Desert Fathers Tracts
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There are 16 Desert Fathers Tracts.
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10 Married or Unmarried?
11 Slander and Heresy
12 Holy Mother Church
13 More Than Conquerors
14 Follow the Word of the Cross
15 The First Christian Revival
16 Paul of Thebes, by Jerome, Presbyter
♦ ♦ geocities.ws/desertfathers[Desert Fathers Tract #10]
Married or Unmarried?
What Does the Bible Say?
Are You Married?
And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband, But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried.” – 1 Corinthians 7:10
Are You Unmarried?
Are thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. – 1 Cor. 7:27
But I Have a Problem With Fornication
To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:2
I Do Not Have a Problem with Fornication
But I would have you without concern. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 7:33
Married or Unmarried: Which Is Better?
So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better. – 1 Cor. 7:38 – The time is short; it remaineth both they that have wives be as though they had none. – 1 Corinthians 7:29
Can Eunuchs Enter the Kingdom of God?
Neither let the eunuch say: Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. – Isaiah 56: 4
[A black eunuch, who was prohibited from entering the temple: Deut. 23:1, went to Jerusalem.] And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. – Acts 8:38
Are Children Like Eunuchs?
His disciples said unto him, if the case of the man be so, with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb; and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men; and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should lay his hands on them, and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 19:10 ff.
Does God Love Virginity, Celibacy and Purity?
A Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, … and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. – Revelation 14:1-4
If you do not become as little children, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven. --Scripture
Incorruption bringeth near to God. – Wisdom 6:20
For wisdom is more active than all active things; and reacheth everywhere, by reason of her purity. For she is a vapor of the power of God, and a certain pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her. For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God's majesty, and the image of his goodness. (Heb. 1:3) – Wisdom 7:24-26
Is Celibacy Related to the Incarnation of the Word?
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14
And in the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. – Luke 1:26
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. – John 1:14.
Example
WE also saw the monastery of the holy Paphnutius, the man of God, the most famous anchorite in those parts. He lived in the most distant part of the desert in the region of Heracleos, that splen-did city of the Thebaid. We learned about him from a very faithful account given to us by the fathers. When he was already living the angelic life, he once prayed God to show him if there were any other holy people he could be compared with. An angel appeared and told him that there was a musician (symphoniacus) like him in a certain village, who made a living by practicing his art. Astonished by this strange reply he made his way with all haste to the village and sought the man out. When he had found him he tried to lay bare everything that the man did, and earnestly inquired of him why in the world he was performing holy and religious works. He replied that the fact of the matter was that he was a sinner, a man of a shameful kind of life. Not long since he had been a robber, but had turned from that dis-graceful trade to what he was now seen to be doing. Paphnutius pressed him further to tell him whether if by chance he had done any good deeds in the course of his robberies. "I'm not in the least bit con-scious of having done anything good," he said. "But I do know this - that when I was among the robbers, we once captured a virgin conse-crated to God. My fellow robbers wanted to rape her, but I stood up and objected. I rescued her from that degradation, and took her back to her village and her own home unharmed. "Another time I found a respectable looking woman wandering about in the desert and I asked her what she was doing in that place. 'Don't ask me,' she said. 'I am a most unfortunate woman. Don't ask why - but if you want a servant, take me wherever you like. I am unlucky enough to have a husband who, because of his debts has been repeatedly hung up and beaten and punished by all sorts of tortures. He has been shut up in prison, and is not let out except to be tortured again. We have three sons who have also been seized because of this debt. Since they started looking to punish me in my misery, I have fled from place to place. I have no food, I am totally distressed, I have been wandering about without detection in this place for three days now without anything to eat.' Upon hearing this, I took pity on her and led her to my cave, where I refreshed her spirits which were almost spent through hunger, and I gave her three hundred solidi, for the sake of which she and her husband and her three sons had become liable not only to slavery but to physical punishment. She went back to the city and freed them all with the money I had given her."
Then father Paphnutius said, "I have not done anything like that. I have been sent to you because the name of Paphnutius was fairly well known among monks. I am fairly well versed in being able to lead my life under monastic discipline. And it was for this reason that God revealed to me that you are just as worthy in the sight of God as I am. So, brother, don't neglect your soul, for you must see that you have a high place in God's eyes." And at once he put down the flute which he was holding and followed him to the desert. He turned his musical art into a spiritual harmony of heart and mind and for three whole years gave himself over to [a regime of] strict abstinence, exercising himself day and night in prayers and psalms. Still pursuing his heav-enly journey with all the power of his soul, he gave up his spirit at last into the choirs of the holy angels.
After Paphnutius had given up to the Lord this musician, who had been blessed with the practice of every virtue, he himself worked even harder at his disciplines. And again he asked the Lord if there was anyone else like him upon the earth. And again the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, "Know that the headman of the next village is similar to you." On hearing this Paphnutius hurried to him without delay and knocked on his door. Now this man always wel-comed guests, and he greeted Paphnutius, took him inside, washed his feet and set food before him, all in the most friendly manner. As he was eating, Paphnutius began to question his host about his deeds, his disciplines, his rules of life. He replied in humility that he pre-ferred to hide his good deeds rather than publish them, but Paph-nutius insisted, saying that it had been revealed to him that he was equal in worth to any monk. This made him feel even more humble still. "I am not aware of anything particularly good in anything I do," he said. "But since the Word of God, from whom nothing is hidden, has come to you, I cannot remain silent. So I will tell you of what I do in the midst of the many situations in which I am placed. No one knows that for the last thirty years, my wife and I have agreed to be continent. She had given me three sons, they were the only reason for having sex with her, I have not been with anyone else, nor she either. I have always received guests, since no one before me seems to have been willing to give a welcome to visiting pilgrims. I have never let anyone go from my house without giving them food for their journey. I have never neglected the poor, but have contributed to their needs. When administering justice I have never practiced any favoritism even to my own sons. The profits due to someone else's labor has never found its way into my house. Where I have seen strife I have spared no effort in trying to bring peace to the quarreling parties. No one has ever been able to bring any reproach against my servants, my flocks have never caused any harm to my neighbor’s produce, I have never stopped anyone from producing food in my district, I have never chosen the best bit of new ploughed land for myself leaving the less fertile to others, as far as I could I have never let the strong op-press the weak, I have tried throughout my life not to grieve anyone. If I have been involved in any lawsuit I have not condemned anyone out of hand, but have tried to bring adversaries to agreement. This, now, by the grace of God has been my way of life up to the present."
Listening to this the blessed Paphnutius kissed him and blessed him saying, "'May the Lord bless you out of Sion, and may you see the good things of Jerusalem' (Psalms 128.5). You have done all these things thoroughly and properly. One thing is lacking, the greatest good of all, that putting all else aside, you seek that true wisdom of God, and search for those hidden treasures which you cannot arrive at in any other way than by denying yourself, and taking up your cross and following Christ" (Matthew.16.24). On hearing this he did not wait even to set things in order in his house, but followed the man of God to the desert.
When they came to the river there was no ferry to be found, but Paphnutius bade him walk into the water with him, even though it was quite deep at that place. They crossed over easily, the water coming scarcely up to their waist. When they arrived at the desert, Paphnutius put him in a cell at a little distance from the monastery, and gave him a spiritual rule to live by. He instructed him in the practice of striving after perfection, and initiated him into the more advanced levels of wisdom (scientiae secretiora). While giving him all this instruction, he devoted himself anew to even greater efforts, because he judged that the works of this person who had been busied with the affairs of the world had been even more demanding. "For," he said, "if people living in the world can do such good works, how much more should we not endeavor to surpass them in works of abstinence, both in quantity and in quality."
After spending some time in this programme, Paphnutius had drawn him so far into the knowledge of wisdom (scientiae perfec-tionem) that he had already become perfect in what he was doing. And one day as Paphnutius sat in his cell, he saw that man's soul taken up to heaven amidst choirs of angels singing "Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken. He shall dwell in thy tabernacles." (Psalms 65.5). Paphnutius then continued in fasting and prayer, giving himself up to even greater efforts towards perfection.
Once more he prayed to the Lord to show him someone like himself. And again a voice from heaven replied, "You are like a certain merchant whom you will see approaching. Get up quickly and run to meet him. He is a man who I judge to be like you." Paphnutius went out without delay and went to meet this merchant from Alexandria, who was coming back from the Thebaid with three ships and a profit of twenty thousand solidi. And because he was a religious man always trying to do good works, he had loaded his sons up with three bags of vegetables to take to the monastery of the man of God. Hence his meeting with Paphnutius, who as soon as he came into view cried out, "What is that you have done, that you are most precious and worthy in the sight of God? What sort of work have you been doing on earth, such that your lot and fellowship has risen into the realms of heaven? Relinquish all these things into the hands of those who are of the earth and whose thoughts are earthy, and become a merchant of the kingdom of God, to which you are called. Follow the Savior, to whose presence in a short while you must be taken up." And without any hesitation he instructed his sons to disburse any superfluous profits to the poor, even though he had already distributed a great deal himself. But he followed the holy Paphnutius to the desert, where he was installed in the same place as those who had earlier been taken to the Lord. He was instructed in the same way, and persevered in spiritual exercises, and in the study of divine wisdom. After a short while he too was taken up into the congregation of the righteous. Paphnutius himself continued to develop his life to the highest degree of abstinence and spiritual labors, and not long after this, an angel of the Lord came to him saying; "Come, O blessed one, and enter into those eternal tabernacles which are your just deserts. Behold the prophets, who take you up into their choirs. You have not been told about this before, lest you become conceited, and receive only damnation as a reward for your labors." He was given one more day in the flesh after this, while certain presbyters came to visit him, to whom he made known all that the Lord had revealed to him. He told them that no one living in the world should be given up for lost, even if they had been robbers, or actors, or farmers, or married, or merchants seeking profits. For in every sphere of life there were souls pleasing to God, doing in secret works with which God was well pleased. Whence it was obvious that it was not an outward profession of life, or the wearing of a habit which was pleasing to God, so much as sincerity and integrity of mind, and honesty in all one's dealings. He expressed a few similar sentiments on each of these topics and gave up his spirit. And the presbyter and all the brethren present plainly saw him taken up by the angels, singing hymns and praising God all together. Lives of the Desert Fathers, p. 361
Another Example
The same old man told us this story about a certain bishop. Some people reported to the bishop that there were two women in the congregation whose lives were not above reproach. Moved by the people who told him these things, and suspecting that there might be others, he earnestly begged God to show him clearly their true state.
After this solemn and terrifying request, he was able to see in the faces of those who came to the holy mysteries the state of their souls and the sins which had control over each one of them. The faces of those men who were sinful appeared to be black, some of them appearing as if burned out by fire, their eyes red and bloodshot, others were fair of face, clothed in white. When they received the body of the Lord some seemed to become enveloped in destroying fire, for others it was as if a light was lit in them which entered their mouth and illuminated their whole body. Among them were some who lived a solitary life and some who were married, but all were laid open in this way. When he turned to the women and began to communicate them, he learned what the state of their souls was like also. For some of their faces too were black, some red and bloodshot, some white. Among them came those two women who had been denounced to the bishop, and because of whom he had been given this visionary state of prayer. As they approached the sacred mysteries, he saw them as if clothed in white garments, their faces pure and innocent. After receiving the mystery of Christ they shone with a brilliant light.
The bishop later in solitary prayer begged to be shown the meaning of the revelations which he had been given. An angel of the Lord appeared to him whom he began to question in detail. The holy bishop first enquired whether the accusation against these women was true or false. The angel said that everything that had been said about them was true. He then asked the angel how it was that in the presence of the body of Christ their faces were so wonderful, their garments so white, with such a brilliant light shining from them. The angel replied, "In so far as they have repented of their sins, turning away from them with tears and sighs, and have given alms to the poor, they have become worthy by their confessions, of being numbered among the righteous, for they have also promised never to walk in those sinful ways again, as a condition of being found worthy to receive pardon for their past sins. This is why their lives have been changed by God. Cleansed from their sins, they have since then lived soberly, devoutly and properly".
The bishop however was surprised not so much by the change in their lives (for that, after all, happens to many) but by the generosity of God who had not merely delivered them from punishment, but had endowed them with grace in such overflowing measure.
The angel said to him, "You are astonished because you are human, but the Lord, your God and mine, is in his nature good and merciful to those who depart from their evil ways and turn to him in confession. Not only does he save them from hell, but he turns away his wrath from them and counts them worthy of honor, for God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son for them. While we were yet sinners he chose to die for us. Should he not therefore absolve from sin and welcome into his household those who repent of what they have done? He offers good things to be enjoyed by those whom he has prepared like this. You must realize that no human sin is greater than the mercy of God, as long as penitence results in good acts, to wash away those evil acts of the past. Such is the mercy of God, that he knows our infirmity and the strength of our passions and the cunning and power of the devil, so that when we fall into sin he humors us as children, patiently looking to us for amendment. On those who turn and cast themselves on his mercy, he has compassion, as on those who are ill. He looses them from their torments, and gives them the good things prepared for the just." The bishop then said to the angel, "May I ask you to enlighten me as to how the particular sin of each person was shown in the differing appearance of their faces, so that I may be conversant with these and ignorant no longer?"
The Angel replied, "Those with shining happy faces are those who live in sobriety, chastity and justice and who are humble, compassionate and merciful. Those with the black faces are given to fornication, unbridled lusts and all other crimes and sins of omission. Those who are red and bloodstained live in bitterness and injustice, scandalmongers, blasphemers, deceivers and murderers."
Again the angel said to him, "If you wish for them to be saved, you must help them. It is for this reason that your questions have been answered, so that by what you have seen, you may learn about the sins of your disciples. Through your prayers and warnings their repentance will make them more acceptable to him who died and rose again for them: Jesus Christ our Lord. Use whatever power and zeal you have, and love for the Lord Christ, to watch over them, that they may be converted to God from their sins, plainly teaching them not to despair of their salvation, whatever the sins they may have been dominated by. For those who repent and turn to God, there will be salvation and the future reward of a sumptuous banquet. But the greatest reward will be yours, for imitating the Lord who came down from heaven and dwelt on earth for the salvation of humankind." LDF 567
[Tract # 11]
Slander and Heresy
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:16
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs 18:8
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Proverbs 20:19
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Psalms 52:2
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. --Acts 20:29
Example
THE holy Athanasius was bishop of Alexandria at that time, [He became bishop in 328.] a man outstanding in every virtue. He had been making a solemn visitation of all the churches in the upper Thebaid, building up the people's faith in Christ by his wholesome teachings, when his journeyings brought him to Tabennisi. As soon as Pachomius knew about it he went out to meet him with all his monks, leaping for joy in great happiness. They greeted this great pontiff of Christ with psalms and hymns, a vast multitude of brothers rejoicing in the Lord for his coming. But Pachomius did not introduce himself to this famous leader, but deliberately drew back and hid himself among the throng of monks. His reason for that was that the aforesaid bishop of Tentyri had often spoken about him to the holy Athanasius, suggesting that he was a marvelous man and a true servant of God worthy of being promoted to the honor of the priesthood. It was the knowledge of this that led Pachomius to make himself inconspicuous and hide himself away among the ranks of the monks until the bishop had gone.
Pachomius respected Athanasius as being someone than whom there was no one more outstanding at that time. He had heard about his holy life and the persecutions he had suffered from the Arians because of his confession of Christ. He admired unreservedly the love which he showed to all but especially to monks, and respected him with his whole heart. But he accorded the greatest respect not only to Athanasius but to all men of true faith. He detested heretics completely, and had a particular horror of Origen as a blasphemous traitor and a precursor of Arius and Meletius.
Arius had been expelled from the church by the venerable Heraclas, former bishop of Alexandria, because he had added many hateful and detestable things to the teachings of holy Scripture and thereby subverted quite a few souls. Just as poisoners disguise a bitter taste with honey, so did Origen bedaub the poison of his erroneous opinions with a most heavenly ability to write well, and so disseminated his pernicious doctrines among those who did not know any better. So Heraclas was careful to warn all the brothers not merely to refrain from reading any of Origen's commentaries, but also to pay no heed to anyone who had read them. It is said that on one occasion he picked up a volume of Origen's and threw it into the sea. "If it weren't for the fact that I know that it contains the holy Name of God," he said as he did so, "I would have consigned all those outpourings of blasphemy to the flames!" Thus he loved the true faith and always sought for the truth. Just as he opposed the enemies of the church with unremitting detestation, so he acclaimed joyfully the increasing numbers of Catholics, and declared that he could discern Christ the redeemer of all speaking through the bishops (sacerdotes) in the royal power of the Church.
If ever he heard of a brother slandering anyone on any matter, he not only stopped trusting him but avoided him as if he were a serpent, citing the Psalmist who said 'I will cut off him who secretly slanders his neighbor' (Psalms 101. 5). "No good person," he said, "allows evil to come out of his mouth and insult the holy fathers with venomous tongue. There are many places in the Scriptures showing how God is angry at such offenses. Think of the example of Miriam who poured out disparaging remarks about Moses and became infected with leprosy (Num. 12.10). She had no chance of avoiding the judgment of God." By this teaching he conferred great benefits upon his listeners. Life of Pachomius. – Lives of the Desert Fathers, p. 86
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[Tract # 12]
Holy Mother Church
The Jerusalem that is above, our mother.” - Galatians 4:26
[Exhortation of Epictetus to Astion]: "So therefore, my son, it ever behooves us to know and adore this true Father who has surrounded us with such great goodness. For to our visible father, respect is to be given only in so far as he has seen to our natural needs while we were in our infancy; he has sometimes beaten us, but more often he has been careful to provide what our childish state required, for it was a case of his own flesh embracing his own flesh, his solicitude was being poured out on the fruit of his own body. Nevertheless it is for these things that he deserves respect.
"Our mother also is held to be of a different kind - not our visible mother, but our immortal mother who lasts for ever, a worthy bride for our Savior, adorned by Angels, celebrated by the prophets, glorified by the Apostles, exalted by martyrs and confessors, lifted up in Christ and through Christ to the heavenly bridal chamber, proclaimed by humanity as our holy mother, the Church. Her voice is as the voice of the turtledove (Song of Songs 2.12), her lips distil the sweet perfumes of the apostles' teaching. Her eyes are the two luminaries of heaven, her teeth are white, like sheep coming up from the washing (ibid 4.2), twenty-four in number, indicating in a figure the books of sacred scripture. Her hands drop myrrh (ibid. 5.5), that is, justice and true faith. Her ten fingers signify the power and sacrament of the Decalogue, her breasts are the two Testaments, that is, the law of Moses and the grace of the Gospels. Her feet are like fine brass, the inner life of her womb signifies the fountain of the most sacred Baptism and the regeneration of all nations. Come then, my child of destiny, fly to the breasts of your true mother, accept her admonitions, renounce all that is of this world, that you may earn the right to enjoy what the Lord promises to give his children in the world to come. "Listen to what our true Father says: 'Leave your own land and your family, and come into that land which I shall show you' (Genesis 12.1), that is, the land of the living and the country of the Saints, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3.8), that is, the teaching of the apostles and prophets. And when you have fulfilled all these instructions, he will give you possession of paradise, he will open up to you the heavenly sacraments, he will give you the glory of the kingdom of heaven, he will show you the immeasurable joy of the apostles, and reveal to you the choirs of martyrs and the company of the Angels and Archangels. And more importantly still, he will adopt you by grace as his son and brother."
That most wise youth listened to this, fell at the old man's feet, and begged to be shown this person to whom he should give his allegiance for the years to come, and who alone possessed such great power and majesty. He asked that the servants and ministers of the holy man should not reveal any of this to his father, and spoke no more with the man of God that day.
Chapter VI. Next day he [Astion] arose at first light, and like a most industrious bee hastened to revisit that same place where on the day before he had pastured on celestial flowers. He went to the house of God's priest and greeted him. "Hail, O apostle of Christ and minister of the New Testament," he said. "You are welcome, young man," the holy man replied, "wearing as you do the robe of martyrdom and a crown adorned with various kinds of gems. Come, sit down beside me. What is it, my son? Has the seed of the Lord which we sowed yesterday in the ground of your heart borne fruit, which up to now has been hindered from growing by the weeds of infidelity?"
"Most holy father," Astion replied, "as your beatitude knows, I am greatly beloved by my father as I am an only son, and I am very much afraid that if I become a Christian he could perhaps die of excessive shock, or else throw himself into the sea, or, God forbid, lose his reason, so that what for me could be the beginning of salvation, could mean that I was simply sending him to eternal death and the fire of hell. But I have a plan, and if you are willing to carry it out with me, enroll me today as a catechumen, make me fast for a fixed number of days, and when that is over, give me the sacrament of Baptism. And when I have fulfilled all the conditions of becoming a Christian, what I am asking, is that you and I together leave this city and go somewhere far off, wherever the holy Spirit may lead us, lest my father's tears make me change my mind."
The programme which this most prudent youth had proposed was completed, and a few days afterwards they prayed to Christ, left the city, and took ship to the land of Scythia. Here they went to the city of the Almiridenses, where nobody knew them or where they came from. from Life of Saint Epictetus, presbyter and Astion, monk, by an unknown writer. -- Lives of the Desert Fathers, p. 181
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[Tract #13]
More Than Conquerors
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. Romans 8:37
For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants. I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoice O ye nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. Deuteronomy 32:36-43.
THE story of abba Jordan about the three Saracens who killed each other. Abba Jordan also passed on to us the following story which abba Nicholaus had told him:
During the time of the most faithful emperor Mauritius, Namanes, the leader of the Saracen people, was going about plundering in the area where I was, near Arnon and Aidon. I happened to see three Saracens who had with them an extremely handsome youth of about twenty years, whom they had taken prisoner and bound. When this young man saw me he began to weep and begged me to rescue him from them, so I did beg the Saracens to release him.
"We are not going to release him," one of the Saracens replied in Greek. "Take me and let him go," I said, "for he is not able to endure this affliction." "We are not going to release him," he repeated. "Will you not take a ransom for him?" I asked, making a third attempt. "Give him to me, and I will pay you whatever you ask." "We can't give him to you, for we have promised our priest that we would give him anyone we found of outstanding beauty, to be offered up in sacrifice. Now go away, for if you hinder us for much longer, your head will roll on the ground."
So then I prostrated myself on the ground. "Christ our God and Saviour, save your servant," I prayed. And immediately the three Saracens were possessed by devils, and they drew their swords and killed each other. I took the young man with me to my cave and comforted him. He refused to leave me, but renounced the world and lived with me for seven years in the monastic habit, until he fell asleep. Spiritual Meadow, by John Moschus. ch. 155 LDF 849
The death of an Anchorite and his murderer. Abba Gerontius, the prior of the monastery of our holy father Euthymius, told Sophronius Sophista and me the following story:
"Once when three of us were walking up into the mountains on the other side of the Dead Sea, another anchorite came walking along by the seashore. It so happened that some Saracens met him as they traveled through those regions, and after they had passed him, one of them turned back and cut off the anchorite's head. We could see all this from a distance as we were climbing the mountain. As we were weeping and mourning for the death of the anchorite, we suddenly saw a bird swooping down from above, which picked the Saracen up, carried him up high and dropped him to the ground, causing his death." John Moschus, Spiritual Meadow, ch. 21. LDF 787
The life of Antonius, an old man of the monastery of Scopulus. The fathers of the monastery of our holy father Theodosius also told us the following: "It is some years now since a certain old man called Antonius died. He gave great attention to fasting during his lifetime and lived at a distance in a place called Cotulas. One day in the desert there were some Saracens coming towards him, and one of them saw him and drew his sword meaning to kill him. When he saw the Saracen coming towards him however, he looked up to heaven and said, "Lord Jesus Christ, your will be done". And the ground immediately opened up and swallowed the Saracen, so the old man was saved, and went back to the monastery glorifying God. John Moschus, Spiritual Meadow. LDF 821
For helpful Christian tracts, please write to the address above or visit website at: geocities.ws/desertfathers • Bible References: KJV
Abbreviation. LDF. Lives of the Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers were Christians who lived mainly in the Scetes desert of Egypt in the third century AD. The most well known was Anthony the Great (died 356). So many Christians moved to the desert that Athanasius wrote: “The desert had become a city.” This movement to the desert was the first Christian revival. The Desert Fathers had a major influence on the development of Christianity. Copying of this leaflet is permitted.
[Tract #14]
Follow the Word of the Cross
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. – Mark 9:47
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. --Isaiah 66:24.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:46
To many this seems a hard saying: Deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow Jesus. (Mt. 16:24). But it will be much harder to hear that last word: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. (Mt. 25:41). For they who now willingly hear and follow the word of the cross, shall not then be afraid of eternal condemnation. – Kempis, Imitation of Christ, Bk. 2, Ch. 12.
Examples
THE extraordinary deed of a holy virgin, by means of which her adolescent admirer was conscience-stricken and became a monk. When we were in Alexandria, one of the faithful told us the following story. There was a holy virgin living a solitary life in her own home who worked very hard at her own salvation. She regularly gave her-self to fasts and vigils, and gave alms freely. But the devil who hates everything good, found the virtues of this woman so insufferable, that he prepared a campaign against her by stirring up in a certain young man a devilish lust for her. He haunted the space outside her house. When the woman tried to leave the house in order to go to church and pray, this young man harassed her with lustful and impure looks. He would not let her pass without subjecting her to seductive proposi-tions and shameless suggestions, so that in the end the aggressive be-havior of this young man prevented her from leaving her house at all.
One day the woman sent her servant out to the young man. "My mistress wants you," she said. "Come inside." He went in, delighted, eager for the shameful deed, to where she was sitting on the bed.
"Sit down," she said. "Tell me please brother, why do you harass me so grievously, that I can't go out of my own house?"
"Truly, I love you very much," he said, "and whenever I look at you, I am totally inflamed with desire."
"What can you see so beautiful in me, that you should love me so?" "It's your eyes. That's what has led me on."
When the woman realized that it was her eyes which had led him on, she took a distaff and gouged her eyes out. When it sank in to the young man that she had actually gouged her own eyes out, he was conscience-stricken and went off to Scythia to become a monk. – John Moschus, Spiritual Meadow, Ch. 60. LDF 804
THE wonderful charity of a certain holy father. In this same monastery of Turrius there was an old man who was a great lover of alms-giving, even to the extent of holy nakedness. For one day a beggar came to his cell seeking alms. The old man had nothing to give him but one loaf, which he offered to the beggar.
"It's not bread I want but clothing," said the beggar. The old man wanted to help him, so he took him by the hand and led him inside his cell. The beggar could not see anything inside but what the old man stood up in, but driven by his virtuous nature the old man opened the only moneybag he had, by taking off everything he wore, saying: "Take these, good sir, and I will seek elsewhere for what I need." John Moschus, Spiritual Meadow, Ch. 9 LDF 784
A miraculous deed of abba Conon. It was said of abba Conon that one day as he was going to Betamarim, he met some Jews who wished to kill him, and ran towards him with drawn swords. As they approached, waving their swords at him, their hands suddenly be-came motionless, suspended on high. The old man said a prayer, freed their hands, and sent them on their way, giving thanks to God. Spiritual Meadow, Ch. 15 LDF 785
For helpful Christian tracts, please write to the address above or visit website at: geocities.ws/desertfathers • Bible References: KJV
Abbreviation. LDF. Lives of the Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers were Christians who lived mainly in the Scetes desert of Egypt in the third century AD. The most well known was Antony the Great (died 356). So many Christians moved to the desert that Athanasius wrote: “The desert had become a city.” This movement was the first Christian revival. The Desert Fathers had a major influence on the development of Christianity in Africa, in Europe and in Asia. Copying of this leaflet is permitted.
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[Tract #15]
First Christian Revival: Radical Discipleship
Note: This tract is a transcription of a talk given by Dr. Andrew Walls. -- First Christian Revival: Download PDF
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[Tract #16]
Paul of Thebes, by Jerome, Presbyter. 8 pages. -- Paul of Thebes: Download PDF
This 8-page tract consists of the first 6 pages of the e-book, "Lives of the Desert Fathers"
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