The Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus is offering a series of readings for the 40 days of Lent. Here is the second one. Enjoy! ABBA ARSENIUS Arsenius was born in Rome about 36o. A well-educated man, of senatorial rank, he was appointed by the Emperor Tbeodosius 1 as tutor to the princes Arcadius and Honorius. He left the palace in 394 and sailed secretly to Alexandria. From there he went to Scetis and placed himself under the guidance of Abba John the Dwarf. He became an anchorite near Petra in Scetis. He seems to have had only three disciples, Alexander, Zoilus and Daniel. He was renowned for his austerity and silence and his combined with his learning made him seem somewhat forbidding to the Coptic monks. After the second devastation of Scetis in 434 he went to the mountain of Troe where he died in 449. 1. While still living in the palace, Abba Arsenius prayed to God in these words, Lord, lead me in the way of salvation. And a voice came saying to him, Arsenius, flee from men and you will be saved. 2. Having withdrawn to the solitary life he made the same prayer again and he heard a voice saying to him, Arsenius, flee, be silent, pray always, for these are the source of sinlessness. 3. It happened that when Abba Arsenius was sitting in his cell that he was harassed by demons. His servants, on their return, stood outside his cell and heard him praying to God in these words, O God, do not leave me. I have done nothing good in your sight, but according to your goodness, let me now make a beginning of good. 4. It was said of him that, just as none in the palace had worn more splendid garments than he when he lived there, so no one in the Church wore such poor clothing. 5. Someone said to blessed Arsenius, How is it that we, with all our education and our wide knowledge get nowhere, while these Egyptian peasants acquire so many virtues? Abba Arsenius said to him, We indeed get nothing from our secular education, but these Egyptian peasants acquire the virtues by hard work. 6. One day Abba Arsenius consulted an old Egyptian monk about his own thoughts. Someone noticed this and said to him, Abba Arsenius, how is it that you with such a good Latin and Greek education ask this peasant about your thoughts? He replied, I have indeed been taught Latin and Greek, but I do not know even the alphabet of this peasant. 7. Blessed Archbishop Theophilus, accompanied by a magistrate, came one day to find Abba Arsenius. He questioned the old man, to hear a word from him. After a short silence the old man answered him ‘Will you put into practice what I say to you? They promised him this. If you hear Arsenius is anywhere, do not go there. 8. Another time the archbishop, intending to come to see him, sent someone to see if the old man would receive him. Arsenius told him If you come, I shall receive you; but if I receive you, I receive everyone and therefore I shall no longer live here. Hearing that, the archbishop said, If I drive him away by going to him, I shall not go any more. 9. A brother questioned Abba Arsenius to hear a word of him and the old man said to him, Strive with all your might to bring your interior activity into accord with God, and you will overcome exterior passions. 10. He also said, If we seek God, he will show himself to us, and if we keep him, he will remain close to us. 11. Someone said to Abba Arsenius, My thoughts trouble me, saying, You can neither fast nor work; at least go and visit the sick, for that is also charity. But the old man, recognising the suggestions of the demons, said to him, Go, eat, drink, sleep, do no work, only do not leave your cell. For he knew that steadfastness in the cell keeps a monk in the right way. 12. Abba Arsenius used to say that a monk travelling abroad should not get involved in anything; thus he will remain in peace. 13. Abba Mark said to Abba Arsenius, Why do you avoid us? The old man said to him, God knows that I love you, but I cannot live with God and with men. The thousands and ten thousands of the heavenly hosts have but one will, while men have many. So I cannot leave God to be with men. 14. Abba Daniel said of Abba Arsenius that he used to pass the whole night without sleeping, and in the early morning when nature compelled him to go to sleep, he would say to sleep, Come here, wicked servant. Then, seated, he would snatch a little sleep and soon wake up again. 15. Abba Arsenius used to say that one-hours sleep is enough for a monk if he is a good fighter. 16. The old man used to tell how one day someone handed round a few dried figs in Scetis. Because they were not worth anything, no one took any to Abba Arsenius in order not to offend him. Learning of it, the old man did no come to the synaxis saying, You have cast me out by not giving me a share of the blessing which God had given the brethren and which I was not worthy to receive. Everyone heard of this and was edified at the old mans humility. Then the priest went to take him the small dried figs and brought him to the synaxis with joy. 17. Abba Daniel used to say, He lived with us many a long year and every year we used to take him only one basket of bread and when we went to find him the next year we would eat some of that bread. 18. It was said of the same Abba Arsenius that he only changed the water for his palm-leaves once a year; the rest of the time he simply added to it. One old man implored him in these words, Why do you not change the water for these palm-leaves when it smells Instead of the perfumes and aromatics which bad? He said to him, I used in the world I must bear this bad smell. 19. Abba Daniel used to tell how when Abba Arsenius learned that all the varieties of fruit were ripe he would say, Bring me some. He would taste a very little of each, just once, giving thanks to God. 20. Once at Scetis Abba Arsenius was ill and he was without even a scrap of linen. As he had nothing with which to buy any, he received some through anothers charity and he said, I give you thanks, Lord, for having considered me worthy to receive this charity in your name. 21. It was said of him that his cell was thirty-two miles away and that he did not readily leave it: that in fact others did his errands. When Scetis was destroyed he left weeping and said, The world has lost Rome and the monks have lost Scetis. 22. Abba Mark asked Abba Arsenius Is it good to have nothing extra in the cell? I know a brother who had some vegetables and he has pulled them up. Abba Arsenius replied, Undoubtedly that is good but it must be done according to a mans capacity. For if he does not have the strength for such a practice he will soon plant others. 23. Abba Daniel, the disciple of Abba Arsenius, related this: One day I found myself close to Abba Alexander and he was full of sorrow. He lay down and stared up into the air because of his sorrow. Now it happened that the blessed Arsenius came to speak with him and saw him lying down. During their conversation he said to him, And who was the layman whom I saw here? Abba Alexander said, here did you see him? He said, As I was coming down the mountain I cast my eyes in this direction towards the cave and I saw a man stretched full length looking up into the air. So Abba Alexander did penance, saying, Forgive me, it was I; I was overcome by sorrow. The old man said to him, Well now, so it was you? Good; I thought it was a layman and that was why I asked you. 24. Another time Abba Arsenius said to Abba Alexander, When you have cut your palm-leaves, come and eat with me, but if visitors come, eat with them. Now Abba Alexander worked slowly and carefully. When the time came, he had not finished the palm leaves and wishing to follow the old mans instructions, he waited until he had finished them. When Abba Arsenius saw that he was late, he ate, thinking that he had had guests. But Abba Alexander, when at last he had finished, came away. And the old man said to him, Have you had visitors? No, he said. Then why did you not come? The other replied, You told me to come when I had cut the palm-leaves; and following your instructions, I did not come, because I had not finished. The old man marveled at his exactitude and said to him, Break your fast at once so as to celebrate the synaxis untroubled, and drink some water, otherwise your body will soon suffer.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 11:51:27 +0000
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