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Spiritual Utopianism
[Abba Poemen] said: “If a man makes a new heaven and a new earth, he still cannot be safe from temptation.” ~ Sayings of the Desert Fathers 11.24A The Roman Catholic saint Thomas More famously coined...
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No Small Danger
Abba Ammon said [to Abba Poemen]: “If I need to talk with my neighbour, do you think I should talk to him about the Scriptures, or about the sayings and judgments of the elders?” And the old man said...
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Born of the Same Mother
Abba John told this story. Abba Anub and Abba Poemen and the others, who were born of the same mother, were monks in Scete. And some savage Mazicae came and sacked Scete. The monks went away, and came...
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Bright Sadness
Abba Poemen said also: “Grief is twofold: it works good, and it keeps out evil.” ~ Sayings of the Desert Fathers, 3.12 There are many ways in which Abba Poemen could be wrong. But let’s give him the...
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The Mark of a Man
Abba Poemen said: “The mark of the true monk only appears under temptation.” ~ Sayings of the Desert Fathers We could easily say the same for any man or woman. It is a strange thing about life that...
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