FOR AVVA ISAIA
1. Avva Isaia said: nothing is as useful to the new beginner as the shame. For, as is the tree which is watered everyday, so is the new beginner who is shamed and suffers.
2. He was also saying towards the ones who start well and obey the holy fathers: the first coat of paint does not come out, just as it happens with the porphyria. And as the young branches turn and can easily bend, so also do the new beginners, when being under obedience.
3. He also said: the new beginner, moving form monastery to monastery, is like a beast, pulling the harness here and there.
4. He also said: as the table was set, and the brothers eating in the church and speaking to each other, the priests of Pelusiu admonished them, but he said to them: be quiet, brothers, for I know a brother who eats with us and drinks from glasses like us, and his prayer is raising in front of God like the fire.
5. It is told about avva Isaia that once he took a rod and went to the field, and said to the worker: give me wheat! And the worker said to him: but did you work with the sickle, avva? The devout one said: no! And the worker said to him: how come, then, that you want to get wheat, if you had not work? And the old man said to him: and if someone does not work, he does not get paid? The worker said: no! And so the old man went away. And the brothers, seeing what he did, prostrated to him, praying him to tell them why did he do that. The old man answered them: I did this as a parable, for if someone will not work, he will not get reward from God.
6. The same avva Isaia called one of the brothers and washed his feet, and put a handful of lentils in a bowl. After it got hot, he took it aside. And the brother said to him: it is not boiled enough, avvo. And the devout one answered to him: is it not enough to you that at least it saw the fire? This is also a great comfort.
7. He also said: if God wants to save a soul, and he is getting haughty and does not want to suffer, but does its own will, He releases it to suffer the ones that he does not want, so this way it will search for Him.
8. He also said: if someone wants to pay back evil with evil, he can harm the conscieousness of the brother even only with the threat.
9. The same avva Isaia was asked what is the love for silver? And he answered: it is to not believe that God takes care of you, to despair of God’s promisese, and to love more than the good measure to streach with the riches.
FOR AVVA ILIE
1. Avva Ilie said: I am afraid of three things: when my soul will want to get out of the body, when I will want to welcome God, and when the decision over me will come out.
2. The old men were saying to avva Ilie from Egypt, about avva Agathon, that he is a good avva. And the old man said to them: relative to the nation and to generation of people in which he lives, he is good! And they said to him: but, relative to the old ones, how is it? And answering, the old man said to them: I said to you that relative to the antion and the generation in which he lives, he is good; and relative to the old ones, I saw a man in the Skete, who ocould make the sun to stay on the sky, like Iosum of Navi did. And hearing these, they got frightened and they praised God.
3. Avva Ilie of Diaconia said: what can the sin do, where there is repentance, and what is the use of love, where pride is?
4. Avva Ilie said: I saw someone taking a noddle of wine under his armpit and, so that I shame the demons, for it was an illusion, I said to the brother: help me and lift this up! And as he raised his frock, it was shown that he did not have anything. And I said this so that even if you will see with the eyes, or if you will hear, do not accept! But even more firmly guard your thoughs and your minds, knowing that the demons put these in the mind to smear the soul, to account for the useless ones, and to pull the mind from the occupation with the good things, repenting for its sins and praying to God.
5. He also said: people have their mind either at the sins or at Jesus or at the people.
6. He also said: if the mind will not sing together with the body, the effort is useless. For if someone loves hardship, later it changes for him towards happiness and rest.
7. He also said: an old man stayed in a temple and the demons came, saying to him: go away from our place! And the old man said: you do not have a place. And the demons started to squander his palm leaves. And the old man was staying, gathering them. Later, the demon, grabing him by the hand, was pulling him outside. But, as the old man got to the door, with the other hand he was holding the door shouting: Jesus, help me! And immediately the demon ran away. And the old man started to cry. And the Lord said to him: why are you crying? And the old man answered: because the demons dare to grab the man, and to upset him. And He said to him: you have gotten lazy; for when you have searched for Me, you saw how I showed Myself to you! I say these, because there is need for much hardship, and if someone does not tire himself, he cannot have God with himself, for He has crucified Himself for us.
8. A brother went to avva Ilie the hermit in the community of avva Sava’s cave, and said to him: avvo, tell me a word! And the old man said to the brother: in the days of our fathers, these three good deeds were beloved: lack of possessions, meekness, and restraint. And now these are rulling the monks: greed for possessions, gorging of the belly, and insolence. Whichever of these you want, hold on to it!
FOR AVVA IRACLIE
1. A brother, being upset by the war of the temptations, let avva Iraclie know. And this one, strengthening him, told him: some old man for many years had an apprentice, who was very obedient. But once, as the war raised over him, made a prostration to the old man saying: let me sit by myself. And the old mand said to him: search for a place, and I will build a cell to you! And as he walked to a stone’s throw, he found a place. And as they both went, they build up a cell. And he said to the brother: whatever I will tell you, that is what you should do: when you are hungry, eat; when you are thrusthy, drink; when you fell like sleeping, sleep! And only do not come out of your cell until Saturday; then come close to me. And the old man retruned to his cell. And the brother did two days according to the commandment, but the third day, betting lazy, he said: what did the old man do this to me, not to pray? And getting up, he sang many psalms, and after the sun set, he ate. And getting up, he went to sleep onto his mat: and he saw an Arabian sitting, and gnashing his teeth against him, and running with much fear he went to the old man, and knocking at the door, said: avvo, have mercy on me, and open to me quickly! And the old man, knowing that the did not guard his word, did not open to him until morning. And opening to him in the morning, found him outside. Feeling for him, and having mercy on him, he got him inside. Then the brother said: I pray to you, father, I saw a black Arabian on my mat, when I went to sleep. And the old man said: you suffered this because you did not guard my word. Then, giving him a canon, according to the strength, he released him, and slowly he became a skilled monk.