Tag Archive for ‘Abba Poemen’
Truly, this is the way of love
A brother once went out on a pilgrimage from the monastery of Abba Poemen, and came to a hermit, who lived in love towards all and received many visitors. The brother told the hermit stories of Abba Poemen. And when he heard of Poemen’s strength of character, he longed to see him. The brother returned to Egypt. And [...]
In time of temptation
Abba Poemon once said: If a temptation comes to you in the place where you live, do not leave the place at the time of temptation, for wherever you go you will find that which you fled from there before you. But stay until the temptation is past, that your departure may not cause offence [...]
Patient endurance
Abba Poemon once said (Patient endurance) is like having a chest full of clothes, if one leaves them in disorder they are spoiled in the course of time. It is the same with thoughts. If we do not do anything about them, in time they are spoiled, that is to say, they disintegrate. . . [...]
Open Your Heart to the Word of God
Abba John said, ‘We went to Syria one day to see Abba Poemen and desired to question him concerning purity of the heart. But the old man did not know Greek and no interpreter was to be found. And then, seeing how embarrassed we were, the old man began to speak Greek, saying, ‘The nature [...]
Do not Render Evil for Evil
Another brother questioned Abba Poemen in these words: “What does ‘See that none of you repays evil for evil’ mean?” The old man said to him, “Passions work in four stages; first, in the heart; secondly, in the face; thirdly in words; and fourthly, it is essential not to render evil for evil in deeds. [...]
Do Not Neglect Prayer
Living in your cell clearly means manual work, eating only once a day, silence, meditation; but really making progress in the cell means to experience contempt for yourself wherever you go, not to neglect the hours of prayer and to pray secretly. If you happen to have time without manual work, take up prayer and [...]
A Christian on Fire
A brother made a request of Abba , “Give me a word.” And he said to him, “When the kettle is on the fire, a fly or any other creature cannot touch it; but when it is cold, they sit on it. So it is for the [Christian]; as long as one abides in spiritual [...]
Seven Instructions of Abba Moses
Seven instructions which Abba Moses sent to Abba Poeman. He who puts them into practice will escape all punishment and will live in peace, whether he dwells in the desert or in the midst of the brethren. 1. The monk must die to his neighour and never judge him at all, in any way whatever. [...]
Weeping Over My Sins
A brother questioned Abba Poemen in this way, ‘My thoughts trouble me, making me put my sins aside, and concern myself with my brother’s faults’. The old man told him the following story about Abba Dioscorus (the monk), ‘In his cell he wept over himself, while his disciple was sitting in another cell. When the [...]
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