Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, “Abba as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?”‘ then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, “If you will, you can become all flame.”
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Abba Abraham told of a man of Scetis who was a scribe and did not eat bread. A brother came to beg him to copy a book. The old man whose spirit was engaged in contemplation, wrote, omitting some phrases and with no punctuation. The brother, taking the book and wishing to punctuate it, noticed that words were missing. 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.”
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Amma Theodora also said that neither asceticism, nor vigils nor any kind of suffering are able to save, only true humility can do that. There was an anchorite who was able to banish the demons; and he asked them, “What makes you go away?” “Is it fasting?” They replied, “We do not eat or drink.” “Is it vigils?” They replied, “We do not sleep.” “Is it separation from the world?” “We live in the deserts.” “What power sends you away then?” They said, “Nothing can overcome us, but only humility.” “Do you see how humility is victorious over the demons?”
OK, what do these desert fathers (and mothers) have in common?
===MORE TO COME===
“The answer is always humility”
In #1 it is worth noting how many times Abba Lot said “I”. . . “I have done this, and I have done that, what now can I conquer?” Ah, but you can’t do this (fire hands!) says Abba Joseph.
Likewise in #2 and three. In two the student dared correct the teacher, and in #3 it is explicit, “humility drives away the demons and is able to save”