Letters, Volume 1

Letters to various hermits

LETTERS TO VARIOUS HERMITS (138–210) LETTER 138 Response by the same Great Old Man to some solitary, who asked about his attendant, as well as about accepting thoughts and about his relatives according to the flesh. ROTHER, I AM speaking to you as if to my own soul. It is written: “Take care that your knowledge does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak brothers .”1 The brother who attends to you is naïve; do not try to teach him prudence; otherwise, you shall rouse him to anger. Instead, be satisfied when he does whatever you need. Do not offer him some thought, especially in regard to manifesting thoughts. Leave him as he is; do not trouble his heart. In regard to accepting thoughts, it belongs only to the perfect to allow a thought to enter and then cast it out again. Therefore , do not bring in the spark that will burn the thicket. Do not let your garments be taken, lest you need to recover them by fighting. Do not tempt yourself to become troubled; for you will not withstand such a temptation. So pay attention to yourself, and pray for me. As for your brothers, I do not know that I have any other brother but Jesus. Do you have brothers? Do as you wish with them; this has nothing to do with me. If Christ himself said: “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”2 can I tell you to transgress the commandment of God and retain friendship with your brothers according to the flesh? Now, if they require clothes, why did you not remember the poor? “I was naked and you gave me clothing.”3 Instead, fooled by the demons, you 1. Cf. 1 Cor 8.9. 2. Mt 12.48. 3. Mt 25.36. 162 again remember those whom you left for the sake of God, preferring to become a transgressor. Woe to us, brother, how they work with us. Do you desire the love for them that you owe to every person? Then, pray for them in order that they, too, may be saved by the grace of Christ. Amen. Therefore, pay attention to yourself in order no longer to be deceived. For we have left behind the syllables and returned to the alphabet. Wrestle in order to die. What is it that you want? Do you want to be saved? Then, steadfastly avoid reckoning yourself as anything, and run toward that which is set before you. Do not allow the devil to bring you untimely care on the pretext of [your] rights. Be free of all cares. Whether they are living or dead, do not send anything there. Remember the Lord, who said: “Let the dead bury their own dead.”4 Pay attention only to yourself; for they will not deliver you in that fearful hour. I tell you so many times to awaken from your deep slumber ; for you do not know at what hour the Lord will come.5 He should come and find you ready. In regard to the pollutions, these are a fall of the soul. Love Jesus with all your heart, and you shall not fall unto the ages. Peace be to you in the Lord; peace be to you in God’s love; peace be to you in a holy kiss. LETTER 139 One of the fathers living in stillness asked the Great Old Man to pray for him. Response by Barsanuphius. When someone sends a lawyer to advocate for him before the king, that person always prays for the advocate, so that he may be heard. Then, if he should be heard, it is not the lawyer that was responsible but the prayer that did it. In the same way, then, you, too, should pray that I may be heard. In order to show obedience, I am praying in short for the health and salvation of your soul and body. So if I am heard—and God surely hears everyone—then I attribute this to your prayers. For neither have I become a lawyer, that is to say, a righteous man, LETTERS 138–210 163 4. Lk 9.60. 5. Cf. Mt 24.42. 164 BARSANUPHIUS AND JOHN in order to plead; nor have I acquired boldness. Rather, I regard myself as a servant on a mission. Therefore, may the Lord hear your prayers and grant you...