Sayings from the Desert Elders

1. Not to judge anyone. 

One entire section of the systematic collection of the Sayings is dedicated to this topic, but there are many other similar teachings throughout the various collections. Following is a selection of some of the more pithy examples. They speak powerfully to our own day.

1.        Whenever his thought s urged him to pass judgment on something which he saw, he would say to himself, ‘Agathon, it is not your business to do that’. (Agathon 18)

2.        A brother who had sinned was turned out of the church by the priest; Abba Bessarion got up and went with him, saying, ‘I, too, am a sinner’. (Bessarion 7)

3.        A brother asked the same old man, ‘How does the fear of God dwell in the soul?’ The old man said, ‘If a man is possessed of humility and poverty, and if he does not judge others, the fear of God will come to him’. (Euprepius 5)

4.        Abba Poemen said to Abba Joseph, ‘Tell me how to become a monk’. He said, ‘If you want to find rest here below, and hereafter, in all circumstances say, Who am I? and do not judge anyone’. (Joseph of Panephysis 2)

5.         A demoniac boy came one day to be healed, and some brothers from an Egyptian monastery arrived. As one old man was coming out to meet them he saw a brother sinning with the boy, but he did not accuse him; he said, ‘If God who has made them sees them and does not burn them, who am I to blame them?’ (John the Persian 1)

6.        One day Abba Isaac went to a monastery. He saw a brother committing a sin and he condemned him. When he returned to the desert, an angel of the Lord came and stood in front of the door of his cell, and said, ‘I will not let your enter’. But he persisted saying, "What is the matter?’ and the angel replied, ‘God has sent me to ask you where you want to throw the guilty brother whom you have condemned’. Immediately he repented and said, ‘I have sinned, forgive me’. Then the angel said, ‘Get up, God has forgiven you. But from now on, be careful not to judge someone before God has done so’. (Isaac the Theban 1)

7.        Abba Paphnutius, the disciple of Abba Macarius, said, ‘I asked my father to say a word to me and he replied, "Do no evil to anyone, and do not judge anyone. Observe this and you will be saved."’ (Macarius 28)

8.        A brother at Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which Abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to say to him, ‘Come, for everyone is waiting for you’. So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug, filled it with water and carried it with him. The otherrs came out to meet him and said to him, ‘What is this, Father?’ The old man said to them, ‘My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another’. When they heard that they said no more to the brother but forgave him. (Moses 2)

9.            The monk must die to his neighbour and never judge him at all, in any way whatever. (Moses’ instructions to Poemen 1)

10.        If the monk does not think in his heart hat he is a sinner, God will not hear him. The brother said, ‘What does that mean, to think in his heart that he is a sinner?’ Then the old man said, ‘When someone is occupied with his own faults, he does not see those of his neighbour’. (Moses’ instructions to Poemen 3)

11.        Some fahters questioned Abba Poemen saying, ‘If we see a brother in the act of committing a sin, do you think that we ought to reprove him?’ The old man said to them, ‘For my part, if I have to go out and I see someone committing a sin, I pass on my way without reproving him’. (Poemen 113)

12.        Abba Pahpnutius said, ‘When I was walking along the road, I happened to lose my way and found myself near a village and I saw some people who were talking about evil things. So I stood still, praying for my sins. Then behold an angel came, holding a sword and he said to me, "Paphnutius, all those who judge their brothers perish by the sword, but because you have not judged, but have humbled yourself before God, saying that you have sinned, your name is written in the book of the living!". (Paphnutius 1)

13.        A brother asked Abba Poemen, ‘What should I do, for, when I am in my cell, my courage fails me? The old man said to him, ‘Do not despise anyone, do not judge anyone, do not speak evil of anyone; then God will give you rest and your life in the cell will be without trouble’. (Systematic Collection, IX,8)

14.        He said again, ‘As a corpse no longer eats, so one who is humble cannot judge anyone, even if he sees them worship idols.’ (Paul Evergetinos, Recueil de paroles et d’enssignements des Peres, Athenes, 1957-66, I 45,24)

15.        A brother asked an old man, ‘How should one cultivate the soul for it to produce fruit?’ The old man said, ‘For me, cultivating the soul means careful silence, temperance, mortification of the body, much vocal prayer and not looking at the faults of others. (Sinai 448, 705)

(Nos 1-12 translated from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers translated by Benedicta Ward, Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1975; Nos 13-15 private translation)

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2. Cassian X,10 - a formula for unceasing prayer

 1. The formula for spiritual contemplation is like that for learning the alphabet, where the letters must be constantly studied and repeated. You must study this formula then, reflecting on it and repeating it. 

2. Anyone who longs for the continuous recollection of God needs to meditate on it continually in the heart, banishing all other thoughts and concerns. The prayer to use in order to achieve this, handed on to us by the ancients, is: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make haste to help me” (Ps 69,2). 

3. It is for good reason that this verse has been taken as a tool from the whole of Scripture. For it includes all the emotions experienced by human nature and can be adapted to every situation. This is because it contains divine invocation in danger, humble confession, vigilance, and acknowledgment of weakness, confidence in being heard and the assurance of help. 4. For those who call constantly on God are sure of having God always at hand. This verse contains the ardour of charity and the awareness of hostile snares. Those who see these constantly admit they cannot be set free without the help of God. This verse is an impregnable wall, an impenetrable breastplate and a mighty shield to all who struggle against evil. It prevents those afflicted with spiritual dryness or weighed down by sadness and other temptations from despairing, for it shows that God is watching and never far away. 5. It warns us not to be puffed up when we experience a spiritual high, for this cannot last without God’s instant help. Thus, it is good for all of us, whatever our condition, in hard times and in favourable, for human frailty can survive neither without God’s help. 

6. When I am tempted by the passion of gluttony, desiring dainties not available locally, I must say: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make haste to help me”. Or I want to anticipate the time for eating or struggle to keep a regular diet and so I sigh: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 7. If stomach pains prevent my fasting to check carnal desire, then I must pray: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. When the time to eat comes I have no appetite and so I proclaim: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 

8. When I want to focus and read a headache stops me. At nine in the morning my head falls on the page of scripture and I have to extend or anticipate the time for rest. At the canonical hours sleep forces me to cut short the psalms. Again I must pray: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. Then I cannot sleep at all and experience many nights of insomnia. Sighing I pray: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”.

9. While I am struggling against the vices the temptation of the flesh suddenly pricks me and with its alluring delight tries to drag me to a sleepy consent. If a raging fire is not to burn the fragrant flower of chastity, I must cry: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. If lust dies down and the heat in my loins has cooled, then to keep this grace I must repeat: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 

10. I am troubled by anger, avarice and melancholy and calm is lost: lest I be carried off by the emotion of passion I groan: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. I am tried by weariness of heart (acedia), vainglory or pride and I gloat over the failings of others. If this evil suggestion is not to prevail I must pray with contrite heart: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 11. I have overcome pride and through compunction acquired the grace of humility and simplicity. That “the foot of the proud may not crush me, nor the hand of the wicked cast me out” (Ps 36,11) and I be not wounded more by the elation of my success, I must say with all my strength: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 

I am filled with all sorts of distractions of mind and instability of heart and cannot collect my scattered thoughts. I cannot pray without the interruption of foolish imaginings and the memory of past conversations and actions. So limited do I feel by this aridity that it seems impossible to give birth to anything spiritual. In order to free myself from this wretched state I need to proclaim: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 12. On the other hand, touched by the Spirit, I may feel I have gained single-mindedness, joy of heart and delight of mind. Inspired by the Lord, I may have come to understand the revelation of things before hidden. In order to maintain this state I must cry frequently: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 

13. I am disturbed by nocturnal terrors and the images of unclean spirits. Such consternation throws into doubt the very hope of salvation. Fleeing to the safety of this verse I cry with all my strength: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. Then, restored and encouraged by the Lord, I feel the presence of countless angels so that I dare to take on those who had previously terrified me. If I am to remain strong and constant, by God’s grace, I must cry with all my strength: “O God, come to my aid; O Lord make haste to help me”. 

14. Therefore, this verse should be prayed endlessly that we might be delivered from adversity and maintained in prosperity without being proud. Meditate on it constantly in your heart when you work or travel, when sleeping, eating and attending to the least needs of nature. This prayer of the heart is a saving formula to keep you unharmed from every attack of the demons. It will lead you, purified of all vice, to heavenly contemplation and that ardent prayer experienced only by few. 15. Let sleep come upon you meditating on this verse so that, formed by its constant use, you keep on repeating it even in your sleep. Let it be the first thing that comes to mind as you get up and precede all other thoughts when awake. Rising from your bed, let it bring you to your knees and from there guide you and be with you in everything you do. You should meditate on it, following the command of Moses, when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (Dt 6,7). You should write it on the doorposts and gate of your mouth, place it on the walls of your house and in the sanctuary of your heart. Thus may it be your chant as you bow to pray, and your continuous prayer as you rise to go about the duties of life.

(Private translation)

 

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