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The Teachings of St. Anthony the Great

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The Teachings of St. Anthony the Great The Teachings of St. Anthony the Great from the Alphabetical Sayings of the Desert Fathers St. Herman Orthodox Church Littleton, Colorado 16 1. When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert 37.He also said, “Nine monks fell away after many he was beset by akedia, and attacked by many labors and were obsessed with spiritual pride, sinful thoughts. He said to God, “Lord, I want to for they put their trust in their own works and be saved, but these thoughts do not leave me being deceived they di not give due heed to the alone; what shall I do in mine affliction? commandment that says, „Ask your father and How can I be saved? A short while afterwards, he will tell you‟ (Deuteronomy 32:7).” when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from 38.And he said this, “If he is able to, a monk ought his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a to tell his elders confidently how many steps he rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an takes and how many drops of water he drinks in angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure his cell, in case he is in error about it.” him. He heard the angel saying to him, “Do this and you will be saved.” At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved. 2. When the same Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked, “Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?” He heard a voice answering him, “Anthony, keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not to your advantage to know anything about them.” [see Deuteronomy 29:29] 2 15 34.Abba Anthony once went to visit Abba Amoun 3. Someone asked Abba Anthony, “What must one in Mount Nitria and when they met, do in order to please God?” The geronda Abba Amoun said, “By your prayers, replied, “Pay attention to what I tell you: the number of the brethren increases, Whoever you may be, always have God before and some of them want to build more cells your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to where they may live in peace. How far away the testimony of the Holy Scriptures; from here do you think we should build the in whatever place you live do not easily leave it. cells?” Abba Anthony said, “Let us eat at the Keep these three precepts and you will be ninth hour and then let us go out for a walk in saved.” the desert and explore the country.” So they went out into the desert and they walked until 4. Abba Anthony said to Abba Poemen, sunset and then Abba Anthony said, “Let us “This is the great work of a man: always to take pray and plant the cross here, so that those the blame for his own sins before God and who wish to do so may build here. Then when to expect temptation to his last breath.” those who remain there want to visit those who have come here, they can take a little food at 5. He also said, “Whoever has not experienced the ninth hour and then come. If they do this, temptation cannot enter into the Kingdom of they will be able to keep in touch with each Heaven.” He even added, “Without temptations other without distraction of mind.” The distance no one can be saved.” is twelve miles. 6. Abba Pambo asked Abba Anthony, “What ought I to do?” And the geronda said to him, 35.Abba Anthony said, “Whoever hammers a lump “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not of iron, first decides what he is going to make of worry about the past, but control your tongue it, a scythe, a sword, or an axe. Even so we and your stomach.” ought to make up our minds what kind of virtue we want to forge or we labor in vain.” 7. Abba Anthony said, “I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and 36.He also said, “Obedience with abstinence gives I said groaning, “What can get through from men power over wild beasts.” such snares?” Then I heard a voice saying to me, “Humility.” 14 3 8. He also said, “Some have afflicted their bodies 30.Some say of Saint Anthony that he was by asceticism, but they lack diakrisis “Spirit-borne,” that is, carried along by the (discernment), and so they are far from God.” Holy Spirit, but he would never speak of this to men. Such men see what is happening 9. He also said, “Our life and our death is with in the world, as well as knowing what is going our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have to happen. gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ.” 31.One day Abba Anthony received a letter from 10.He also said, “Just as fish die if they stay too Emperor Constantius, asking him to come to long out of water, so the monks who loiter Constantinople and he wondered whether he outside their cells or pass their time with men of ought to go. So he said to Abba Paul, the world lose the intensity of hesychia (inner his disciple, “Ought I to go?” He replied, “If you peace). So like a fish going towards the sea, go, you will be called Anthony, but if you stay we must hurry to reach our cell, for fear that if here you will be called Abba Anthony.” we delay outside we will lose our nepsis (interior watchfulness). 32.Abba Anthony said, “I no longer fear God, but I love Him. For love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). 11.He also said, “He who wishes to live in solitude in the desert is delivered from three conflicts: 33.He also said, “Always have the fear of God hearing, speech, and sight; there is only one before your eyes. Remember Him who gives conflict for him and that is with porneia death and life. Hate the world and all that is in (fornication). it. Hate all peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to 12.Some brothers came to find Abba Anthony God. Remember what you have promised God, to tell him about the visions they were having, for it will be required of you on the Day of and to find out from them if they were true or Judgment. Suffer hunger, thirst, nakedness, if they came from the demons. They had a be watchful and sorrowful; weep and groan donkey which died on the way. When they in your heart; test yourselves to see if you are reached the place where the geronda was, worthy of God; despise the flesh, so that you he said to them before they could ask him may preserve your souls. anything, “How was it that the little donkey died 4 13 anything.” And the other replied, “It is enough on the way here?” They said, “How do you for me to see you, Father.” know about that, abba?” And he told them, “The demons showed me what happened.” 28.They said that a certain geronda asked God to So they said, “That was what we came to let him see the Fathers and he saw them all question you about, for fear we were being except Abba Anthony. So he asked his guide, deceived, for we have visions which often turn “Where is Abba Anthony?” He told him in reply out to be true.” Thus the geronda convinced that in the place where God is, there Anthony them, by the example of the donkey, that their would be. visions came from the demons. 13.A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony 29.A brother in a monastery was falsely accused enjoying himself with the brethren and he was of fornication and he arose and went to shocked. Wanting to show him that it was Abba Anthony. The brethren also came from the necessary sometimes to meet the needs of monastery to correct him and bring him back. the brethren, the geronda said to him, “Put an They set about proving that he had done this arrow in your bow and shoot it.” So he did. thing, but he defended himself and denied that The geronda then said, “Shoot another,” and he he had done anything of the kind. Now Abba did so. Then the geronda said, “Shoot yet Paphnutius, who is called Cephalus, happened again,” and the hunter replied, “If I bend my to be there, and he told them this parable, bow so much I will break it.” Then the geronda “I have seen a man on the bank of the river said to him, “It is the same with the work of buried up to his knees in mud and some men God. If we stretch the brethren beyond measure came to give him a hand to help him out, they will soon break. Sometimes it is necessary but they pushed him further in up to his neck.” to come down to meet their needs.” When the Then Abba Anthony said this about Abba hunter heard these words he was pierced by Paphnutius, “Here is a real man, who can care penthos (compunction), and greatly edified by for souls and save them.” All those present the geronda, he went away.
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