Other things will meet with success if we keep at it, but laboring at prayer is a war that will continue until we die.' They understand it is only by making it difficult for us to pray that they can harm us. When we are ready to pray, our spiritual enemies interfere. The old men said to Abba Agathon to Abba Elias, in Egypt, 'He is a good Abba.' The old man answered them, 'In comparison with his own generation, he is good.' They said to him, 'And what is he in comparison with the ancients?' He gave them this answer, 'I have said to you that in comparison with his generation he is good but as to that of the ancients, in Scetis I have seen a man who, like Joshua the son of Nun could make the sun stand still in the heavens.' At these words they were astounded and gave glory to God.Ībba Agathon said, 'I consider no other labor as difficult as prayer. Now I have no wish to be separated from God.' At this saying they were astonished at his discernment and returned, edified.

They resumed, 'Aren't you that Agathon who is always talking nonsense?' 'I am.' Again they said 'Aren't you Agathon the heretic?' But at that he replied 'I am not a heretic.' So they asked him, 'Tell us why you accepted everything we cast you, but repudiated this last insult.' He replied 'The first accusations I take to myself for that is good for my soul.

Wanting to see if he would lose his temper they said to him 'Aren't you that Agathon who is said to be a fornicator and a proud man?' 'Yes, it is very true,' he answered. It was said concerning Abba Agathon that some monks came to find him having heard tell of his great discernment. So he said to the old man, 'Abba, there are some phrases missing.' The old man said to him, 'Go, and practise first that which is written, then come back and I will write the rest.' The brother, taking the book and wishing to punctuate it, noticed that words were missing. The old man whose spirit was engaged in contemplation, wrote, omitting some phrases and with no punctuation.

A brother came to beg him to copy a book. Abba Abraham told of a man of Scetis who was a scribe and did not eat bread.

Sins of the father quote meaning