“One who fears the Lord will accept his discipline; those who get up early will win his favour.“

“Thou shalt not delay to pay thy tithes and thy firstfruits (…).“

Exodus 22: 29

“(…) the monastic bell was intended as a discipline to stretch the heart by always taking you beyond your own agenda to God‘s agenda. (…) (We) experience the monastic bell each morning when our alarm clock rings and we get out of bed and ready ourselves for the day, not because we want to, but because it‘s time.“ 

“Monks don‘t get to sleep, eat, pray, work, or relax when they feel like it, but when it‘s time to do those things. There is an astonishing parallel between that and what happens in our lives, and we can be helped by understanding it. There is an inbuilt monasticism to our lives. (…) Like monks we sleep, rise, eat, pray, and work, not necessarily when we‘d like to, but when it‘s time.“

Ronald Rolheiser: Domestic Monastery, Darton, Longman and Todd 2019, p. 20; p. 78-79

On Quinquagesima Sunday, the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday, our Brazilian priest preached looking towards the season of Lent, intent on motivating us. One of his admonitions was: Do not neglect the morning prayer.

It is not easy to build a healthy morning routine that remembers God first and serves as a good preparation for the day. Unfortunately it might easily happen to me that the first thing on my mind when I wake up between 5 and 6 a.m. for another day of work sounds a bit like this: “coffee, all I need is coffee…“ And there you go, stumbling half asleep into your kitchen to brew yourself a cup of what your flesh feels it cannot do without – before remembering to raise your soul up to God.

Because my own daily habits after waking up recently exhibited quite some room for improvement, I decided to gather together some inspirational quotes and pieces of advice from the writings of St Francis de Sales and St John Cassian on how to actually begin a new day well…

Advice no. 1: To begin the day with thanksgiving and consecrate our very first thoughts – before doing anything else

“Thank and adore God for His mercy in preserving you through the past night (…).“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 80

“What can I add about the first-fruits which should be offered daily by all who serve Christ faithfully? When men first awake from sleep, and rise eagerly as they revive from slumber, before they conceive in their hearts the emotion of any sense, or admit any memory or anxiety over domestic matters, they should consecrate their very first thoughts as a holocaust to God. Is not this the payment of the first-fruits of their produce, through Jesus Christ the high priest, giving thanks for the benefits of this life and the daily rehearsal of the resurrection? They rise from sleep and offer the sacrifice of their joy to God, calling on him with the first movement of their tongues, to celebrate the praises of his name; opening their sealed lips by singing hymns to him, they are making a sacrifice to God from the works of their lips. To him they bring the first offerings of their hands, their first steps; when leaving their cells they stand and pray, before using their limbs for any purpose of their own. Before doing anything of benefit to themselves, they direct their steps to the honour of God, and halt them for his praise. (…) we do not presume to make use of our bodily and mental powers for our own needs first.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 464-465

Words from the mouth of Abba Theonas, one of the Desert Fathers, as reported by St John Cassian in his Collations. Sacramentals like holy water, a crucifix, icons, rosaries, prayer ropes and similar visual reminders next to one‘s bed might be helpful for the attempt to get the right order of things straight when waking up and rising.

Then the very first act before the feet hit the ground – before the first cup of coffee or the refreshing shower – could be making the sign of the cross and offering a short and simple morning prayer of thanks and praise.

“Every day I will bless you; I will praise your name forever; yes, forever and ever. In your goodness, O Lord, keep me from sin today. You are blessed, O Lord, the God of our fathers, Your name is praised and glorified forever. Amen.“

Ancient morning prayer

Followed maybe throughout the first hour of one’s morning routine by various other invocations to greet God, the Blessed Virgin, one‘s guardian angel, the saints; imploring their help and protection; consecrating and offering the day.

The crucial point is that Abba Theonas warns us that the enemy of our souls would want to make us “put ourselves first, or our business, or our cares over the earthly things we need to survive“ (ibid., p. 465), delaying or even completely cancelling the praise of God.

“Love and prayer can only be sustained through ritual, routine, and rhythm.“

“That‘s why the saints and the great spiritual writers have always said that there is only one nonnegiotiable rule for prayer: ‘Show up! Show up regularly!‘ The ups and downs of our minds and hearts are of secondary importance.“

Ronald Rolheiser: Domestic Monastery, Darton, Longman and Todd 2019, p. 41; 45

Advice no. 2: To anticipate the challenges of the day and resolve how to act

“(…) make a pious resolution to embrace all means whereby you may serve God, and promote your own devotion, and on the other hand prepare to shun, resist, and overcome all that may hinder your salvation and the glory of God. Do not rest satisfied with making the resolution, consider beforehand how you will execute it.“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 80

Each day is another chance for good resolutions, virtuous actions, and favorable twists, turns and solutions to our usual problems. But without the appropriate steps along the way it is impossible to meet the set objectives.

Thus, St Francis de Sales counsels us to reflect upon the way of executing what we resolve to do on a given day beforehand. The example he gives is about having to “come into contact with some hasty, passionate person“ and preparing oneself to “meet him with gentle, soothing words“ (ibid., p. 81).

The method of writing a to-do list comes to mind. We map out the day ahead and schedule what‘s due. But beyond that, St Francis de Sales asks us to anticipate the spiritual challenges that wait for us in connection with our temporal duties and undertakings. It would require to preview the potential traps and pitfalls that could trip us up and to make resolutions on how to find our way around them with the aid of God‘s grace.

Advice no. 3: To commit the day to God and pass to our duties with “calm and tranquility“

“After this, humble yourself before God, acknowledging that of yourself you can perform nothing which you propose, either in doing what is good or avoiding what is bad.“

“You must accustom yourself to go from prayer to whatever occupations may be involved by your station or profession, even though they may seem far distant from the feelings excited in you by that prayer. Thus the lawyer must go from prayer to his pleadings, the merchant to his trade, the wife to her conjugal and household duties, with perfect calm and tranquility; for since these duties as well as that of prayer are imposed on us by God, we must pass from one to the other in a devout and humble spirit.“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 81; p. 76

St Francis de Sales, St John Cassian, pray for us!

Post scriptum: Additional advice by St Francis de Sales for the morning prayer routine

“Devote one hour daily to mental prayer – if you can, let it be early in the morning, because then your mind is less cumbered and more vigorous after the night‘s rest.“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 62

What does he mean by “mental prayer“? He explains it to be “the prayer of the heart“, and “drawn from the contemplation of our Savior‘s life and Passion“ (ibid., p. 61), a habitual meditation on Christ, “his life and death being the most suitable, sweet, blessed, and profitable subject which we can choose for our constant meditation“ (ibid., p. 62).

St Francis de Sales recommends three steps of preparation for this type of “mental prayer“: One ought to “place (oneself) in the presence of God“ (ibid., p. 64), then ask of God “grace to serve and worship Him in (one‘s) meditation“ (ibid., p. 67) by using one of the petitions from the Psalms, as the following taken from Psalm 118, as well as invoke one‘s guardian angel and the saints “most especially connected with the subject of (one‘s) meditation“ (ibid.):

“I am thy servant: give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.“

Psalm 118: 125

The final step of preparation is the “composition of place“, which means “representing to (oneself) by the aid of the imagination the mystery on which we would meditate, as though it were actually going on before our eyes“ (ibid., p. 68).

The meditation itself then consists of “reflections“, “affections“, and “resolutions“.

“It consists of one or more reflections made with the view of exciting our affections towards God and the things of Heaven. (…) Meditation fills our will, the affective part of the soul, with good impulses, such as the love of God and our neighbor, the desire of Heaven and its glories, zeal for the salvation of souls, imitation of the life of our Saviour (…).“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 70-71

One should conclude the “mental prayer“ with an “act of thanksgiving“, an “act of oblation“ – offering to God the sacrifice of His Son and along with it “our own affections and resolutions“ – and an “act of intercession“ (ibid., p. 73) for the Church and the world.

Knowing myself I am, as of now, quite convinced that the only small kind of meditation I might manage to do early in the morning is one that is based on the concrete content of some passages of Sacred Scripture so that I may not lose focus, concentration, and orientation.

“Always give good heed to the Word of God, whether you hear or read it in private, or hearken to it when publicly preached: listen with attention and reverence; seek to profit by it, and do not let the precious words fall unheeded; receive them into your heart as a costly balsam; imitate the Blessed Virgin who ‘kept all the sayings‘ concerning her Son ‘in her heart.‘“

St Francis de Sales: Philothea or An Introduction to the Devout Life, TAN Classics, p. 99

Reading a couple of passages of Sacred Scripture in the morning is a quite verbal and cerebral approach though, and therefore not exactly what St Francis de Sales means by “one hour“ of “mental prayer“ or “meditation“, as this seems to be a much more imaginative, personal, and intimate contemplation of Christ.

St Francis de Sales‘ advice to practice a whole hour of “mental prayer“ every day has always intimated me quite a bit, ever since having read his Introduction to the Devout Life for the first time three years ago. He writes that “unfortunately at the present time it (i.e. this type of prayer) is too much neglected“ (ibid., p. 64). In another place he refers to it as “a gift“ (ibid., p. 63). “Mental prayer“ seems to be something given to some by grace as well as something which can be practiced by all.

I‘ve always wondered how I might ever be able to follow his recommendation to “gather a little nosegay of devotion“ – “some choice flowers“ (ibid., p. 73) selected from the garden of one‘s meditations – early in the morning, as I sit there tired after a night of maybe five or six hours of sleep, on some days a bit grumpy, next to me this cup of coffee while I am trying to get into a state of readiness to face the day ahead. Or during any other time of the day for that matter when one returns to moments of prayer in between other duties and tasks. Well, here is how Ronald Rolheiser in his book Domestic Monastery takes the pressure down and out…

“During all the most active years of our lives we are reminded daily, sometimes hourly, that time is not our own; we are monks practicing a demanding asceticism. There will not always be time to smell the flowers, and we are not always poorer for that fact. Monasticism has its own spiritual payoffs. To be forced to work, to be tied down with duties, to have to get up early, to have little time to call your own, to be burdened with the responsibility of children and the demands of debts and mortgages, to go to bed exhausted after a working day is to be in touch with out humanity. It is too an opportunity to recognize that time is not our own and that any mature spirituality makes a distinction between the season of work and the Sabbath, the sabbatical, the time of unpressured time. Most important of all, recognizing in our duties and pressures the sound of the monastic bell actually helps us to smell the flowers, to give to each instant of our lives the time it deserves – and not necessarily the time I feel like giving it. We are better for the demands that the duties of our state in life put on us, despite constant fatigue. Conversely, the privileged who have all the time in the world are worse off for that, despite their constant opportunity to smell the flowers. These are monastic secrets worth knowing.“

Ronald Rolheiser: Domestic Monastery, Darton, Longman and Todd 2019, p. 82-83

“Lord, father and God of my life, do not let my eyes be proud; turn envy away from me, do not let gluttony and lust grip me, do not leave me a prey to shameless desire.“

Who was Abba Chaeremon?

Saint John Cassian and his friend Germanus encounter “three very aged hermits named Chaeremon, Nestor and Joseph“ in the wilderness near the city of Panephysis, Egypt, by being introduced to them through the region’s bishop Archebius. The second part of Cassian‘s Collations is filled with recalling the teachings received from these three men. Abba Chaeremon is described thus:

“He had passed his hundredth year with his mind alone still alert, for his back was so bent with age and long prayers that he was virtually reduced to infancy again, and had to walk on his hands and feet. We gazed with admiration both at his countenance, and at his gait, for indeed though his whole body was frail and all but dead, he had never lost the composure of his previous austerity.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 243

A miracle of God‘s grace, and the pathway to come closer to it

Saint John Cassian reports Abba Chaeremon‘s teachings on the virtue of chastity – an integrity that “is a gift granted only by God‘s grace“ (ibid., p. 261), not by discipline alone.

“Chastity does not consist in strict discipline as you imagine, but in delight in our own purity for its own sake. When there is still some element of lust resisting it, we do not call it chastity but continence. (…) Perfect chastity is therefore to be distinguished from the laborious strife after continence by its lasting tranquility.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 270-271

Nevertheless, though chastity of that sort, higher and more perfect than mere continence, “is a miracle“, a “work of God“ (ibid., p. 275) and not of a man‘s own effort, Abba Chaemeron insists that “it is clear that…

“… no one can advance to take sure possession of the land (i.e. the territory of his body) unless he has kept to the stony way of the Lord, and observed his precepts, through mild and unshakable patience (…).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 263

“The only reason why we have to continue tirelessly in our exercises, is to win the mercy of the Lord through these hardships, until through God‘s kindness we are ready to be set free from the urgings of the flesh and the domination of our prevailing vices.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 261

At the very end of his discourse on chastity, Abba Chaeremon grants the two young men inquiring of him, Cassian and Germanus, the following description of a path that may lead them to “grasping the actual possibility of such chastity“ (ibid., p. 276), meaning that they may find it possible then, rather than impossible, that they can gradually attain to perfect chastity with the aid of God‘s grace:

“If one refrains from all idle conversation, quenches the emotion of anger and anxiety, and material cares, is content with a daily ration of two buns, and does not drink water to excess, if he limits his time of sleep to three hours (some allow four), and if he believes that he will not gain anything through the merits of this discipline and self-restraint but only through the mercy of God (since all human effort is futile without faith of that sort), then in no more than six months he may come to believe that this sort of perfection is not impossible. It is indeed evidence that purity is near when he begins to cease hoping in his own efforts. (…) It will follow that he will not be proud of the merits of his purity since he knows that it has been achieved by the mercy of the Lord rather than his own care, nor will he be harsh and strict towards others, knowing that human virtue achieves nothing without the aid of God‘s grace.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 276

It is interesting to note that Abba Chaeremon mentions, besides the training of the body through physical hardships of some sort, the necessity to quench “the emotion of anger and anxiety“ in order to make progress in the virtue of chastity, thereby implying a connection between these emotions and the rising of temptations that might lead to unchaste behavior, or maybe between anger and anxiety and an inner weakness of the soul losing its ability to calmly and patiently resist such temptations.

“The more placid and patient your heart is, the more easily you will advance in physical purity; the longer you admit the emotion of anger, the more difficult it will be for you to attain chastity.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 263

Saint John Cassian, pray for us!

“Do not lose heart at prayer; do not neglect to give alms.“

“Various factors which may lead to our prayers being heard“ according to Abba Isaac

Abba Isaac is the one teaching Saint John Cassian and his friend Germanus the art of prayer. But at one point Germanus tells him in a downcast manner that people like him, “whose consciences are still stung with the thorns of sin“ (Cassian, p. 215), lacking in virtues, cannot trust and “presume (that) (their) prayers are being heard“ (ibid.).

Abba Isaac then recalls what Sacred Scripture has to say concerning the “various factors which may lead to our prayers being heard“ (ibid.): when two or more brethren “on earth agree on any matter, whatever (they) ask“ (Mt 18: 19); when a man asks with faith; when a man gives alms and does works of mercy; when a man abundantly suffers. And, finally: persistence, importunity.

“Remembering our wretched state, let us suppose that we are completely destitute of all the virtues we have described, and cannot even find two to agree in a praiseworthy manner, nor have so much as a mustardseed‘s worth of faith, nor the works of charity which the prophet describes – are we not still capable of that importunity which will gain for us all we desire? For that alone, Our Lord promised that he would grant all our prayers. We must therefore insist on our prayers with no doubt or hesitation; fear not that we shall fail to obtain everything we ask of God with such persistence. Our Lord encourages us, for it is his will to grant us the eternal good things of heaven, to press upon him determinedly, for he neither despises nor refuses such importunity, nay, he invites it and praises it. (…) Even if we are devoid of all the causes which we have listed as leading to our prayers being answered, let our stubborn insistence encourage us, for that is within the power of whoever chooses, without either merit or effort. (…) We can learn from the example of blessed Daniel how tirelessly we should entreat the Lord, for although he was heard from the first day that he began to pray, he only received the result of his prayer after twenty one days (…).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 216-217

“Then he told them a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. He said, ‘There was a judge in a certain town, who had neither fear of God nor respect for any human person. In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent!‘ For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I have neither fear of God nor respect for any human person, I must grant this widow justice since she is such a nuisance, or in the end she will come and slap me in the face.‘‘ And the Lord said, ‘Do you hear what the unjust judge has to say? Now, will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who keep calling to him day and night even though he delays? I promise you, he will grant justice to them, and speedily. But when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?‘“

Luke 18: 1-8

“‘So I say to you: ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!‘“

Luke 11: 9-13

Saint John Cassian, pray for us!

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“Do not refuse yourself the good things of each day, do not let your share of what is lawfully desired pass you by.“

Saint John Cassian about Abba Serenus

“Abba Serenus was a man of great holiness and self-discipline, who lived up to his name; we admired him very much more than the others, and would like to commend him to the attention of the studious. (…) It was during Lent that we asked to see him, inspired by a great longing for his conversation and teaching.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 143-144

Abba Serenus recommends the frequent, even daily reception of Holy Communion, especially in times of trial

Holy Communion is “for the healing and guarding of body and soul“ (ibid., p. 164), teaches the Desert Father Abba Serenus in his conversation with Saint John Cassian and his friend Germanus. Those going through trials or plagued by evil spirits should not refrain from ingesting this medicine:

“When a man receives Holy Communion, any spirit that lurks hidden within his limbs flees away as if from a burning fire. That is the way we saw Abba Andronicus being cured recently, among others. The enemy pressed harder and harder on him whenever he saw that he was deprived of the heavenly remedy, and the longer he was away from the healing sacraments, the more fiercely and frequently he was assailed.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 164

Abba Isaac comments on “Give us this day our super-substantial bread“ from the Our Father

While explaining the Our Father prayer to the two zealous students Cassian and Germanus, Abba Isaac hints at the constant need of the soul to be nourished by receiving Holy Communion:

“Next comes, ‘Give us this day our epiousion bread‘, that is to say super-substantial (Matt. 6: 11). The other evangelist has ‘daily bread‘ (Luke 11: 3). The first reading refers to the sublimity of this Bread, and the quality of its nature, being above all substance, sublime, magnificent and holy above all creation; the second refers to its appropriate use and the benefit it confers. When it says ‘daily‘, it shows us that without that Bread there is no day when we are capable of living the spiritual life. When it says ‘today‘, it shows us that we should receive that Bread every day, and that having received it yesterday is not enough, but that it should be administered to us today as well. That daily necessity reminds us that we should say this prayer at all times, for no day passes when we do not have need of receiving this nourishment, to strengthen the heart of our inner self.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 208-209

Saint John Cassian, pray for us!

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“Blessed is one who discovers Wisdom, one who acquires discernment! She is more rewarding than silver, her yield is more valuable than gold. She is beyond the price of pearls, nothing you desire is her equal. In her right hand is length of days; in her left hand, riches and honour. Her ways are filled with delight, her paths all lead to peace. She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her are blessed.“

“… and understanding will be your guardian to keep you from the way of evil, (…)“

Proverbs 3: 13-18; 2: 11-12

In the sixth Collation, Saint John Cassian presents the teaching of Abba Theodore. Let us look at three key pieces of it: Abba Theodore spells out what is to be called good in life, what is to be called evil, and what is to be considered to be indifferent; he explains why we shall learn to be “ambidextrous“ like Ehud the warrior-savior in the third chapter of the book of Judges, like Job, and like Joseph; and he ends his discourse with stating that there is only either progress or decline in the spiritual life.

Who was Abba Theodore?

Abba Theodore was “a man remarkable for his practical instruction“, Saint John Cassian relates, who “was living in Cellae at the time, a place lying between Nitria and Scete, five miles from the monasteries in Nitria, and distant eighty dreary miles from the remoteness of Scete where we were then living“ (Collations, p. 122).

What is to be called good, what is to be called evil, and what is indifferent

Abba Theodore reminds us that “nothing is good except virtue alone which comes from the fear of God and his love“ and that nothing is evil “except sin alone, which cuts us off from God“ (ibid.., p. 125).

“There are three conditions in this world, the good, the bad and the indifferent. We must inform ourselves of what the good really is, what is evil and what indifferent, so that through this true knowledge our faith may remain unshaken, fortified in all its trials. We should not consider anything to be the supreme good for man other than virtue of soul, which leads us to God in real faith and makes us cling to that unchangeable good. On the other hand, nothing is to be called evil except sin alone, which cuts us off from the goodness of God and unites us to the evil one, the devil. In between are those things which can be turned towards either side depending on the choice and will of those who use them. Examples are wealth, power, honour, physical health and strength, good looks, life itself and death, poverty, ill-health, injury and such matters which, depending on the free choice of the individual, may be used for a good end or an evil one.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 123-124

He quotes a passage from Saint Paul‘s letter to Saint Timothy in order to illustrate the point that worldly goods – riches, wealth – can indeed be used for good if they are shared with others. Being rich or wealthy is not the supreme good which is communion with God – yet it also does not hinder one to cling to God rather than to money and possessions. It is a state that is neither good nor evil but rather indifferent.

“Instruct those who are rich in this world‘s goods that they should not be proud and should set their hopes not on the uncertainty of money, but on God who provides everything richly for our enjoyment. They are to do good and be rich in good works, generous in giving and always ready to share, storing up for themselves a fine treasure for the future that they may take hold of the only life that is real.“

1 Timothy 6: 17-19

The wealthy person can also choose otherwise:

“But riches are diverted towards evil if they are accumulated just to be hoarded or squandered, and not distributed for the needs of the poor.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 124

The same “indifference“ and free choice applies to all the other worldly features mentioned before:

“Power also, and honour, physical health and strength, are all indifferent and apt for either outcome, as we can easily see from the many saints of the Old Testament who were possessed of all these things, living in great wealth and esteem, and physical strength, but were acknowledged as most acceptable to God. Others who used them badly, and diverted them to evil ends, were justly punished and exterminated, as the books of Kings often recount.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 124

All in all, what is called “good“ in the thinking of this world – riches, power, status, health, strength, and the like – is not “the greatest good which lies only in virtue, but only something indifferent“ (ibid., p. 125).

“(…) if the just use them wisely and well they are beneficial and helpful (for they provide an opportunity for good works which bear fruit in eternal life), while if others use these means badly, they are dangerous and damaging, giving occasion to sin and death.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 125

And the things which often are called “evil“ by people – poverty, sickness, injury, death? The beggar Lazarus who won “a place of bliss in the bosom of Abraham“ (ibid.,p. 125), as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, is proof “how bodily illness may be an advantage; for Scripture does not suggest he had any merits other than enduring poverty and sickness with patience“ (ibid.).

Referencing holy Job, Abba Theodore argues that “no one has ever been able to force the evil of sin on another who was unwilling and resisting, but only on one who accepted it through a weak spirit and corrupt will“ (ibid.).

“In the case of the holy man Job, the devil afflicted him with every evil in his armoury in the attempt to force him to sin; he stripped him of all his property, caused him the dreadful grief of losing his seven sons, slain so unexpectedly, and proceeded to wound him terribly from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, loading intolerable pain on him, but could not impose the stain of sin on him in any way; Job remained unmoved by all this and never agreed to a single blasphemous word.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 125-126

Not only did holy Job not sin as he did not despair and blaspheme, as he “returned no joy to the devil“ (ibid., p. 128) while all sorts of terrible things where happening to him, but rather he “acquired great merit by enduring patiently“ (ibid.).

Ambidextrous saints

Abba Theodore sees in both Job and Joseph examples for us when it comes to handling the trials and afflictions in life. They, as well as all the saints, were “not proud in prosperity nor cast down by adversity“ (ibid., p. 128). Of them it was true “that for those who love Good everything works together for good“ (Rom 8: 28).

In the spiritual warfare, we are to fight with both hands according to Saint Paul the Apostle:

“(…) but in every way we commend ourselves as servants of God through great endurance, in hardships, in need, in oppression (…) with the weapons of righteousness on the right and on the left (…).“

2 Corinthians 7: 4-7

In antiquity, the “right hand“ or the “right side“ was the good and favorable side, the side of prosperity, and the “left hand“ or “left side“ the bad and unfavorable one, the side of adversity.

But according to Abba Theodore we ought to be like Ehud (spelled Aod in the following translation) who saved Israel from being enslaved to the “exceeding fat“ (Judg 3: 17) Moabite king Eglon – with his “left hand“ (Judg 3: 21). Here is the whole Ehud vs. Eglon story:

“And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: who strengthened against them Eglon king of Moab: because they did evil in his sight. And he joined to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he went and overthrew Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees (i.e. Jericho). And the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years: And afterwards they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour called Aod, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used the left hand as well as the right. And the children of Israel sent presents to Eglon king of Moab by him.

And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith under his garment on the right thigh. And he presented the gifts to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceeding fat. And when he had presented the gifts unto him, he followed his companions that came along with him. Then returning from Galgal, where the idols were, he said to the king: I have a secret message to thee, O king. And he commanded silence: and all being gone out that were about him, Aod went in to him: now he was sitting in a summer parlour alone, and he said: I have a word from God to thee.

And he forthwith rose up from his throne, and Aod put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly, with such force that the haft went in after the blade into the wound, and was closed up with the abundance of fat. So that he did not draw out the dagger, but left it in his body as he had struck it in. And forthwith, by the secret parts of nature, the excrements of the belly came out. But Aod carefully shutting the doors of the parlour and locking them, went out by a postern door. And the king’s servants going in, saw the doors of the parlour shut, and they said: Perhaps he is easing nature in his summer parlour. And waiting a long time till they were ashamed, and seeing that no man opened the door, they took a key: and opening, they found their lord lying dead on the ground.

But Aod, while they were in confusion, escaped, and passed by the place of the idols, from whence he had returned. And he came to Seirath: And forthwith he sounded the trumpet in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel went down with him, he himself going in the front. And he said to them: Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered our enemies the Moabites into our hands. And they went down after him, and seized upon the fords of the Jordan, which are in the way to Moab: and they suffered no man to pass over. But they slew of the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand, all strong and valiant men: none of them could escape. And Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel: and the land rested eighty years.“

Judges 3: 12-30

I suppose we can see the Moabite king Eglon, whose name translates itself to “calf-guy“, as representing idolatry, pride, complacency, gluttony, and sloth – all sorts of vices. He sits and rests comfortably in his “abundance of fat“ in his “summer parlour“, occupying all the places the Israelites once conquered – until the children of Israel enslaved to him are finally saved by the swift left hand of Ehud, whose name is related to the name “Judah“ with the root yada, meaning: “I shall praise“.

The Desert Father explains what being both right- and left-handed as Ehud would mean in the spiritual life:

“There are some men in Holy Scripture called in parable amphoterodexioi, that is to say, ambidextrous – like Ehud in the Book of Judges (…). We can imagine as a metaphor that we too possess this quality, if we are able to use correctly both prosperity on the right, and ill-fortune on the left, using them both as the right and turning whatever comes upon us into what the apostle calls ‘armour of justice.‘ Thus we can see how on both sides, with both hands so to speak, our inner person may prosper. There has never been a saint who lacked the use of his left hand, for perfect virtue is found when he can use either as his right hand for a good purpose. To understand what we are saying more plainly, a holy man has a right hand which is spiritual success; he uses it when he is zealous and master of all his desires and passions; safe from any attack of the devil he can reject and eliminate all carnal vice with no trouble or difficulty. Raised above the earth he can look upon all present earthly things as so much smoke, or empty shadow; he can despise them, for they soon pass away, when he longs and yearns for the things to come in his mental exhilaration, and indeed sees them more clearly, feeding upon spiritual insights. He perceives the shining heavenly mysteries laid up for him, he pours out eager pure prayer to God, he is so fired with the spirit that his whole being is transfixed by the invisible things of eternity and he scarcely believes that he still exists in the flesh.
In the same manner he uses his left hand, when he is caught up in a whirlwind of temptation, inflamed with the burning desires of the flesh, inflamed with the passion of fierce anger, battered by the forces of pride and vainglory, crushed with the sadness that leads to death, assaulted and ensnared by the wiles of depression; when he loses all spiritual fervour and is sunk in listlessness and inexplicable grief; when he louses touch with holy aspirations and thoughts and even finds psalms, prayers, reading and the isolation of his cell abhorrent. In such case all the means to virtue seem unbearable and tedious – when a monk feels all this happening he should realise that he is being pressed from the left side.
Now of when he is in the state we have described as being on the right he avoids being at all elated by vanity, and when he is attacked from the left he is firm in resisting, nothing will make him lose heart. Then he will in fact take up an armour of endurance from both sides, in his strife for virtue, and will be using either hand is has right. Victorious on both fronts he will gain the palm of victory over both conditions, both those to right and to left.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 129-130

Saint Paul describes this “smooth path“ and “Royal Road“ where one “is not deflected from (one‘s) calm progress onto the right side by joy, nor to the left by any assaults of gloom or sadness“ (ibid., p. 128) in the letter he sent to the Church at Philippi:

“For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content therewith. I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound: (everywhere, and in all things I am instructed) both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to suffer need. 
I can do all these things in him who strengtheneth me.“

Philippians 4: 11-13

Besides Ehud and holy Job, also Israel‘s son Joseph can be seen as a good example for the “ambidextrous saint“:

“Joseph is another one we can call ‘ambidextrous‘, for in his prosperity he was his father‘s favourite, more pious than his brothers, more pleasing to God; in adversity he was chaste, faithful to his master, acquiescent in his imprisonment, unmindful of wrongs, generous to his enemies, and towards his jealous brothers who had done their best to be his murderers he was not only loving but even munificent.
Such men and those like them are rightly called ambidextrous, for they use either hand as the right one (…).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 131

Abba Theodore contrasts the “ambidextrous saints“ with the fools by quoting from the book of Jesus ben Sirach:

“A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.“

Ecclesiasticus 27: 12

The path of wisdom, the path of life not death, is straight and not crooked as Sacred Scripture teaches in many places. It is the path of faithfulness on a steady pilgrimage, the gaze “straight before you“ (Prov 4: 25), holding fast “to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life“ (Prov. 4: 13) while climbing mountains and passing through valleys. The rock of life is the triune God, and a soul rooted in Christ, the true vine, is blessed with peace under changing circumstances.

“No one is made secure by wickedness, but nothing shakes the roots of the righteous.“

“Faithful love and constancy expiate sin; fear of the LORD keeps a person free of evil. If the LORD is pleased with someone‘s way of life, he will turn that person‘s enemies into friends.“

Proverbs 12: 3; 16: 6-7

To always advance

Finally, Abba Theodore tells us, again quoting Saint Paul the Apostle, that “it is a clear indicator of decadence if we realise we are making no progress“ in the life of virtue (ibid., p. 137), for it is said:

“(…) be renewed in the spirit of your mind (…).“

Ephesians 4: 23

“(…) forgetting all that lies behind me, and straining forward to what lies ahead, I am racing towards the finishing-point to win the prize of God‘s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. So those of us who are mature should think in this way, and if you are thinking differently in any way, then God will make this matter clear to you. Meanwhile, let us hold fast to what we have already attained.“

Philippians 3: 13-16

According to the teaching of Abba Theodore we either advance in virtue, or we fall back into vice, declining spiritually. There is no neutral middle position where one just “sits“ and holds the place. Saint Paul compared the Christian life several times to a race. In a race you always run.

When men have fallen into sin, “we must not imagine that (…) (they) did so by a sudden collapse“ (ibid., p. 139), Abba Theodore says. Rather, they have come down into a “wretched state“ “through long carelessness“ with vices growing “little by little“ (ibid.).

“Just as a house never collapses all of a sudden, unless the foundations were originally at fault, or the inhabitants are consistently lazy, so that tiny raindrops make their way in and gradually weaken the covering of the roof.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 139

“We must therefore apply ourselves with unremitting zeal to the pursuit of virtue, and busy ourselves ever with its exercise, for if our efforts fail, we shall straightaway find ourselves in decline. I say again, it is impossible to remain in the same frame of mind, that is without gaining an increase of virtue or suffering its loss. Not to progress is to decline, and if we no longer desire to advance we will not escape the danger of falling back. (…)
Anything we can acquire or preserve through attention, can be lost through inattention.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 137-138

“If you pursue virtue you will attain it and put it on like a festal gown.“

Ecclesiasticus 27: 8

Saint John Cassian, pray for us!

“(…) don’t start a war without wise advice.“

“A sage can scale a garrisoned city and shutter the rampart on which it relied.“

“By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made strong; by knowledge its storerooms are filled with riches of every kind, rare and desirable.“

Saint John Cassian and his friend Germanus meet Abba Sarapion

“Among those venerable old men one called Sarapion was so distinguished for the grace of discernment that I think his conversation well worth writing down. We requested him to say something about the attacks of vice, and to explain how they arise and what causes them (…).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 98

A list of eight principal vices and how they are linked to one another

Before we look at some of the advice Abba Sarapion gives in reply to Cassian and Germanus concerning the combat against vices and the growth in virtues, it might be a good first step to clarify the meaning of “virtue“ and “vice“ by quoting the Catechism on this topic:

“Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good. 
The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.“

“Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called ‘cardinal‘; all the others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. (…)“

“It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance. Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength, frequent the sacraments, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and follow his calls to love what is good and shun evil.“

“The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being. There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.“

“Vices can be classified according to the virtues they oppose, or also be linked to the capital sins which Christian experience has distinguished, following St. John Cassian and St. Gregory the Great. They are called ‘capital‘ because they engender other sins, other vices. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia.“

Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 1804; 1805; 1811; 1813; 1866

One who would like to grow in virtue to turn from evil to good must overcome vices and replace them with the practices that strengthen the corresponding virtues. One who desires to win a war to conquer ground must know the enemy and understand his strategy. That is why Cassian and Germanus ask Abba Sarapion to be instructed therein.

The list of seven capital sins or vices mentioned in the Catechism is quite well known. In Cassian‘s book on the teachings of the Desert Fathers we encounter a list of eight principal and deadly sins or vices as explained by Abba Sarapion. This list differs a bit from the list of seven sins not only in number, but also in content and order:

“There are eight deadly sins which plague the human race; specifically the first is gluttony or pampering the stomach, the second fornication, the third the love of money or avarice, the fourth anger, the fifth melancholy, the sixth depression, which is anxiety or listlessness, the seventh vainglory or conceit, the eighth arrogant pride.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 98-99

There are reasons for this order as given by Abba Sarapion. The order in his list represents how these vices are linked to one another:

“The eight sins are (…) divided into four pairs of associates: gluttony is especially linked to fornication, avarice to wrath, melancholy to depression and conceit to pride in a customary coupling.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 105

The first six vices are committed with the body while the last two – conceit and pride – “are usually committed without the body being involved in any way“ (ibid., p. 103). Both the first six and the last two are connected to one another in a causal relationship, teaches the venerable Desert Father:

“Now although the eight sins have different origins and varying effects, nevertheless the first six (that is to say gluttony, fornication, avarice, wrath, melancholy and depression) are linked together in a sort of chain of causality, the excess of each one in turn giving rise to the next one. From an excess of gluttony springs fornication, from fornication avarice, from avarice wrath, from wrath melancholy, and from melancholy depression, in a logical order. (…)
The two remaining, that is conceit and arrogant pride, are linked to each other in the same sort of relationship as the six we have just mentioned, so that as the first grows it generates the second, for the excess of conceit brings forth the germ of pride.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 104-105

In other words: There is an organic relationship between the different principal vices. For example, melancholy leads to depression. As the book of Proverbs says,

“(…) where the heart is sad the spirit is broken.“

Proverbs 15: 13

This insight into the organic interconnectedness of the vices can be very helpful for us. As Abba Sarapion talks about combating them, he uses metaphors taken from nature to drive this point across:

“In the same way and in the same order we should combat these sins, and we should open the battle against each one from the previous one. If you want to destroy the damaging spread and overgrowth of some tree, it is easier if you first expose and then cut the roots on which it depends. A flood of polluted water is stemmed by searching out and blocking up the source and channels it comes from. Thus if would defeat depression, you must conquer melancholy first; to dispel melancholy, first get rid of wrath; to extinguish wrath, first trample on avarice, to strip away avarice, suppress fornication; to undermine fornication, the sin of gluttony must be restrained. (…)
Because of this, if we would exclude pride, we must first focus on conceit. If we have defeated the first sin, the next one will be abated, and once we have eliminated the previous vice, subsequent temptations wither away.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 105

The roots of various vices

Therefore, the source of all sins committed with the agency of the body is the vice of gluttony for which fasting and moderation in eating are the remedies.

Both “gluttony and fornication lie within us by nature, and often arise simply from the urges and motions of the flesh without the mind being involved“ (ibid., p. 99), Abba Sarapion says. While the various sinful deeds of the spirit of fornication can be driven out and replaced by a conduct of chastity, if its supporting root (gluttony) is held in check, gluttony itself can only be “moderated“ because food remains a daily necessity that can never completely vanish:

“The desire for food to eat remains always innate and natural to us, however eager we be to eliminate excessive appetite. What we cannot totally eliminate, we must avoid by self-denial. (…) We cannot deny the body its necessary victuals without harming it, which would be a sin on the soul, but the other seven emotions should be completely eradicated from our innermost souls, being harmful altogether. (…) It is possible to pluck up the very roots of these vices, which are parasites on nature, but we can never eliminate the occasion of gluttony. (…) we cannot be rid of the need to prepare our daily meal, and to grow our food year by year.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 115-116

This root sin of gluttony – supporting the sins of fornication, avarice, wrath, melancholy, and depression – is present in the narrative of the fall of Adam and Eve, alongside the two more “spiritual“ sins of vainglory and pride:

“It was through gluttony that he (Adam) dared to taste the forbidden fruit; vainglory made him listen to ‘your eyes shall be opened‘ and pride to ‘you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil‘ (Gen. 3: 5).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 101

In the desert, Jesus, the new Adam, was tempted by the devil in all those areas in which the old Adam was:

“By his example he taught us how we should overcome the tempter in the same sort of temptations which he suffered. That is why both the first man and Our Lord are named Adam (1 Cor 15: 45). One was the first in ruin and death, the other the first in the resurrection and the life. Through one the whole human race was condemned, through the other the whole human race is liberated. The one was made of pure and undefiled earth, the other was born of the Virgin Mary. Thus it was fitting for Christ to endure the same temptations as Adam, but not necessary to exceed them, for he who had conquered gluttony could not be tempted by fornication which comes from the same root, proceeding from excess of food; the first Adam too would have escaped that sin, had he not been deceived by the devil‘s wiles into admitting the vice which is its mother.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 101-102

Sacred Scripture teaches through the story of the fall of Adam and Eve and of Christ’s victory over Satan in the desert as well as through the testimony of Saint John the Apostle that there are three general temptations tempting everyone from which all evil actions spring:

“For all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world.“

1 John 2: 16

The three medicines and shields against these temptations are fasting (vs. “the concupiscence of the flesh“), almsgiving (vs. “the concupiscence of the eyes“), and prayer (vs. “the pride of life“).

Other sins and vices springing from the eight principal ones

The eight principal vices breed a variety of other ones, says Abba Sarapion – “vices are much more numerous than virtues“ (ibid., p. 113) but:

“(…) once we have defeated the eight principal sins from which the others undoubtedly flow, all the rest are subdued and eradicated permanently with the elimination of the eight.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 113

He continues by giving some examples of vices and sins flowing from the source of the eight principal ones. The following table captures his teaching thereon in an overview:

Further battle advice

When it comes to the sins of gluttony and fornication which are the basis for many other vices, these cannot be overcome by “mental resolution alone“, while with “anger, melancholy and other passions“ a combat strategy “with mental strife alone, without any bodily penance“ (ibid., p. 99) can be successful.

Yet in the case of gluttony and fornication “physical penance is necessary, performed by fasting, watching (i.e. prayer vigils) and hard work“ (ibid.), teaches Abba Sarapion.

“A slave is not corrected by mere words; even if understood, it will be ineffective.“

“The diligent hand wields authority, for the slack is subjected to forced labor.“

“The idler hungers but has no food; hard workers get their fill.“

“The sated appetite revolts at honey; to the hungry even the bitter is sweet.“

Proverbs 29: 19; 12: 24; 13: 4; 27: 7

“All these eight sins attack the whole human race, but they do not affect everyone in the same way. In one man the spirit of fornication obtains the chief hold; in another, wrath rides roughshod; in a third conceit holds sway; in yet another pride sets up its stronghold. We are all attacked by all of them, but each of us struggles in our own manner and order.
We must therefore join battle against these sins in this manner: each one should discern the sin which most assails him, and struggle against that one in particular. He should devote his whole mental energy and concern to watching it and attacking it, directing the darts of his daily fast against it, continually shooting it with flights of arrows, of heartfelt sighs and groans. (…)
Once we have overcome the stronger passions, then we are ready for a crowning victory over the weaker ones in due turn, with no difficulty.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 109-110

“A country in revolt has many leaders; with one person wise and experienced there will be stability.“

Proverbs 28: 2

The virtues that ought to replace the principal vices

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and cannot find one. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house from which I came.‘ But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept and tidied, it then goes off and collects seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and settle down there, so that the person ends up worse off than before. That is what will happen to this wicked generation.“

Matthew 12: 43-45

In this parable, the metaphor of the house stands for the soul: A soul can be inhabited either by virtues or by vices, by clean or by unclean spirits. If the unclean spirit that has left the house of the soul is not replaced by a good spirit – spirits of the Holy Spirit – it may return with “seven other spirits more wicked than itself“. Were the house inhabited by virtues – filled with “riches“ that “are rare and desirable“ (Prov 24: 4) – instead of remaining empty, the unclean spirits could not find any door to enter nor any space to occupy.

“Virtues and vices, indeed, cannot co-exist, ‘for what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?‘ (2 Cor. 6: 14). Yet once the vices have been overthrown by the people of Israel (that is the virtues which fight against them), the location which lust or fornication had occupied in our hearts is taken over by chastity; that held by anger is occupied by patience; the place where melancholy lurked to brood on death is possessed by a saving sorrow that is filled with joy; where depression laid waste becomes the abode of resoluteness; the site trampled by pride is exalted by humility. As each vice is driven out their locations, or emotions, are taken over by the contrary virtues. (…)
It was God‘s will that the possession of our hearts should belong by nature to the virtues, not to the vices.
After the fall of Adam the virtues were driven from their homeland by insolent vices (…), so that when they were restored by God‘s grace through our own care and effort, they can be seen to be recovering their own lands, not occupying those of others.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 117-118

Victory

“Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am purified of my sin‘?“

“For even after falling seven times the righteous will stand up again (…).“

Proverbs 20: 9; 24: 16

“No one can merit a victory over any vice until he comes to learn that it is impossible for him to win the victory through his own efforts.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 110

Abba Sarapion quotes the following passage from the book of Deuteronomy to illustrate that we should not trust “in our own strength, for he (i.e. God) says“ about Israel’s confrontation with the nations (symbolizing the vices):

“You may say in your heart, ‘These nations outnumber me; how shall I be able to dispossess them?‘ Do not be afraid of them: remember well how the LORD your God treated Pharaoh and all Egypt, the great ordeals that you yourselves have seen, the signs and wonders, the might hand and outstretched arm with which the LORD your God brought you out. This is how the LORD your God will treat all the peoples whom you fear to face. (…) Do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God in your midst is a great and fearful God. Little by little, the LORD your God will clear away these nations before you; you cannot destroy them all at once, or wild animals will become too numerous for you. But the LORD your God will hand them over to you, and throw them into great confusion until they are finally destroyed.“

Deuteronomy 7: 17-23

“(…) we are incapable of overcoming such great foes by our own strength without the aid of God to support us; and every day we should attribute our victories to him.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 111

“The cavalry may be set up for the day of battle but victory is the LORD‘s.“

Proverbs 21: 31

Saint John Cassian, Saint Victor of Marseille, pray for us!

“One who walks with the wise becomes wise, one who mixes with fools is fooled.“

“Better gain wisdom than gold, choose understanding in preference to silver.“

“Any of you who lacks wisdom should ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given.“

James 1: 5

Saint John Cassian about Abba Daniel

“Among others who excelled in Christian wisdom, we met Abba Daniel. He was in every way the equal of any of the dwellers in Scete, but was also adorned with the special grace of humility.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 80

Saint John Cassian reports that Abba Daniel was a disciple of Abba Paphnutius who “promoted him to the office of deacon because of his purity and gentleness, despite his being younger than many of the others“ (ibid.). Daniel was afterwards also ordained as a priest but while his spiritual father Paphnutius was still alive, Daniel “performed the functions of a deacon as before while Paphnutius offered the spiritual sacrifice“ (ibid.). Eventually, the father survived the son: Abba Daniel “went before (Paphnutius) to God“ (ibid.).

Temptations and trials are good for us (Judges 3: 1-4)

In the conversation which Cassian and his friend Germanus enjoy with Abba Daniel, the latter comments on a passage from the third chapter of the book of Judges in order to teach the two inquirers that sometimes the Lord “is testing us in his wisdom“ (ibid., p. 81) and is allowing temptations and trials to come our way. But first, he points to the knowledge of King David concerning these things as manifest in his psalms:

“King David knew how beneficial it can be that God conceal himself, or I might even say desert us, for he refused to pray that we should never be deserted by God at all, knowing how little that would profit us, or anyone striving for perfection: he did however pray that this desertion should be modified, saying, ‘O do not thou utterly forsake me‘ (Psalm 118/119: 8). This is as much as to say, I know well that you customarily withdraw from your holy ones, so as to test them. In no other way could they be tempted by the enemy were they not to some extent deserted by you; therefore I do not pray that you should never desert me, for that would do me no good at all. How else could I become aware of my weakness, so as to say, ‘It is good for me that thou hast humbled me‘ (Psalm 118/119: 71), or how could I gain experience in fighting, which I would surely never do if the divine protection were always over me unceasingly? (…) Nay, rather will I pray that you do not forsake me utterly, or as the Greek says, heos sphodra, to an extremity. It is as beneficial for me that you withdraw from me a little to prove my perseverance in longing, as it would be dangerous for you never to allow me to be deserted for the sake of my merits and of my sins.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 82-83

The passage from Sacred Scripture then quoted by Abba Daniel to further underline his point is the following one:

“These are the nations which the LORD allowed to remain, by their means to put all those Israelites to the test who had not experienced any of the Canaanite wars (this was only to instruct generations of the Israelites, to teach them the art of war, those at least who had not experienced it before): the five chiefs of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hittites who lived in the hill country of Lebanon, from the hill country of Baal-Hermon to the Pass of Hamath. They were to put Israel to the test and see if they would keep the orders which the LORD had given their ancestors through Moses.“

Judges 3: 1-4

These nations “which the LORD allowed to remain“ to test Israel can be seen as the temptations and trials that “teach (us) the art of war“.

“It was not that God grudged peace to the Israelites, or planned evil for them, but he preserved their enemies for their own benefit; thus through being always under pressure from the attacks of these foes they might never imagine they could do without the help of God, and through meditating on this always and through prayer they would be safe from complacency, and never lose the skill and practice of warfare. For it often happens that ease and prosperity overthrow those who could not be defeated by adversity.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 83-84

“My brothers and sisters, consider it a great joy when trials of many kinds come upon you, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, and perseverance must complete its work for you to be fully mature, complete, not deficient in any way.“

James 1: 2-4

“Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put on the full armour of God so as to be able to resist the devil‘s tactics.“

Ephesians 6: 10-11

Saint John Cassian, pray for us!

“Is not Wisdom calling? Is not Understanding raising her voice? On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossways, she takes her stand: by the gates, at the entrance to the city, at the access to the doors she cries out,
‘I am calling to you, all people, my words are addressed to all humanity. Simpletons, learn how to behave, fools, come to your senses. Listen, for I speak noble words, from my lips comes what is right. My mouth proclaims the truth, for evil is abhorrent to my lips. All the words from my mouth are righteous, nothing false there, nothing crooked, everything plain to those who understand, straight, to those who have found knowledge. Accept my discipline rather than silver, and knowledge of me in preference to tested gold. For Wisdom is more precious than jewels, and nothing else is so worthy of desire.
I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence, I have found knowledge and discretion. Fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. I hate pride and arrogance, wicked behaviour and a lying mouth. To me belong good advice and prudence; I have insight: power is mine! By me monarchs rule and princes decree what is right; by me rulers govern, and nobles, the lawful authorities. I love those who love me; whoever searches eagerly for me finds me. With me are riches and honour, lasting wealth and righteousness. The fruit I give is better than tested gold, the yield I give is better than pure silver. I walk in the way of righteousness in the midst of the path of justice, to endow my friends with my wealth and to fill their treasuries.‘“

“‘And now, my children, listen to me. Blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it. Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keeps watch at my gates to guard my portals. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains the favour of the LORD; but those who miss me endanger themselves, and all who hate me are in love with death.‘“

Who was Abba Paphnutius?

Saint Paphnutius the Ascetic, sometimes also called Saint Paphnutius the Hermit, was one of the Desert Fathers visited by Saint John Cassian and his friend Germanus in the year 395 in the Desert of Scetis, Egypt, as they were seeking instruction from these holy men. At that time, Saint Paphnutius was already 90 years of age. His teacher had been Saint Macarius the Great (300-391) who in turn had been instructed by Saint Anthony the Great (251-356).

Saint John Cassian has this to say about Saint Paphnutius:

“In that choir of saints, who shone in the night of this world like brilliant stars, we observed Saint Paphnutius glittering with the light of knowledge like a star of the first magnitude. He was a priest of our congregation (that is to say the one situated in the desert of Scete) and lived there until old age. Although it was five miles away from the church, he never moved away from the cell which he began to inhabit as a novice to somewhere nearer; despite the weariness of his years he never grumbled about that long walk every Saturday and Sunday, nor was he content to return empty handed, but he carried back to his cell, on his shoulders, the pot of water which was to last him the whole week. (…)

He mortified all his passions through the practice of humility and obedience, and thereby eliminated all vice, to grow in all the virtues inculcated by the profession of monasticism and the teaching of the earliest fathers. (…)

We were eager to learn from the teaching of that master (…). (…) so that from such a great mean we could drink in the perfect instruction which we knew, from what many had told us, lay within him.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 56-57

Abba Paphnutius on how all virtue is by the grace of God and how we are called to cooperate with His grace

“All the apostolic men of the Gospel were vividly aware that everything that is good stems from the help of the Lord, and admitted that their own faith was incapable of remaining firm through their own will and effort alone, for they asked the Lord to grant them faith and to strengthen it. If Peter himself needed the help of God lest he fail, who could be so arrogant or foolish as to imagine that he did not need the Lord‘s help daily to preserve his faith? (…)

(…) the will to good is granted us by the inspiration of the Lord, when he calls us to the way of salvation, either directly, or through the preaching of some man, or by sheer necessity; secondly that the perfection of our virtue also stems from him in the same way. Our own part is this: to follow the teaching and help of God. It is how we do this, either diligently or not, that determines whether we merit either a reward or a fitting punishment. That depends on whether we have neglected his kind and providential plans for our happiness, or have taken pains to co-operate with them in loving obedience. (…) It is through God‘s grace that the opportunities for salvation are given, and events turn out favourable to our victory; whereas it is our part to follow up the benefits God has granted us, whether in eagerness or sloth. You can see this point in the story of the healing of the blind men. The fact that Jesus passed before them was an act of divine grace and providence. That they called out, saying, ‘O Lord, thou Son of David, have mercy on us!‘ (Matt. 20: 31) is the work of their faith and trust. That they received their sight was the gift of divine mercy.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 73-75

Abba Paphnutius on the importance of eliminating vices while “still in the body“ and on the beauty of a soul filled with virtue

“Now we must make every effort to ensure that our inner self rejects and repels the wealth of vice which it had accumulated during our former life, and which is truly our own, clinging tightly to body and soul. If we do not repudiate the vices and eliminate them while we are still in this body, they will not leave us in peace even after death. In the same way the virtues and charity herself which is their source, if we acquire them in this world, will render those who love them splendid and radiant after this life is over (…). The beauty of a soul, or its defilement, depend on its virtues or its vices. The tint we take from them either makes the soul radiant and beautiful, fit to hear from the psalmist, ‘The king shall greatly desire thy beauty‘ (Psalm 44/45: 12), or renders it dark, foul and deformed, so that the soul admits the corruption of its own decay, saying, ‘my sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness‘ (Psalm 37/38: 6).“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 65-66

Saint John Cassian, Saint Abba Paphnutius, pray for us!

Saint John Cassian‘s journey to the Desert of Scetis

Saint John Cassian (360-435) was the founder of monastic communities for men and women in Marseille, France – the Abbey of Saint Victor. He arrived in Marseille in the year 415.

Twenty years prior to that, in the year 395, Cassian, whose native country was most likely the region of Scythia Minor (today: Romania / Bulgaria), went to the Desert of Scetis, the Wadi El Natrun, near Alexandria in Egypt, together with his friend Germanus, to be instructed by the priests and monks living there: the so-called “Desert Fathers“. Later he reported on the various conversations the two men were able to have with these Fathers of Scetis in a book: The Collations.

Saint Benedict of Nursia advised his monks to read them, and hundreds of years later first Saint Dominic de Guzman and later Saint Philipp Neri cherished this book. The spiritual advice given by the Desert Fathers is helpful not only for monks and nuns but also for the laity.

Cassian‘s book opens with meeting and inquiring Saint Abba Moses…

“The desert of Scete is the abode of some of the most respected monks, where all perfection is to be found. I was eager to consult Abba Moyses there, for he had the reputation of being the best scented flower in that bright garden, virtuous both in deed and in doctrine, and so I sought him out for instruction. With me was the holy father Germanus, who had been my comrade from our novitiate and first training in the spiritual combat, and continued to be so both in the community and in the desert, to the extent that everyone talked about there being but one mind and soul in two bodies, so close were we in companionship and ideals.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 6

Who was Abba Moses the Ethiopian?

The first two conversations reported in Cassian‘s book are those with Saint Abba Moses (330-405), a man from Ethiopia who was the slave of a government official in Egypt, then roamed Egypt as a robber, and finally converted to the Christian faith while living with the monks of Scetis as he was hiding from the authorities.

In the third Collation, Abba Paphnutius, a disciple of Saint Macarius the Great, explains that there are three different types of vocation: a man can be called by God directly; he can be called by the inspiring example of holy men; or he can receive a vocation “which derives from necessity“. The latter at first seems to be inferior to the other two but the vocation of Abba Moses shows that “all depends on the conclusion“ rather than on the beginning of a person‘s path and calling:

“The third type of vocation is that which derives from necessity, when we have been entangled in the riches and pleasures of this world, and then trials suddenly come upon us. We may be threatened with death, or the loss of goods and reputation, or struck by the death of those we love, so that we are compelled to run to the Lord whom we had disdained to follow while things went well for us. We find many passages of Scripture about this involuntary vocation, such as when we read of the Lord handing the children of Israel over to their enemies because of their sins, and of how they turned back to the Lord again because of their cruel and savage treatment. ‘The Lord raised them up,‘ it says, ‘a savior called Aod, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used the left hand as well as the right.‘ And again, ‘They cried to the Lord who raised them up a saviour, Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb‘ (Judges 3: 15, 9). The psalmist says the same sort of thing, ‘When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came to him early in the morning. And they remembered that God was their helper; and the Most High God their Redeemer‘ (Psalm 77/78: 34-5). And again, ‘They cried to the Lord in their affliction: and he delivered them out of their distresses‘ (Psalm 106/107: 19).

Of these three types of vocation, albeit the first would seem to depend on the best principles, we do occasionally find perfect men, full of the fervour of the spirit, among those of the third type, although it seems to be so poor and unreliable. Comparable to those who had entered the Lord‘s service for the best of reasons, they pass the remainder of their lives in praiseworthy zeal. Likewise there are those who decline from the first rank into tepidity and they often come to a sad end. The former took no harm from the fact that they had been converted by necessity, rather than by an act of their own will, in as much as it was the goodness of the Lord that provided the occasion for their repentance; the latter gained no advantage from having more sublime reasons for their vocation, if they took no care during the rest of their lives to reach a fitting conclusion.

It was no disadvantage in the quest for perfect bliss that the Abba Moyses (the one who lived in the part of the desert that is called Calamus) fled to the monastery in fear of his life, being under a charge of manslaughter. He took such advantage of his forced conversion that he changed it into a willing one in his eager zeal, and so attained the very pinnacle of perfection. There are others whom I will not name who have profited nothing from entering the Lord‘s service with a better will, for they afterwards became lazy and hardened in heart, fell into sinful sloth and plunged into the depths of hell. We can see this point clearly in the call of the Apostles – what benefit was the exalted rank of Apostle to Judas? He had willingly accepted the same dignity that Peter and the other apostles held, but having begun his vocation in such a splendid way he spoilt it through greed and the love of money, and brought it to a vile conclusion, breaking out in savage ingratitude and betraying his own Lord. Or what disadvantage was it to Paul that he was suddenly blinded and called to the way of salvation as if he were unwilling, for he followed the Lord ever after in such fervour that he perfected his first compulsion through willing devotion, and brought his life, resplendent in such great virtues, to an incomparable conclusion? It all depends on the conclusion; that is how we can discern whether one who was at first consecrated in the best of intentions, has come to grief through negligence, or one who was drawn to the profession of monk through need, has made the most of it and come to perfection through the fear of God and through love.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 59-60

Advice from Abba Moses the Ethiopian concerning discretion and moderation

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools spurn wisdom and instruction.“

“When wisdom comes into your heart and knowledge fills your soul with delight, then prudence will be there to watch over you, and understanding will be your guardian to keep you from the way of evil (…).“

“Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.“

“I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence, I have found knowledge and discretion.“

Proverbs 1: 7; 2: 10-12; 4: 13; 8:12

Abba Moses teaches Cassian and Germanus that “the gift of discretion is not merely natural“ but “the greatest gift of God‘s grace“ which a monk should desire “with his whole heart“ (ibid. p. 33). One needs to be able “to discern the spirits that arise“ (ibid.) within oneself in order to be able “to bring the work (one has) begun to a fitting conclusion“ (ibid., p. 34):

“Time and time again I have seen men suddenly deceived and overthrown, although they had practiced fasting and watching with diligence, withdrawn into marvellous solitude, untertaken to renounce all property to the extent that they would keep back not even so much as a day‘s livelihood or a single denarius, and performed works of mercy with wholehearted devotion. (…) Now we can discover the principal path to God if only we analyse accurately what was the cause of their fall and delusion. They abounded in the practice of virtues, but discretion alone was lacking, so that they were unable to persevere to the end. No other cause can be found for their fall except that they were insufficiently instructed by their elders, and unable to acquire the virtue of discretion. It is discretion which avoids extremes on either side and leads the monk to advance along the royal road, neither puffed up on the right by his own virtue, that is surpassing the reasonable degree of self-denial by foolishly presuming on his excessive zeal; nor deviating to vices on the left, through laxity in his obligations, that is allowing the opposite spirit to make him slack and tepid on the excuse of looking after his health.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 34-35

When the text provided by Cassian and by the translation of Father Jerome Bertram of the Oxford Oratory speaks of “elders“, we can as well read “priests“ or in the case of monastic communities also “abbots“ – those presiding over a given community of the faithful, taking the role of spiritual fathers. These words are synonymous, as the word “priest“ is derived from the Greek word for “elder“, presbyteros, and “abbot“ from abba, Hebrew and Aramaic for “father“. At the same time, the notion of the “instruction of the elders“ makes us hearken back to the teachings of the Apostles and the Church Fathers, to the authority of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Abba Moses identifies the gift of discretion, which is so necessary in order “to advance along the royal road“, with “the eye and lamp of the body“ Christ speaks of in Matthew 6: 22-23:

“The lamp of the body is the eye. So if your eye is clear, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be darkness. If, then, the light within you is darkness, what darkness will that be!“

Matthew 6: 22-23

Abba Moses explains this Gospel passage thus:

“If a man have the evil eye, meaning that it is bad in judgment and ignorant, deceived and deluded by overconfidence, it will make our whole body darkness. It darkens the mind totally, and all our actions are obscured by the blindness of vice and confusion.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 35

He warns that “without (discretion) so many have failed to attain the height of perfection, despite their endless toil“ while “with discretion one can mount with little effort to the pinnacles of achievement“ (ibid., p. 37).

“It is discretion that begets all virtues, preserves them and governs them.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 37

The venerable Desert Father then cites recent events showing how monks were led astray by the devil as they lacked the gift of discernment. To this, Germanus, Cassian‘s friend, replies that,

“You have adequately demonstrated by these recent examples as well as the ancient teaching that discretion is in a sense the fountain and root of all virtues, but we would love to know how we should acquire it, and how to distinguish whether it be truly from God, or false and devilish.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 40

Abba Moses provides an important answer to this question:

“True discretion cannot be acquired, except through true humility. The first test of humility is this: if we subject to the direction of our elders not only all our actions but even our thoughts; no one should trust his own judgment, but should accept their decision in all matters, to learn from their teaching how to distinguish good and bad. (…)

This is the means by which we can easily come to understand true discretion: follow in the footsteps of the elders, never presume to do anything new, or rely on your own judgment, but proceed in all matters according to their teaching and example of life. Instructed in this way, anyone can arrive at a perfect degree of discretion, and remain immune to all the snares of the enemy. There is no other vice by which the devil can so quickly seduce a monk and lure him to his death than by persuading him to ignore the teaching of his elders and to trust in his own judgment, his own opinion and ideas.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 40-43

Discretion will keep one from “excesses“ and “extremes“ that could lead one astray according to the teaching of Abba Moses. It will grant the virtue of moderation, for example when it comes to the practice of “self-denial“, i.e. fasting:

“With all our might we should strive for the prize of discretion through the virtue of humility, which is what preserves us unscathed from excess on either side. The old proverb goes, ‘ends meet‘, in other words, extremes come to the same thing. Extremes in fasting and in gluttony both lead to the same conclusion, and unreasonable hours of wakefulness have the same effect on a monk as the torpor of sluggish sleep. Excess of self-denial inevitably leads to being so weakened that one falls into the same state as one who is careless and lax. Thus we often observe that those who could not be deluded through gluttony, have been brought to ruin through too much fasting; collapsing through weakness they have fallen into the very vice they had been fighting. Unreasonable watching and vigils have ruined some whom sleep could not conquer. (…)

Just as we must be careful to avoid sliding into dissolute vice through the passion of fleshly desire, not indulging ourselves in food before the set time, nor presuming to take more than our due, in the same way we must renew our strength with food and rest at the proper time, even if we do not feel like it. Both extremes arise from the side of our enemy, and excessive self-denial can be more dangerous than unrestrained repletion, for it is possible to progress from the latter to moderation as our conscience gives us salutary discretion, whereas from too much self-restraint there is no escape. (…)

This is the usual standard for self-denial: according to a man‘s ability, his health and age, each should allow himself as much food as is necessary to sustain the body, not as much as his appetite demands. Either extreme would cause him great damage, for anyone who fails to keep to this moderation would alternate between constricting his digestion with starvation, and distending it through overeating. On the one hand a mind weakened through lack of food loses the strength to pray and is driven to sleep through the feebleness of an emaciated body; on the other hand if it is bloated with overeating it will be unable to pour fourth before God a prayer that is pure and aspiring.“

John Cassian, Abbot of Marseilles: The Collations. Being a Collection of Twenty-Four Conferences Divided into Three Parts, translated by a Father of the Oxford Oratory, Gracewing 2015, p. 49-51

Saint John Cassian, Saint Abba Moses, pray for us!