who has granted salvation and healing
to a failing sinner near death,
I begin this book of prayers with supplications.
I will build an edifice of faith,
as one of our faith-filled forefathers did
when he was instantly transported to heaven
through the balm of repentance,3
thus bequeathing us the promise of immortality on earth,
perhaps more so than the Apostle writing about those
who, enduring their trials on earth,
put their faith in heaven and the hope of things to come,
and were filled with the abundance of the unseen.4

C

For even he who has committed mortal sin,
even he, recaptured in the evil spirit’s prison
and cast down into the abyss of evil,
even he still can grasp the slender hope of salvation.
Even he has hope of escape through redemption,
like the remorseful sinner miraculously reclaimed
through the raindrops of his eyes
caused by the compassion of the Almighty,
the Almighty who again made the earth flourish,
as a gift from the Spirit of God.
Let us remember also the healing and encouraging words of our Lord,
“With faith, anything is possible.” 5
First and foremost let us consider this the measure
of what is good and favored in the eyes of God;
for the way to the holy of holies is through faith.
Without faith, the Lord of glory did not, will not
show his miraculous power to us, asking first
that his good work be met by our faith.
For this reason he who is with God
is, of his own, capable of receiving life,
for the blessed mouth of God has promised,
“Your faith shall save you.” 6

D

Faith, that happy and favored word,
which lasts forever untarnished and unbounded,
honored together with charity and hope 7
brings the rewards of truly clear vision, perfect wisdom,
acquaintance with God and familiarity with the Exalted.

For if the faith of a mustard seed 8
can cast a great mountain
into the depths of the sea, then truly
we should accept it as the first step
toward eternal life.
Faith, this simple and clear form of worship,
means setting aside doubt to see the future and hidden
with the eye of the soul.

Faith is honored in a glorious trinity
with charity and hope. For if you view
these three as distinct aspects
of one and the same mystery,
you shall forever be magnified in God.
And if you believe, you shall love
and through love have hope in his unseen rewards.
Glory to him forever.
Amen.

http://www.stgregoryofnarek.am/book.php?parent_id=11&type=2&type_1=none

[Hiywot]

"Never permit your tongue utter a word unless you are convinced that what you say is beneficial either for yourself or for whom you are saying it."

Saint Zena-markos (13th c. Ethiopian saint)

[Hiywot]

It is said that lions and tigers and other wild beasts were so amiable to St. Geber-menfes-kidus of Ethiopia. One day while a certain monk was taking counsel from this saint a lion showed up from the forest and looked furiously at the monk. The monk was alarmed and began looking for a place to hide. But the saint calmly instructed the lion to go back. Then the lion bowed to the saint and disapeared into the forest. Astonoshed by what he saw the monk asked how the lion obeyed him. The saint answered "wild beasts were created to serve us humans. But when we disobeyed God they became our enemies. If you remain as pure as you were created then the wild beasts will not harm you. Now go monk and strive for purity of your soul!!"

[Hiywot]

"Long-suffering, humility, and reverence to God - these three will lead you to eternal life. Envy, presumption, vaunt - these three will pull you down to the depth of eternal fire"

St. Takla-haymanot of Ethiopia
(From the life of Takla-haymanot, Chapter 43)

[Hiywot]

One day, the disciples of St. Takla-haymanot, being offended by the wild animals in the vicinity of the monastery, reported to the saint that monkeys, baboons, civets, and hyraxes destroyed all the vegetables they raised in the monastery garden. Saint Takla-haymanot then calmed his disciples and said to them "my children! it is not these creatures that interfered in our life. It is we ourselves that interfered in their life by occupying their dwelling place. Therefore, leave them alone, they are flesh and blood just as we are, we should by no means offend them."

(From the life of Takla-haymanot, Chapter 52)

[Amdetsion]

When your nieghnor affends you; kneel down and pray for them.

If your father fails to care for you; reach out and hold his hand.

If your mother scorns you unjustly; say "thank you for caring".

If you are persecuted for your faith in Christ; prepare for more.

If you seek unity and are harshy occused for your efforts; cry the tears of joy since without unity no house will stand and so you are blessed to seek that which God commanded.

[bgcolor=#4e00ff]DAT DEc. 2007[/bgcolor]

To dwell among disorder while seeking the way of Christ is a trap. Christ will never have the truely humble and contrite search for His way while wearing the blinders of disorder and chaos.

[bgcolor=#4e00ff]DAT June 2008[/bgcolor]

There is no division in Gods house.....only fools

[bgcolor=#4e00ff]DAT Dec. 2007[/bgcolor]

[Salpy]

St. Evagrius Ponticus

I have observed the demon of vainglory being chased by nearly all the other demons, and when his pursuers fell, shamelessly he drew near and unfolded a long list of his virtues.

Praktikos, Chapter 31

[Salpy]

St. Evagrius Ponticus

Prayer is the fair flower of meekness and mildness.

Chapters on Prayer, Chapter 14

[Salpy]

From St. Jacob of Serug (5th-6th centuries):

It was beautiful for Mary that she should speak peace,
for she sowed peace for those far and near.

She was as a treasure full of peace for all mankind;
great peace was hidden in her for those who were at enmity.

She offered peace as also she had received peace,
from on high, which was for the whole world.

Peace was spoken profusely from her mouth;
it was fitting for the blessed one to proclaim it.

(From the Homily Concerning the Holy Mother of God, Mary, When She Went to Elizabeth To See the Truth Which Was Told to Her by Gabriel, taken from On the Mother of God, (1998) St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, page 73:

http://www.svspress.com/product_info.php?cPath=43_8_16&products_id=190   )

[Salpy]

Pope Shenouda III:

All you need, dear brother, is to meet with Christ, and speak to Him, to listen to Him and form a relationship with Him, and you will find in Him all that you will ever need.  With Christ you will lack nothing.  Give Him your heart, and then you will feel all the triviality of the world, and you will be happy with God's love.

Being With God, page 71

[Salpy]

Pope Shenouda III:

Through the resurrection, the cross became a glorious crown, instead of a symbol of suffering. That is why St. Paul says, "I rejoice 'in weaknesses and insults and persecutions for Christ's sake" (2 Cor. 12: 10). He also says, "we suffer with Him, so we can be glorified with Him also" (Rom. 8:17).

The resurrection of Christ gave believers hope for an afterlife and for an eternal fellowship with Christ. This hope enabled them to put all their treasures in heaven and live as strangers in this world. St. Paul described life in heaven as "what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor entered the mind of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Cor. 2:9). The resurrection, then, is not an end in itself, but a means to the end which is everlasting life with God.

The disciples rejoiced for the heavenly body that comes with the resurrection. Christ will raise our bodies also as He Himself rose. Human nature will be glorified in the resurrection from death. St. Paul says that "the body which is sown in corruption will rise in incorruption, and that which is sown in weakness will be raised in power" (I Cor. 15:42-44). He also said that the Lord will change the body of humility into the image of His glorious body (Philippians 3 :21).


http://www.mobile.coptichymns.net/index.php?module=library&func=viewpub&tid=1&pid=669
 

[Salpy]

St. Jacob of Serug:

The Word and the Voice were there in the two wombs;
in Elizabeth there was the Voice and in Mary, the Word.

(From the Homily Concerning the Holy Mother of God, Mary, When She Went to Elizabeth To See the Truth Which Was Told to Her by Gabriel, taken from On the Mother of God, (1998) St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, page 84:

http://www.svspress.com/product_info.php?cPath=43_8_16&products_id=190   )

[neena]

Abouna Elia of St. Bishoy's Monastery, (Scetis) Wadi El-Natrun (21st century):

In Mary, Christ Jesus began his descent into our humanity, into our suffering, so it is also in her that we begin our ascent to his love. Our sufferings have become the place of his visitation ever since she accepted his coming into her troubled heart, into her womb. Our desert becomes a watered garden by his visit. There is, in the desert of our suffering, a secret fountain, the hidden spring of her prayer, just as in the desert of the Wadi Natroun, the ancient subterranean rivers of the Nile are still providing
water these thousands of years later.

A moral point to all of this is that we must accept the pattern of the great commute in our life. We must enjoy the feast of divine affirmation when it is presented, most especially in the Eucharist. On every occasion of grace and mercy, we must enjoy the blessing. But at the same time, we must be willing to be driven by the Spirit into the desert, into the work that we must do for others in compassion. We must go out into the desert of our own purification and sanctification. We must accept the eventualities
of Divine Providence which come to us with the same Spirit of affirmation who came over Jesus in the waters of the Jordan, the Spirit who likewise drove him into the desert where he was alone and abandoned, the Spirit who drove him even to the Cross. We do these things in union with Christ Jesus in the prayer of Mary, for it was by her prayer, her Fiat, that this process was initiated. God came to visit us to make this fountain of life flow into our desert.

In a time of uncertainty, we can conjecture around the mythical adventures of the past once lived, but how many paths fall upon us, when there are so many gateways and offering , all with no answer 

[Salpy]

St. Evagrius Ponticus:


Apatheia is the quiet state of the reasoning soul composed of gentleness and prudence.


Skemmata, Chapter 3

http://www.ldysinger.com/Evagrius/05_Skemm/00a_start.htm

[minasoliman]

Holy Mar Jacob of Serugh (6th Century, from the Homily Concerning the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, Mary):

Prayer which is limpid conspires with God;
          it speaks to Him, listens to Him and confides in Him.

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

Sorry, I haven't been able to update this thread in a while due to my hectic schedule; I'm hoping to resume regular participation by the middle of next month. I will give a few quotations to make up for my past and near future absence:

Pope St Kyrillos VI (20th Century):

Nothing in this world can distress or perturb me, for I take refuge in the impregnable fortress of the Church. I am reassured in the bosom of God's mercies. Comfort and blessing continuously flows from Him. The Lord's grace flutters its wings and casts away all sadness, and heals the heart with its indescribable balm. Oh, how sweet it is! No one can withstand the trials of this world without His care or power. Our Fathers compare this Grace with a mother teaching her child to walk. She stands at a distance and when she sees that he is about to fall she hurries to him and wipes every tear from his eyes. Such is the way that God's Grace deals with man. Amid his struggles, God's Grace distances itself just a little in order to train him to walk in the path of virtue. But when he is found to be saddened or discouraged, this Grace hurries to comfort and encourage him.

I was blessed by that quote! Thank you for posting this.

Selam

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

Abouna Mikhail Ibrahim (+1975):
I'm sure many of us pray in regard to the difficulties we face, and for the difficulties faced by others, but how many times do we postpone prayer until after we have sought to resolve it ourselves either through discussion, action, or even mere thought? How many times has our immediate response been, "let us pray"? I know I myself am a miserable failure in this regard; I sometimes tend to overthink things at first, and only think of praying once I begin to feel the burden such thoughts have on my mind. May the Grace of God give us the faith and wisdom of Abouna Mikhail, so that our immediate impulse may always be to pray before we even have a chance to think of a solution to a problem or advice to give to others. May Abouna's prayers and blessings be with us all, and glory be to God forever, Amen.

AMEN. I am challenged and encouraged by this. How often I rely on my own pitiful understanding and am quick with my own words and opinions. What a lack of faith this demonstrates! May God in His grace teach me to be quick to pray and slow to opine.

"Lord Eyesus Kristos, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Selam

[Salpy]

From The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Vol. II:

The old men used to say, "There is nothing worse than a man passing judgement upon his neighbor."

("Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule," saying 199)

http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Holy-Fathers-2/dp/0980517125

[EkhristosAnesti]

H.H. Pope St Kyrillos VI:

The Eyes of the Lord traverse the earth searching for souls ripe for repentance so that He can draw near to them. Many have sought, and continue to seek Jesus, each with their own reason. There is one who comes to the Lord asking, "tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me" (Lk 12:13). There is one who seeks Jesus, as Herod did, to witness one of His Signs and Wonders (Lk. 23:8). Then there is the multitude who, having been filled, wait for the Lord at the foot of the mountain; but these the Lord passed by (Lk. 7:36-50). There are those who, like Simon the pharisee, seek the Lord that He may enter in their houses to dine (Lk. 7:36-50). Then there are those such as the Samaritan woman whom the Lord approaches even when they do not consciously seek Him (Jn. 4). Amongst all these different types of people, the Lord responds only to those who sought repentance or were ready to receive it.

- From 'The Haven of Salvation', Issue 1, Volume 2, 1930.

[EkhristosAnesti]

Tamav Irini (+2008):

Tamav Irini is a well-known contemporary Saint of the Church. Amongst the many things for which she is famous is her pivotal role in the reform of the ascetic and monastic discipline of Coptic nuns in the 20th century to date. Tamav Irini was inspired to enact such reform after receiving direct spiritual counsel from the Holy Virgin and Abba Pachomios in response to a three day fast. Abba Pachomios instructed her to adopt his monastic ideal of communal discipline to encourage unity amongst the nuns who had suffered greatly at that time from bickering, discrimination and discord. As part of the overall communal programme, Tamav Irini mandated common prayer at regular set times during the day and instructed her nuns to greet one another before prayer in humility by prostrating before each other whilst saying "I have sinned, forgive me."

Once, of the older pious nuns under the care of Tamav Irini was walking to the church to attend a common vigil service when she saw a demon crippled and tied to a lotus tree. Her immediate instinct was to do the sign of the Cross so as to vanquish him, but he interrupted her, saying, "Wait, I have been sent to deliver a message to you." The old nun asked, "Who did this to you, O Shame-faced one?" To which the demon replied: "The words 'I have sinned, forgive me' have done this to me. I persisted in my attempt to frame and invent stories about each nun so as to create enmity between you all, but as you each continue to gather together daily, prostrating before one another and pleading, 'I have sinned, forgive me', you cripple me the way I am presented before you now."

[Papa Gregorio]

I haven't been so edified on this forum as i have reading this and other threads on Oriental Orthodoxy. Thanks for the treasures.

[EkhristosAnesti]

An anonymous inquirer once asked H.H. Pope Shenouda during his regular QnA sessions with the congregation:

Your Holiness, please give me a word. Every time I begin to repent, I fall again...I get up, then I fall, I get up, I fall, I get up, I fall....I feel so discouraged.

His Holiness replied to the effect of:

Brother, you need to shift your perspective. Instead of viewing the situation as one of a cycle of positives followed by negatives, view it as a cycle of negatives followed by positives. Every time you fall, you get up, you fall, you get up, you fall, you get up...and know that in your perserverance to get up each time you fall--a perserverance which is supported in the first place by the Grace of God--God will grant you final victory.

[EkhristosAnesti]

H.H. Pope Shenouda III

After recalling the incident where Christ exclaims, "I thirst" on the Cross only to be offered a sponge of vinegar, H.H. continues:

I wonder, brethren, if perhaps we continue to respond to the Lord similarly? The Lord thirsts for our salvation; he thirsts for the sap of the vine that flows within us, and yet we offer Him instead the vinegar of our trespasses, inadvertence and negligence.

Would you please, brethren, withdraw the spear that you  point at Christ's mouth and spare His lips from that sponge of vinegar? Would you please feel some remorse for the pain you inflict on the One who loves you dearly, and repent? And then, when you hear the Lord saying, "I thirst," you may answer him penitently saying: ‘I am the one who makes your tongue cleave to your jaws on account of my sins and trespasses. How I wish O Lord to quench your thirst by my tears. How I wish that you would strike my fervent soul and drink from its gushing waters...’

[EkhristosAnesti]

Khristos Anesti!

The Late and Saintly Abouna Pishoy Kamel (+1979):

The following account is based on the witness of Abouna Pishoy's wife, Angel:

Abouna Pishoy once asked his wife, "Do you think we are serving the poor as we should?"

Tasoni responded with surprise, "You always visit them and personally attend to all their needs at their homes; what more can you do?"

Not content with her response, Abouna Pishoy replied, "No. That is not enough. We must dwell amongst them as one of them. How about we sell all that we have and move into a small room of corrugated iron just like the rooms they inhabit? All we need is a bed, a table and a few chairs. After all, did our Lord serve us from His heavenly heights? No. Rather, he descended into our midst and lived as one of us. Therefore, we must live amidst the poor."

Tasoni humbly apologised to her husband, however, being unable to fulfill Abouna's noble desire in this regard, and he, with great love, respected her limitations.

[Thomas Daniel (Reji)]

Famous Quotes of Patron Saint of Malankara St. Mor Gregorios Geevarghese

[1]       "Avoid arrogance, quarrel and pride while dealing in Church matters; instead, let your humility shine before others.  Those who place their trust in God, and satisfy the people are blessed ".
[2]      "As far as possible never do evil to anyone: or it will ruin you, your children and your house.  Hold on steadfastly to prayer, fasting and works of charity.  Do them with faith and devotion ".
[3]      "You must regularly read the Holy Bible.  You must obey your spiritual fathers and increase their good name and honor before God and men by your exemplary life ".
[4]      "Those who disobey their parents and join their enemies, are liable to be cursed by them.  They will not inherit the legacy of their parents and will be disqualified from this world as well as the other ".
[5]      "If there is quarrel in family, keep away from it.  A quarrelsome house is the haven of the devil; and God is nowhere near it ".
[6]      "Be rich in love of man and love of God.  Brothers should never cheat each other.  When you move away from unity you are sure to move away from God ".
[7]        "It is not spiritual wisdom to try to conquer the enemy with evil than with virtue.  If you depend on the God of Truth and go out with a truthful heart, God will accomplish things for you ".
[8]     "Loss and difficulties come when God moves away.  On such occasions, never look for one reason or other.  Instead, know that God has kept away because of your sins: then cling to God, he will show mercy upon you ".
[9]       "Prayer is the inspiration of childhood, the refuge of youth and peace during old age ".
[10]    "Forgiveness is strength.  It gives a person a good name.  It is the distinguishing feature of righteous people ".
[11]    "When we pray with a heart full of devotion, God accepts it and we receive blessings in return ".
[12]      "Whatever is due to the Church must be given forthwith.  If your mind is pure in that matter, your house will also be pure.  If in such things you think of any gain or revenue, then you will lose that ten-fold ".
[13]      "He who prays to God everyday would never be without truth, morality, faith and devotion, and would never turn against his master or society ".
[14]     "Remember God in everything.  Let no one grieve because of you.  Never let go an opportunity to do something good.  Only those things will remain with you till the end".
[15]      "If man does not raise his hands in prayer for himself and for the sake of his people, even after knowing God, how can we say man is better than animals who are not wise and cannot think about their future".

Biography of the saint http://www.saintgregorios.org/

[EkhristosAnesti]

Abba Philemon of Scetis: 20th century contemporary of Pope Kyrillos VI and Abbot of St Macarius Monastery in Scetis

The Liturgy reminds us of what is stored in the heart of God and His eternally good pleasure and will.

We have two potential states of being; the real, which has its origin in the eternal will of God, and the false, which we create for ourselves, and by our sins.

[EkhristosAnesti]

Abba Paul Al-Bushi (12th century Coptic Father):

A Proof of the Incarnation:

[One way] of demonstrating the Incarnation...that is not theoretical in nature [is]...the certainty that results from ascetic exercise and inner purification. Our fathers, following this path and arriving at the utmost end, have testified that the Christian faith alone is true. The proof of this is their attainment of union with God to the extent that marks of Him became expressed through them...

[EkhristosAnesti]

As we are still in the time of the Apostles' Fast, I thought it fitting to paste the following quote which is displayed as 'Quote of the Week' on erkohet.com:

St Pope Kyrillos VI (20th Century):

"When fasting, you should fast both in body and heart; abstaining from meat, gossip and slander...The fasting tongue is better than the fasting stomach, and when the heart abstains from wrath, that is better than both."

[EkhristosAnesti]

St Philoxenus of Mabug (+6th century):

Faith is the tongue of God.

[Salpy]

From The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Vol. II:

The old men said, "Let no monk do anything whatever without first of all trying his heart to see that what he is about to do will be done for God's sake."

("On Scrupulous Watchfulness in our Thoughts, Words and Deeds," saying 339)

http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Holy-Fathers-2/dp/0980517125

[Hiywot]

“A person with a hardened heart will never see God’s mercy.”

St. Abune Samuel of Debre Wegeg, Ethiopia. 13th C.

[Hiywot]

When, once, the king ordered St. Filipos of Ethiopia to join a government celebration during a fasting season, the saint responded “Monks have no festival. Their only festival is when their souls depart from their flesh.”

St. Abune Filipos, successor of the see of St. Teklehaimanot 13th C.

[Hiywot]

When his parents urged him to marry, St. Samuel of Waldeba said: “I don’t need this world’s wedding. I have chosen the heavenly wedding where children of light will glory with their Lord Jesus in the heavenly Jerusalem.”

St.  Abune Samuel of Waldeba, Ethiopia. 14th C.

[Hiywot]

After his ordination as a monk, St. Samuel of Wadeba said: “Behold my soul! You are now engaged to Christ. Think of the bridal wealth that you will receive from the clean bridegroom.”

St.  Abune Samuel of Waldeba, Ethiopia. 14th C.

[Hiywot]

One day, Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to St. Samuel of Waldeba and asked him “My beloved Samuel, what do you like me to do for you?” The saint answered “My Lord I ask you one thing only! That, throughout my life, I see my own sins only and never the sin of others.”

St. Abune Samuel of Waldeba, Ethiopia. 14th C.

[Hiywot]

Saint Filipos of Ethiopia once said: “The Lord’s saying to his disciples ‘Whosoever wants to be chief amongst you let him be your servant’ is so sharp as a blade and is able to cut out the pride in our heart.”

St. Abune Filipos. 13th C.

[Hiywot]

“Oh father! I am a new seedling that has not yet experienced the sun and that does not know the drought of the summer;
Oh father! I am a newly growing olive tree whose leaves did not yet bloom well and whose roots are not yet firm;
Oh father! I am a new captain that has not experienced the waves of the sea and that does not know how to swim in deep turbulent waters.
Yet, I am planted in the middle of your holy stars….
Oh father! Let your prayer assist me; let you prayer lead me.”

St. Abune Filipos. 13th C. [praying to his predecessor father St. Tekle-haymanot during his ordination as an Episcopos by Bishop Yaqob of Egypt.]

[Salpy]

Thank you for posting these awesome sayings, Hiywot!

Is there a book in English available which has these, and other, sayings?  Or are you translating these from Ge'ez or Amharic?  If there is something available in English out there, I would love to get a copy for myself.

[Hiywot]

Salpy,

These are my own translation.

Hiywot

 

[Salpy]

The translations are beautiful.  Thank you for going to the trouble to do them.  We really are enriched by the sayings!

[Hiywot]

Salpy,

Thanks!

Hiywot

[EkhristosAnesti]

St Apa Shenoute the Archimandrite and Prophet (+461 A.D.):

"Our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sake not only so rthat we might be raised in a bodily manner on the final day, but also so that we might be raised at the present time from the death of sin."

[Salpy]

From The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Vol. II:

An old man once said, "When a man said to his companion, 'Forgive me,' and at the same time humbles himself, the devils are perplexed."

("On Humility," saying 522)

http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Holy-Fathers-2/dp/0980517125

[EkhristosAnesti]

A very powerful statement by the great St Philoxenus of Mabug (sixth century)--well worth being read at least seven times:

Now many have, for sundry and diverse reasons, forsaken the life of the world, and have drawn nigh to the discipleship of Christ, but not by reason of the one true cause, and in consequence their discipleship hath not prospered.

And they have become like sick members in the healthy body of the discipleship of Christ, and they also prevent healthy members from the performance of the service of the spirit and from the doing of all the commands of our Lord; it would have been better had they remained in the world and not made an exhibition of slackness in the land of spiritual beings.

The whole life and conduct of the world is sick and infirm in respect of spiritual things, but the body of the discipleship of Christ is sound and healthy. And whosoever would cut off his own members from that sick body, and come to be absorbed in this living body, it is the love of the Christian life and rule alone which can bring him into union with [this] body. And it is not meet that there should be [any] other cause for his drawing nigh thereto, as it is in the case of many men, for by compulsion, and from obligation, and from the forcing of parents, and by the irritation of a woman, and from many other unsound reasons, many men are driven perforce to come and be disciples to Christ.

And when they have come they are only [His disciples] in name, while in truth they belong to the world; to the Christian life [they belong] falsely and according to the sight of the eye only, and to the world in thought and deed; to the Christian life for custom's sake only, and to the world for their will's sake; to the Christian life by forcible consent, and to the world by the intelligence of their own freewill. And to speak briefly, in the Christian life is their shadow, and in the world is their body; in the Christian life they exist in form and appearance only, and in the world in [their] true person, being made the cause of stumbling to themselves and also to their brethren.

And they eat the bread of Christ by theft, and not by right; and although they are hired by Him they labour for another, and are not ashamed. When He calleth them, they obey another who is His opponent, and when any man taketh and bringeth them as his own property, they abuse His goodness, and despise His commandments. And they are made a stumbling-block in the place of the building, and a vision of detriment in the region of excellent things, and an occasion of falling in the land of truth, and a form of iniquity among helpful appearances.

And for those who are thus, it would have been better, according to the word of Christ if they had never been born, or if they were born that they had remained in the infirm country of the life of [this] world in which they were, and had not come to make others sick with themselves, or to make living limbs die, being themselves dead before God.

Do thou then, O disciple of God, flee from such things as these, and let faith itself alone be the cause of thy going forth from the world, that as thou hast laid the foundation, so also the whole building of thy works may ascend. For when thy works have received strength from thy faith which is [laid down] first, and which hath brought thee forth from the world, all things will be completed and preserved by faith in sound condition, and they will abide in integrity, and they will advance towards the secret eye of God, and will be completed and perfected by the exhortation of faith itself.

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