Sobriety, the Guardian of the Spirit
Sobriety is a guardian of the spirit. It stands on guard day and night at the gates of the heart, to sort out the thoughts that present themselves, to listen to their suggestions and to observe their intrigues.
In the first place, control the imagination strictly: it is the only route by which Satan can slip thoughts into the mind to deceive it.
Then preserve in your heart a deep silence, an undisturbed tranquility.
Next, invoke the help of Jesus unceasingly and humbly.
Finally, keep the thought of death alive in your soul.
This is the way for that guardian, sobriety, to stop evil thoughts from approaching.
Hesychius of Sinai
Philocalia, 1 (Athens 1957, p.142)
Let your Soul keep a Good Look-Out
An old desert father once said: ‘Every morning and every evening a monk ought to make a reckoning with himself over his actions and ask himself: “Have I perhaps done what God does not want me to do? Or have I not done what God wants me to do?” ‘
A second ancient father said: ‘If you waste gold or silver, you can find some more gold or silver, but if you waste time, you will never find any more.’
And a third then said: ‘In the morning when you get up you ought to issue this command: “Body, work for your living; soul, keep awake so as to win your heavenly inheritance!” ‘
A brother said to an older monk: ‘There does not seem to be any conflict in my heart.’ He received this reply: ‘You are like a house that is open to the four winds, so that anyone who likes can go in or out without your noticing. If you only had one door to it, and chose to shut it in the face of wicked thoughts, then you would notice them and you would have to fight against them.’
It is told that a thought came to a monk: ‘Rest today and you can do penance tomorrow.’ He replied: ‘No, I will do penance today and rest tomorrow.’
A venerable saint said: ‘If the inner person is not watchful, the outer person cannot be watched.’
Sayings of the Desert Fathers nos. 132ff. (PG65)
~ Thomas Spidlik, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain, A Patristic Breviary: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
