cast out a devil. What more glorious powers can a man
desire?”^24
Pakhom impressed upon his monks that the greatest
sin was that of despairing of God’s mercy; that wherever
God is sought, He is found, saying: “Prefer no place to
another, thinking I shall meet God here, or I shall meet Him
there, for He is everywhere. Behold where Judas was and
where he ended; where the thief was and what he
attained.”^25
Once, an old brother was ill enough to be put in the
house assigned for the stick. Passion Week drew nigh and
the sick brother expressed his desire to fast. But Pakhom
said to him: “We live by the law of Grace, and not under the
law of vengeance. You can fas this most Holy Week when
God restores your health.”^26
It was Abba Pakhom’s custom – after the evening
public prayers – to spend an hour or two with all the
brethren for discussion or discourse. One day he was asked
how best to amend others. He answered: “Amending others
is certainly a virtue greatly to be desired. Now if you see an
erring brother, take him aside and gently exhort him. Should
he fidget or grow impatient at your solicitation, stop
immediately with a kindly smile. Behave as an expert doctor
who is eager to clear away an abscess. When he finds the
patient crying of pain at the dissecting knife, he ceases from
scraping and resorts to a softening poultice. He repeats
those mitigating means intermittently with the dissecting
knife until he clears away the abscess with the minimum pain
to the patient. Thus should it be with the spiritual healing:
be patient, serene and long-suffering – knowing that anger
never won a soul. Be sure that a teacher will never succeed
in influencing his disciples until he acts accordingly. Then,
and only then will he be followed and revered.”^27
elle
(Elle)
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