Abba Anthony the Great - 4.0

Here are some sayings from the Apophthegmata Patrum to read and contemplate for your daily practice of spiritual direction + spiritual formation.

18. Some brothers were coming from Scetis to see Abba Anthony. When they were getting into a boat to go there, they found an old man who also wanted to go there. The brothers did not know him. They sat in the boat, occupied by turns with the words of the Fathers, Scripture and their manual work. As for the old man, he remained silent. When they arrived on shore they found that the old man was going to the cell of Abba Anthony too. When they reached the place, Anthony said to them, 'You found this old man a good companion for the journey?' Then he said to the old man, 'You have brought many good brethren with you, father.' The old man said, 'No doubt they are good, but they do not have a door to their house and anyone who wishes can enter the stable and loose the ass.' He meant that the brethren said
whatever came into their mouths.

19. The brethren came to the Abba Anthony and said to
him, 'Speak a word; how are we to be saved?' The old man
said to them, 'You have heard the Scriptures. That should
teach you how.' But they said, 'We want to hear from you
too, Father.' Then the old man said to them, 'The Gospel
says, "if anyone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the
other also." (Matt. 5.39) They said, 'We cannot do that.' The
old man said, 'If you cannot offer the other cheek, at least
allow one cheek to be struck.' 'We cannot do that either, '
they said. So he said, 'If you are not able to do that, do not
return evil for evil, ' and they said, 'we cannot do that either.'
Then the old man said to his disciple, 'Prepare a little brew of
corn for these invalids. If you cannot do this, or that, what
can I do for you? What you need is prayers.'

20. A brother renounced the world and gave his goods to the
poor, but he kept back a little for his personal expenses. He
went to see Abba Anthony. When he told him this, the old
man said to him, 'If you want to be a monk, go into the
village, buy some meat, cover your naked body with it and
come here like that.' The brother did so, and the dogs and
birds tore at his flesh. When he came back the old man
asked him whether he had followed his advice. He showed
him his wounded body, and Saint Anthony said, 'Those who
renounce the world but want to keep something for
themselves are torn in this way by the demons who make war
on them.'

Ciao!

+Tom