Vigils Reading – St Anthony, Abbot

THE PATH OF VIRTUE

From “The Life of Anthony” by St Athanasius

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All the monks were one day gathered around Anthony so as to hear his

words. He said to them with the authority of a prophet: “The Holy Scriptures are

sufficient for our instruction; nevertheless it is a good thing to encourage each

other mutually in the faith and to urge one another in discourse. You, therefore,

in a filial manner, bring what you know to your father, and I, your elder, will

transmit to you something of what I have experienced.

In the first place, let us all endeavor together not to become lax after

having begun well, and not to be discouraged in the face of difficulties. Let us

not say to ourselves: We have been living the ascetical life for a long time. On

the contrary, let us increase our ardor every day as if we were just beginning, for

a person’s whole life is very short compared with the centuries to come, and the

whole of time present is nothing compared with eternal life… After combating

on earth we shall obtain no earthly inheritance but a celestial one, and when we

have left this corruptible body we shall receive it again incorruptible. Therefore,

dear sons, let us not be discouraged nor find the time long. Let us not believe

ourselves doing too much, for ‘The sufferings of this present time cannot be

compared to the glory that will be revealed in us.’

For this reason, my sons, let us remain firm in asceticism and flee from

sloth. The Lord is working with us, as it is written: ‘God collaborates for good

with the one who has chosen what is good.’ In order to avoid negligence we will

do well to meditate upon the Apostle’s words: ‘I die every day’. If, in fact, we live

as if each day were that of our death, we shall not sin. This means that every day,

on waking, we must think that we shall not last until evening; and every night, in

falling asleep, we must think that we shall not reawaken.

Having thus begun and walked along the path of virtue, let us press

straight on, straining forward. Let no one look back, like Lot’s wife, especially as

the Lord has said: ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for

the kingdom of God.’ Looking back is nothing else than feeling regret, and

renewing a taste for things of the world.

Do not fear, on hearing talk of virtue, that it will remain foreign to you. It is

not far from us nor outside of us. It is a work which is taking place within us, and

an easy thing if only we wish it. The Greeks leave their country and cross the sea

to gain learning, but as for us we have no need to travel to obtain the kingdom of

heaven, nor to cross the ocean to become instructed in virtue. The Lord indeed

said: ‘The kingdom of God is within you.’ So virtue has need only of our will, as it

is in us and finds its source in ourselves… If we had to go outside of ourselves to

acquire virtue, it would be difficult; but since it is actually within us, let us keep

ourselves from evil thoughts and preserve our soul for the Lord as a trust received

from him, to the end that he may recognize his handiwork, for it is in the state in

which he formed it.