Abba Moses gave the following
seven precepts to Abba Poemenius, which if followed will lead to
salvation by anybody whether they be in the cenobium, or in solitude or
in the world:
1. In the first place, as it is written, love God with all your heart and with all your mind.
2. Love your neighbour as yourself.
3. Bring to death all evil in you.
4. Do not judge your brother in any dispute.
5. Do no evil to another person.
6. Before departing this life cleanse yourself of every fault of mind or body.
7. Always be of a humble and contrite heart.
These
things can be achieved by anyone who thinks of his own sins and not his
neighbour's, and trusts in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who with
the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen
From The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods,
admiring all that the "accident of evolution" had
created.
"What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.
As he walked alongside the river, he heard a
rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to
look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charging
toward him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He
looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear
was closing in. He ran even faster, so scared
that tears were coming to his eyes.
Looking over his shoulder again, the bear was
even closer. His heart was pumping frantically
and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and
fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the
bear, right on top of him, reaching for him with
his left paw and raising his right paw to strike.
At that instant the atheist cried out, without
thinking,
"Oh my God! ... "
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice
came out of the sky,
"You deny my existence for all of these years,
teach others I don't exist and even credit
creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me
to help you out of this predicament? Am I to now
count you as a believer?"
The atheist looked directly into the light and
answered,
"It would be hypocritical for me to be a
Christian after all these years; but, perhaps,
you could make the bear a Christian?"
"Very well," said the voice.
The light went out.
The River ran again.
The sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw ...
brought both paws together ... bowed his head and
spoke:
"Lord, for this food which I am about to receive,
I am truly thankful."
