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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250117
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UID:13024-1737072000-1737158399@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org
SUMMARY:Vigils Reading - St Anthony\, Abbot
DESCRIPTION:THE PATH OF VIRTUE \nFrom “The Life of Anthony” by St Athanasius \n◊◊◊ \nAll the monks were one day gathered around Anthony so as to hear his \nwords. He said to them with the authority of a prophet: “The Holy Scriptures are \nsufficient for our instruction; nevertheless it is a good thing to encourage each \nother mutually in the faith and to urge one another in discourse. You\, therefore\, \nin a filial manner\, bring what you know to your father\, and I\, your elder\, will \ntransmit to you something of what I have experienced. \nIn the first place\, let us all endeavor together not to become lax after \nhaving begun well\, and not to be discouraged in the face of difficulties. Let us \nnot say to ourselves: We have been living the ascetical life for a long time. On \nthe contrary\, let us increase our ardor every day as if we were just beginning\, for \na person’s whole life is very short compared with the centuries to come\, and the \nwhole of time present is nothing compared with eternal life… After combating \non earth we shall obtain no earthly inheritance but a celestial one\, and when we \nhave left this corruptible body we shall receive it again incorruptible. Therefore\, \ndear sons\, let us not be discouraged nor find the time long. Let us not believe \nourselves doing too much\, for ‘The sufferings of this present time cannot be \ncompared to the glory that will be revealed in us.’ \nFor this reason\, my sons\, let us remain firm in asceticism and flee from \nsloth. The Lord is working with us\, as it is written: ‘God collaborates for good \nwith the one who has chosen what is good.’ In order to avoid negligence we will \ndo well to meditate upon the Apostle’s words: ‘I die every day’. If\, in fact\, we live \nas if each day were that of our death\, we shall not sin. This means that every day\, \non waking\, we must think that we shall not last until evening; and every night\, in \nfalling asleep\, we must think that we shall not reawaken. \nHaving thus begun and walked along the path of virtue\, let us press \nstraight on\, straining forward. Let no one look back\, like Lot’s wife\, especially as \nthe Lord has said: ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for \nthe kingdom of God.’ Looking back is nothing else than feeling regret\, and \nrenewing a taste for things of the world. \nDo not fear\, on hearing talk of virtue\, that it will remain foreign to you. It is \nnot far from us nor outside of us. It is a work which is taking place within us\, and \nan easy thing if only we wish it. The Greeks leave their country and cross the sea \nto gain learning\, but as for us we have no need to travel to obtain the kingdom of \nheaven\, nor to cross the ocean to become instructed in virtue. The Lord indeed \nsaid: ‘The kingdom of God is within you.’ So virtue has need only of our will\, as it \nis in us and finds its source in ourselves… If we had to go outside of ourselves to \nacquire virtue\, it would be difficult; but since it is actually within us\, let us keep \nourselves from evil thoughts and preserve our soul for the Lord as a trust received \nfrom him\, to the end that he may recognize his handiwork\, for it is in the state in \nwhich he formed it.
URL:https://laycisterciansofgethsemani.org/event/vigils-reading-st-anthony-abbot/
CATEGORIES:Vigils Readings
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