DAY THIRTEEN
16. A brother said to Father Anthony, Pray for me,” The elder said to him, “I will have no mercy upon you, nor will God have any, if you yourself do not make an effort and if you do not pray to God.”
DAY FOURTEEN
17. One day some elders came to see Father Anthony. In the midst of them was Father Joseph. Wanting to test them, the elder suggested a text from the Scriptures, and, beginning with the youngest, he asked them what it meant. Each gave his opinion as he was able. But to each one the old man said, “You have not understood it.” Last of all he said to Father Joseph, “How would you explain this saying?” and he replied, “I do not know.” Then Father Anthony said, “Indeed, Father Joseph has found the way, for he has said: ‘I do not know.’”
DAY FIFTEEN
18. Some brothers were coming from Scetis to see Father 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 Father Anthony too. When they reached the place, Anthony said to them, “You found this elder a good companion for the journey?” Then he said to the old man, “You have brought many good brothers with you, father.” The elder 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 donkey.” He meant that the brothers said whatever came into their mouths.
DAY SIXTEEN
19. The brothers came to Father 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 elder 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 elder said to his disciple, “Prepare a little soup for these invalids. If you cannot do this, or that, what can I do for you? What you need is prayers.”
DAY SEVENTEEN
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 Father Anthony. When he told him this, the elder said to him, “If you want to be a monk, go into the village, buy some meat, cover your bare body with it and come here like that.” The brother did so, and the dogs and birds tore at his body. 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.”
~Taken from the Website of Father Arseny, 38 Sayings of Saint Anthony, http://www.fatherarseny.com/38-sayings-of-saint-anthony.html.
