1 Pedro 5
Desert Fathers
1 Pedro 5:7
A brother asked a hermit, 'Would you like me to keep two shillings for myself, in case I fall ill?' The hermit, seeing that in his heart he wanted to keep them, said, 'Yes.' The brother went into his cell, but he was worried, asking himself, 'Did he tell me the truth or not?' He got up and went back to the hermit, bowed down and asked him, 'For the Lord's sake tell me the truth, for I am worrying about those two shillings.' The hermit said to him, 'I told you to keep them because I saw you intended to do so anyway. But it is not good to have more than the body needs. If you keep two shillings, you will put your hope in them. If by chance they are lost, then God will no longer be interested in your needs. Let us cast all our care upon the Lord, for He cares for us.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
1 Pedro 5:8
Evagrius said, 'If your attention falters, pray. As it is written, pray in fear and trembling (cf. Phil. 2:12), earnestly and watchfully. We ought to pray like that, especially because our unseen and wicked enemies are trying to hinder us forcefully.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
1 Pedro 5:8
Cassian told a story of a hermit who was living in the desert. He asked God to grant that he should never fall asleep when the conversation was edifying but that if anyone spoke with back-biting or hate, he should nod off at once so that he would not hear poisonous words. He said that the devil strives hard to make men speak idle words, and fights against letting anyone hear any spiritual teaching. He gave the following example of this: Once when I was talking to some brothers for the good of their souls they became so drowsy that they could not even keep their eyelids open. I wanted to show them that this was the devil's work, so I started gossiping: and at once they sat up and began to enjoy what I was saying. But I said sadly, 'We were talking of heaven just now, and your eyes were closing in slumber: but the moment the talk became frivolous, you all began to listen eagerly. I beg you then, dear brothers, since you know that this is the work of the devil, be watchful and beware of falling asleep when you are hearing about spiritual things.' — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks