Thursday, July 27, 2006

"Where do you tell me to send that sinful brother whom you sentenced?

A brother sinned and the presbyter ordered him to go out of church. But Bessarion got up and went out with him, saying, I, too, am a sinner.'


When Isaac of the Thebaid visited a community, he saw that one of the brothers was sinful, and passed sentence on him. But when he was returning to his cell in the desert, the angel of the Lord came and stood in front of the door of his cell, and said, 'I will not let you go in.' He asked, 'Why not? The angel of the Lord replied, 'God sent me to ask you: "Where do you tell me to send that sinful brother whom you sentenced?'" At once Isaac repented, saying, 'I have sinned, forgive me.' The angel said, 'Get up, God has forgiven you. In future take care to judge no man before God has judged him.'


Joseph asked Poeman, 'Tell me how to become a monk.' He said, 'If you want to find rest in this life and the next, say at every moment, "Who am I?" and judge no one.'

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