Pachomius the Great

“O what a terrible disgrace! In the world you went about praised as one of the elect, and when you arrive in the valley of Josaphat, the place of judgement, you are found naked, and all see your sins and ugliness laid bare to God and people. Woe to you at that moment! Where will you turn your face? Will you open your mouth? To say what? Your sins are etched into your soul, which is as black as a hair shirt. What will you do at that moment? Weep? There will be no one to accept your tears. Pray? No one to accept your prayers, for those to whom you are handed over are pitiless. How awful the moment when you hear the terrible, cutting voice, "Sinners, go to hell," and, "Depart from me, you damned, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels," and again, "I have detested those who transgress." "I must wipe out of the city of the Lord all who commit iniquities."”

“As the holy old man Pachomius was journeying to his own monastery and had come near the desert called Amnon, legions of demons rose both on his right hand and on his left, some following him and others running in front of him, saying, "Behold the blessed man of God." They were doing this, wishing to sow vainglory in him. But he knew their cunning, and the more they shouted, the more he cried out to God, confessing his sins. And undoing the demons' cunning, he spoke out to them, saying, "O wicked ones! You cannot carry me away with you into vainglory, for I know my failures, for which I ought to weep constantly over eternal punishment. I have therefore no need of your false speech and guileful deceit, for your work is the destruction of the soul. And I am not carried away by your praises, for I know the cunning of your unholy minds." And although holy Pachomius said these things to them, they did not stop their shamelessness; they followed alongside the blessed man until he drew near his monastery.”

“And now, my child, if you take God as your hope, he will be your help in the time of your anguish; "for anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who search for him." These words were written for us, that we may believe in God and do battle, great and little, by fastings, prayers and other religious practices. God will not forget even the saliva that has dried in your mouth as a result of fasting. On the contrary, everything will be returned to you at the moment of your anguish. Only humble yourself in all things, hold back your word even if you understand the whole affair. Do not quietly acquire the habit of abusing; on the contrary, joyfully put up with every trial. For if you knew the honor that results from trials you would not pray to be delivered from them, because it is preferable for you to pray, to weep and to sigh until you are saved, rather than to relax and be led off a captive. O man, what are you doing in Babylon? "You have grown old in an alien land" because you did not submit to the test and because your relations with God are not proper. Therefore, brother, you must not relax.”

“Now is the time to act for the Lord, because our salvation is in a time of affliction. If "those who love his salvation" can "know his steps" and "say constantly: God is great"; and if they can say, "My hope shall be in you always," will they believe only in time of joy and not believe in time of affliction?It is written indeed, "What came out of your mouth, do diligently," and again, "If you have made a prayer to the Lord, do not delay to render [what you have promised], lest the Lord claim it from you and it be for you a sin." If you say, "My hope shall be in you always," may you be found confident in time of affliction, in which is salvation.”

“If someone speaks like this: "If ever someone is deceived or snatched away in one of these [abysses], is he already lost and has he no longer repentance," I will tell him that a person who has repentance and a true understanding regarding the faith and God's commandments, with a zeal for this, even if he comes close to falling through negligence, yet the Lord will not let him be lost altogether. As it is written, "My feet were on the point of stumbling." He shows him his grace through the scourge of a sickness or a grief or the shame of his offense, so that becoming conscious [of his negligence] he may walk in the middle of the narrow path until he arrives and may not wander a single foot off, because the path is four cubits wide. He who wanders off is like Judas, who after receiving great benevolence from the Lord and seeing great signs—even the resurrection of the dead—"having the purse," was not aware of grace. Because of this he was completely lost through love of money and betrayal. But the good, although as people with free will they may somehow have neglected what is fitting, are still "refined through fire like silver" casting away rust. This is why blessed David says, "I, in the abundance of your mercy, will enter your house." If he says this, how much more we wretches!”

“Instructed by the holy Scriptures and especially by the gospel, Pachomius endured many temptations from the demons. The holy Scriptures did not mention in detail the saints' struggle, since they used concise language in showing us the way to eternal life. Thus, for example, the law given to our ancestor Abraham was summarized in one saying, "Be well-pleasing before me and be blameless." But since we are like infants, when our parents break the bread for us, we need to be given as well the true water, as it is written. Therefore, "what we have heard and known and our ancestors have told us should not be hidden from the next generation." For, as we have been taught, we know that these words of the psalm are about the signs and portents accomplished by God for Moses and those after him. And after the model of the benefit given by them, we have also recognized in the parents of our time their children and imitators, so that to us and "to the rising generation," until the end of the world, it might be made known that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."”

“"O wretched person, you have estranged yourself completely from the Lord. But the Lord is good, and he never 'kept his anger for a testimony, for he delights in mercy,' and he is 'able to sink our sins in the depths of the sea,' for 'as far as the heavens are from the earth, so far away does he set our sins from us. For he desires not the death of the sinner but his repentance,' and that the person who has fallen should not remain in his fallen condition but should rise up, and that he who has turned away should not go far off but return quickly to him. Therefore, despair not of yourself; 'there is hope' of salvation. For, as it is said, 'if a tree is cut down, it will sprout again.'45 Then, if you will even now listen to me in everything I say to you, you shall have forgiveness from God." He answered with tears, "In all things I will listen to you from now on, O father!"”

“Three days after our father Theodore died, when all the brothers were in deep mourning, our father Horsiesi became ill from grief over the death of our father Theodore of happy memory. Then some of the elderly brothers, including Apa [Pgentaesi] and Apa Pachomius, strongly urged Apa Horsiesi to go and speak some words of comfort to the brothers. He consented, arose and went out weeping. He sat in the midst of the brothers, who were all gathered together weeping and grieving over our father Theodore. He began to speak to them sorrowfully and tearfully, saying, "God has certainly taken from us in Apa Theodore a righteous father who encouraged us with the word of the Lord. And this great grief of ours is all the greater because it is we who have grieved him so much that he asked the Lord to take him from us quickly and we have been orphaned. Indeed, you all know his great love for us and how he always interceded with God on our behalf to save us from the hands of the devil who is envious of us. Now then, my beloved brothers, let us always remember his labors, his ascetic practices and the tears that he shed in the Lord's presence day and night on our behalf, that this word of Scripture may not apply to us: "They quickly forgot his deeds and did not keep his counsels," and that we may not come under judgment. For this I truly believe: that if we walk in accordance with the directions he gave us, he will be an ambassador for us in the presence of God and of our father Pachomius. It is, in fact, just as our Lord Jesus told his holy disciples and his holy apostles: "I am going before you to prepare a place for you." He also said, "We have one who intercedes for us in the presence of the Father, Jesus Christ our Lord, who loved us and gave himself as a ransom for our sins." It was not on account of ours alone but on account of those of the whole world that he suffered for us. Indeed, during all the days he was with us in the body, our righteous father Pachomius prayed to the Lord day and night for the salvation of our souls and those of the whole world.”

“What shall I say of Adam who, at the beginning of the human race, gave the first example of disobedience and contempt? To him was given power over all the beasts of the earth, just as everything is to be given twofold to the firstborn. But after he held God's order in contempt he did not only lose his power but was cast out of the place he had received for his dwelling—just as the fornicator is cast out of the church and will be deprived of his glory. Everything he endured, those who hold God's commands in contempt will suffer, and walking with pride they will experience the word of Scripture, "He spoke, and the earth swallowed them."”

“When a thought oppresses you, do not be downhearted but put up with it in courage, saying, "They swarmed around me closer and closer, but I drove them back in the name of the Lord." Divine help will arrive at your side immediately, and you will drive them away from you, and courage will compass you round about, and the glory of God will walk with you; and "you will be filled to your soul's desire." For the ways of God are humility of heart and gentleness. It is said indeed, "Whom shall I consider if not the humble and the meek?" If you move ahead in the ways of the Lord, he will watch over you, will give you strength and will fill you with knowledge and wisdom. Your remembrance will remain before him at all times. He will deliver you from the devil, and in your dying day he will grant you his peace.”

“As for us, brothers, understanding these things, let us keep each to his own measure, the one who is considered a shepherd of souls as well as the one who is considered a sheep. Yet let us all pray to be sheep, for no one is the shepherd save he who said, "I am the good Shepherd." But when he appeared, as David had foretold and signified, "God is the Lord, and he has appeared to us," God the Word appearing in human form saved us, bestowing on us knowledge of the faith. And before going up into heaven, he established the apostles as his successors, saying to Peter, "Feed my lambs" and "Look after my sheep." For this reason there is need now too for people who, generation after generation, feed the souls in the Lord, who says, "I am with you." For we know that after the apostles it is the bishops who are the fathers. But all those who listen to Christ who is in them are also their children, although they do not belong to the clergy and have no ecclesiastical rank.”

“Let your words be measured and counted by yourself, knowing that you shall render an account to God of what comes out of your mouth, including a pleasantry or even a word that does not edify.… And do not become a stranger to such promises. Whatever you think and whatever you love, establish it firmly in the Lord. And keep in mind your departure from the body to go to God "who will reward each one according to his works."”

“As it is said, "The priest and the prophet were deranged by wine." "Wine is licentious, drunkenness is bold. The person who indulges in them will not be exempt from sin." Wine is a good thing if you drink it with moderation. "If you set your eyes on cups and goblets you will walk naked as a pestle." Therefore, all who have prepared to become disciples of Jesus should abstain from wine and drunkenness.”

“Whoever offers God his choicest goods is likened to Abel's works, while the one who brings cheap things is likened to the works of Cain or to the one who laughed at his father and went to tell his two brothers, or again to the one who decided to build a tower in the plain of Shinar, forgetting the one who had piloted him on the boat and had saved him from the water of the flood and blessed his fathers. Now he said, fleeing, "Come, let us dress stones and cut sycamores and cedars, and let us build a tower for ourselves."”

“Let us consider therefore those to whom God has granted power, to see if we may deserve to serve them and to cling to their doctrine, putting aside all pride and resisting with great courage the sin, which fearlessly operates in bodies; for death has been swallowed up by victory. On the other hand, how weak we are in this age, knowing that the church is to stand and to be led toward what is good.… You know that the ax does not boast without the man who uses it to cut … but we must fight to be able to have peace with those who keep the commandments of God.”

“In fact, our fathers passed their lives in hunger, thirst and great mortification, by which they acquired purity. Above all they fled the wine habit, which is full of every evil. Troubles, tumults and disorders are caused in our members through the abuse of wine; this is a passion full of sin, it is sterility and the withering of fruit. For sensuality in unquenchable thirst stupefies the understanding, makes conscience overbold and snaps the rein on the tongue. Total joy is when we do not grieve the Holy Spirit, or become deranged by sensuality. As it is said, "The priest and the prophet were deranged by wine." … Therefore, all who have prepared to become disciples of Jesus should abstain from wine and drunkenness.”

“And if you want all these thoughts to diminish in you and not to have power over you, then recite in your heart without ceasing every fruit that is written in the Scriptures, having in yourself the resolution to walk in them, as it is written in Isaiah, "Your heart shall meditate on the fear"of the Lord, and all these things shall cease from you, little by little.”

“Truly, I fear that our parents according to the flesh will be found to condemn us and to quote the words of Scripture, "How have you become wretched, greatly put to shame? Great is your affliction; a fire is kindled on you; your branches have become useless." For this cause they have become a prey. The lions have roared at it and have given out their voice against it. For this reason, the beloved are like the abhorred and the crown of your head is taken away. Cities that face the south, how are you shut off? There is nobody to give access to you. Let indeed the wicked be removed, that he may not see the glory of the Lord.”

“My child, flee to God, for it is he who created you. It was for you that he underwent these sufferings. For he said, "I gave my back to the whips and my cheek to the slaps. I did not turn my face away from the shame of spittle." O mortal, what is the good of your going to Egypt, to drink the water of the Geon that is churned up?”

“While he was still praying, an angel of the Lord, very terrifying, appeared to him, having in his hand a fiery sword unsheathed. He said to our father Pachomius, "Just as God has blotted out his name from the 'Book of Life,' just so do you drive them out from the midst of the brothers, for they are not ignorant. Indeed, even to the ignorant, impurities of this sort seem like abominations before God." When it was morning he put them in worldly clothing and told them, "Go and do as is fitting to the clothes whose practices you have made your own." And he expelled them from among the brothers. The words of the prophet were fulfilled about them, "I will drive them out of my house, and I will love them no longer."”

“On another occasion when he was sitting by himself some place reading the book of the twelve prophets, he came to the prophet Micah. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and asked him about this verse from Micah: "Like water coming down from its source." He said to him, "What do you think it means?" While he was still puzzling over it, trying to understand, the angel answered, "Theodore, why do you not perceive its meaning? Is it not obvious that it is the water of the river coming down from paradise?" As soon as the angel had said this, he ceased to see him.”

“Struggle, my beloved, for the time is near and the days have been shortened. There is no father who instructs his children, there is no child who obeys his father; good virgins are no longer; the holy fathers have died on all sides; the mothers and the widows are no longer, and we have become like orphans; the humble are crushed underfoot; and blows are showered upon the head of the poor. Therefore there is little to hold back the wrath of God from grieving us, with no one to console us. All this has befallen us because we have not practiced mortification.”

“The brothers assembled at evening as was their custom. For in all seasons, when they had finished their modest meal, it was their habit to assemble and for each one to pronounce what he knew of the holy Scriptures.… The brother who had returned from the north spoke and said, "Allow me, my brothers, to tell you the saying and its commentary which I heard from a righteous man. It was while returning south that I passed by Tabennesi and was put up there at Abba Pachomius's monastery. Toward evening Pachomius seated himself and spoke the Word of God to the brothers gathered around him. He spoke of the tabernacle and of the Holy of Holies, applying them to two peoples. The first people is the outer tabernacle, whose service consisted in sacrifices and visible loaves; the Holy of Holies, on the other hand, is the Gentiles' calling, which, according to the gospel, is the fulfillment of the law. And all the objects that are found in this inner tabernacle are filled with glory. For instead of animal sacrifices, there is the altar of incense; instead of the table, the ark containing the spiritual loaves, that is, the fullness of the law and all that is to be found there; and instead of the light of the lamp, the mercy seat where God appears as a consuming fire, that is, God the Word made human who became remission for us by appearing in the flesh. The words mercy seat mean indeed the place of the remission of sins."When the brother had finished his exposition of that saying and its commentary, he said, "I am confident that God will forgive me many of my sins because of the remembrance of that just man whose name I just pronounced here before you." All the brothers uttered their admiration for the great knowledge that was in our father Pachomius, until it was time for each of them to return with joy to his cell.”

“Become guileless and be like the guileless sheep whose wool is sheared off without their saying a word. Do not go from one place to another, saying, "I will find God here or there." God has said, "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" and again, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you"; and again, "The rivers shall not overwhelm you." My son, be aware that God is within you, so that you may dwell in God's law and commandments. Behold, the thief was on the cross, and he entered paradise; but behold, Judas was among the apostles, and he betrayed his Lord. Behold, Rahab was in prostitution, and she was numbered among the saints; but behold, Eve was in paradise, and she was deceived. Behold, Job was on the dung heap, and he was compared with his Lord; but behold, Adam was in paradise, and he fell away from the commandment. Behold, the angels were in heaven, and they were hurled into the abyss; but behold Elijah and Enoch, who were raised into the kingdom of heaven. "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually!" Seek God out like Abraham, who obeyed God and offered his son in sacrifice to God, who called him "my friend." Seek God out like Joseph, who did battle against impurity, so that he was made ruler over his enemies. Seek him out like Moses, who followed his Lord, and God made him lawgiver and let him come to know God's own likeness. Daniel sought God out, and God taught him great mysteries; God saved him from the lions' gullet. The three saints sought God out and found God in the fiery furnace. Job took refuge with God, and God cured him of his sores. Susanna sought God out, and God saved her from the hands of the wicked. Judith sought God out and found God in the tent of Holofernes. All these sought God out, and God delivered them; and God delivered others also.”