Sayings/Desert Fathers and Mothers

John Cassian (One of the Desert Fathers)

Sayings

Abba Nilus (or Nilus of Sinai) said, "Prayer is the seed of gentleness and the absence of anger." In some translations, it is rendered as, "Prayer is the flower of gentleness and of freedom from anger"

Abba Zeno said, ‘If a man wants God to hear his prayer quickly, then before he prays for anything else, even his own soul, when he stands and stretches out his hands towards God, he must pray with all his heart for his enemies. Through this action God will hear everything that he asks.’

Online Resources

• Lectio365 | Desert Resources: https://lectio365.com/desertresources/
• Conversatio | Desert Spirituality: https://conversatio.org/collections/desert-spirituality/

See also

• Prayers
  • Prayers/Breath Prayers
  • Prayers/John Cassian
• Liturgies
  • Liturgy/Lord's Prayer, The
    • Liturgy/Embolism, the