6. Abba Daniel said that when Abba Arsenius was at Scetis, there was a monk there who used to steal the possessions of the old men. Abba Arsenius took him into his cell in order to convert him and to give the old men some peace. He said to him, 'Everything you want I will get for
you, only do not steal.' So he gave him gold, coins, clothes and everything he needed. But the brother began to steal again. So the old men, seeing that he had not stopped, drove him away saying, 'If there is a brother who commits a sin through weakness, one must bear it, but if he steals, drive him away, for it is hurtful to his soul and troubles all those who live in the neighbourhood.'
7. This is what Abba Daniel, the Pharanite, said, 'Our
Father Abba Arsenius told us of an inhabitant of Scetis, of
notable life and of simple faith; through his naivete' he was
deceived and said, "The bread which we receive is not really
the body of Christ, but a symbol." Two old men having
learnt that he had uttered this saying, knowing that he was
outstanding in his way of life, knew that he had not spoken
through malice, but through simplicity. So they came to find
him and said, "Father, we have heard a proposition contrary
to the faith on the part of someone who says that the bread
which we receive is not really the body of Christ, but a
symbol." The old man said, "It is I who have said that." Then
the old men exhorted him saying, "Do not hold this position,
Father, but hold one in conformity with that which the
catholic Church has given us. We believe, for our part, that
the bread itself is the body of Christ and that the cup itself is
his blood and this in all truth and not a symbol. But as in the
beginning, God formed man in his image, taking the dust of
the earth, without anyone being able to say that it is not the
image of God, even though it is not seen to be so; thus it is
with the bread of which he said that it is his body; and so we
believe that it is really the body of Christ." The old man said
to them, "As long as I have not been persuaded by the thing
itself, I shall not be fully convinced." So they said, "Let us
pray God about this mystery throughout the whole of this
week and we believe that God will reveal it to us." The old
man received this saying with joy and he prayed in these
words, "Lord, you know that it is not through malice that I
do not believe and so that I may not err through ignorance,
reveal this mystery to me, Lord Jesus Christ." The old men
returned to their cells and they also prayed God, saying,
"Lord Jesus Christ, reveal this mystery to the old man, that
he may believe and not lose his reward." God heard both the
prayers. At the end of the week they came to church on
Sunday and sat all three on the same mat, the old man in the
middle. Then their eyes were opened and when the bread
was placed on the holy table, there appeared as it were a
little child to these three alone. And when the priest put out
his hand to break the bread, behold an angel descended from
heaven with a sword and poured the child's blood into the
chalice. When the priest cut the bread into small pieces, the
angel also cut the child in pieces. When they drew near to
receive the sacred elements the old man alone received a
morsel of bloody flesh. Seeing this he was afraid and cried
out, "Lord, I believe that this bread is your flesh and this
chalice your blood." Immediately the flesh, which he held in
his hand, became bread, according to the mystery and he
took it, giving thanks to God. Then the old men said to him,
"God knows human nature and that man cannot eat raw flesh
and that is why he has changed his body into bread and his
blood into wine, for those who receive it in faith." Then they
gave thanks to God for the old man, because he had allowed
him not to lose the reward of his labour. So all three
returned with joy to their own cells.'
Ciao!
+Tom
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