St. Antony's Advice

Since the life of St. Antony had an influence on Augustine, my novice master is having us, the novices, read Athanasius' account of him. I'd like to share some of what I read today:

"So after certain days he went in again to the mountain. And henceforth many resorted to him, and others who were suffering ventured to go in. To all the monks therefore who came to him, he continually gave this precept:

'Believe on the Lord and love Him; keep yourselves from filthy thoughts and fleshly pleasures, and as it is written in the Proverbs, be not deceived "by the fulness of the belly." Pray continually; avoid vainglory; sing psalms before sleep and on awaking; hold in your heart the commandments of Scripture; be mindful of the works of the saints that your souls being put in remembrance of the commandments may be brought into harmony with the zeal of the saints.'

And especially he counseled them to meditate continually on the apostle's word, 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. And he considered this was spoken of all commandments in common, and that not on wrath alone, but not on any other sin of ours, ought the sun to go down. For it was good and needful that neither the sun should condemn us for an evil by day nor the moon for a sin by night, or even for an evil thought. That this state may be preserved in us it is good to hear the apostle and keep his words, for he says, 'Try your own selves and prove your own selves.' Daily, therefore, let each one take from himself the tale of his actions both by day and night; and if he has sinned, let him cease from it; while if he has not, let him not be boastful. But let him abide in that which is good, without being negligent, nor condemning his neighbours, nor justifying himself, 'until the Lord come who searcheth out hidden things,' as saith the blessed apostle Paul. For often unawares we do things that we know not of but the Lord seeth all things. Therefore yielding the judgment to Him, let us have sympathy with one another. Let us bear each other's burdens: but let us examine our own selves and hasten to fill up that in which we are lacking."

The Life of St. Antony, N. 55

-Carlos J. Medina