and he saw a small spark which [flew] about the pillar, and sometimes it shone brightly, and sometimes it was extinguished. And whilst he was wondering at the vision, it was explained to him by God, Who said, “The pillar which thou seest is the prayers of the many [brethren] which are gathered together and go up to God and gratify Him; and the spark is the prayers of those who dwell among the congregation, and who despise the appointed services of the brotherhood. And now, if thou wouldst live, perform that which it is customary to perform with the brethren, and then, if thou wishest to do so, and art able to pray separately, do so.” And the monk related all these things before the brotherhood, and they glorified God.
Chapter IV: Of How It Is Meet For Us To Weep For Our Sins And To Mourn For Them Always
136. A BROTHER asked Abbâ Ammon, and said unto him, “Tell me some word whereby I may live”; and Abbâ Ammon said unto him, “Go and make thy mind like unto the minds of those evil-doers who are in the prison house, and who ask those who go to them, saying, ‘Where is the governor? When will he come here?’ And their minds tremble in fearful expectation. Thus also is a monk bound to wait in expectation always, and he must admonish himself, saying, ‘Woe is me! For how can I stand before the throne of Christ? And how shall I be able to make answer unto Him?’ If thou art able to think thus always thou wilt be able to live.”
137. Abbâ Poemen was once passing through Egypt, and he saw a woman sitting in the cemetery and weeping, and he said, “If every kind of instrument of sweet music in the world were to come [here] they would not be able to change the grief of this woman’s soul [into gladness]; even thus it is meet for a monk to have pain (or grief) within himself.”
138. Three old men once came to Abbâ Sisoes because they had heard that he was a great man. And the first one said unto him, “Father, how can I escape from the river of fire?” And Abbâ Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the second old man said unto him, “Father, how can I escape from the gnashing of teeth, and from the worm which never dieth?” And Abbâ Sisoes answered him never a word. Then the third old man said unto him, “Father, what shall I do? For the remembrance of the outer darkness troubleth me.” And Abbâ Sisoes answered and said unto them, “I never think on any of these things, but I believe that God is Merciful, and that He will shew mercy unto me”; then the old men went away
