Doctrina ad monachos

Of our father among the saints, Athanasius the Great, a gentler, spiritual teaching for monks. The one who believes in the Lord and approaches himself and enters into perfect discipleship must first learn to abstain from every sin; and then, drawing back from what is owed according to many accounts, to be well-disposed toward our Lord, even if this seems to you to be irrational and vain. For it is impossible for one who commits sin, or who is entangled in the affairs or cares of life, to give himself over to servitude to the necessities of living, let alone to become a disciple of the Lord. He did not first say to the young man, "Come, follow me," until he had commanded him to sell his possessions and give to the poor; but he did not even command this before the young man confessed, "I have kept all these things from my youth." For one who has never received the remission of sins and been released from them by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, but instead serves the devil and is held by the sin within him, is unable to serve the Lord, who gave the irrevocable decree when he said: "Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. But the slave does not remain in the house forever." Paul, who speaks in Christ, also bears witness, saying, "The slave of sin is free from righteousness." And again the Lord says: "No one can serve two masters," and so forth; through which he taught and showed, defining and saying, that neither can those who are caught up in the truly necessary care of living serve, let alone become disciples, as the Apostle observed more broadly; for he said:

What fellowship is there between righteousness and lawlessness, and what communion between light and darkness, and what agreement between Christ and Beliar? Or what share has a believer with an unbeliever, and what concurrence has a temple with an idol? And again he defines: "The flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to one another, so that you may not do what you wish." One must first be delivered from the oppressive devil who incites to sin the one who is held by it. We said that one wishes, then, and when, having renounced all present things and oneself, and having withdrawn from the attachment to living, to be discipled to the Lord, as he himself said: "If anyone comes to me, let him renounce himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," which is to be my disciple here. We are commanded not only to despise possessions and the necessities of life, but we are also taught to disregard what is considered customary among people and what are just duties according to nature and law, the Lord saying: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." Similarly, the rest of the nearest kin, it is clear that much farther off are even strangers to the faith. Therefore, he greatly exhorts those who are not angered in endurance to the labors of asceticism, fearing in no way the enemy's machinations against us. This brings about the form of this world. And these things—deception and affliction of this life—are temporary and short-lived, but serving God is eternal life, everlasting and immortal. Why do we who serve Christ delay?

for which we also renounced the world and all its desires. And we ought not to remember those things which we left behind because of this commandment, lest, longing again for the temporal, we cast away eternal life. For the one who said is truthful: “Everyone who has left a house,” and the rest, “will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” For it is not, as some seem to interpret these things, that the Lord spoke concerning those who, in the time of the persecutions, bore witness for his name. For he did not say that only those who, in the time of the persecutions, give up their bodies for my name will inherit eternal life; but all who, for my name, renounce the world and all its desires, and renounce all his possessions, will inherit eternal life, together, of course, with all those who bore witness for my name. The Savior said that all the poor in spirit, and the pure in heart, and the meek, and those who fear his name are blessed: “For yours is the kingdom of heaven.” For the martyrs often contended and were perfected in a single moment of time; but the monastic life bears witness for him daily with struggles, not against blood and flesh do we contend, but against the principalities, against the powers, the primal world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of wickedness, having the struggle until the last breath, and it contends and is armed with the full armor of God, and prevails in all things through the one who empowers and has mercy, Christ.

For wishing to bestow his own wealth upon us in a parable, the Lord said: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls," and so forth. Confirming this commandment, the evangelist said: "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. For he who loves the world does not love the Lord who loved him." But he who has hated this world and its scandals, and has loved the will of God, is well-disposed for eternity. For the Master, wishing to separate us from worldly sojourn, said: "No one who has put his hand to the plow and then turned back is fit for the kingdom of heaven." And the Apostle says: "He who is engaged in military service becomes entangled in the affairs of life." And again the Lord: "He who is in the field, let him not turn back," that is, let him not again remember or long for the former way of life which, for the sake of God and his commandment, he hated and left behind. Therefore, do not fear the temptations brought upon us by the devil, even if they are varied, for it is written: "My son, if you are intent on serving the Lord, prepare your soul for temptations." And concerning the heart of patience, await the help of God; for he is greater than the devil who wars against you, as is often said: Greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world. And the Psalmist: "I will not fear evils, because you are with me." And—

Lord is my light, and my Savior; whom shall I fear?" And, "If an army should draw up against me, my heart will not fear." And, "Lord is my helper, and I shall behold my enemies." Therefore, the one serving the Lord must not disbelieve, as if the Lord does not always defend him; for He Himself has said: "I will not abandon you, nor will I forsake you." And indeed, you have made Him your refuge, "evil will not come to you, and a scourge will not approach your dwelling;" and so forth. Therefore, I exhort you, O brothers, let us not yield at all to the evil one, nor put ourselves to death through any pleasure whatsoever, but, remembering the good things stored up for us in the heavens, let us disregard all these things. Let us not then appear as a plaything for those who boasted before us. For the Apostle commands each one to remain in Christ in the calling to which he was called; so that we may receive the crown of patience from Christ the rewarder, which He promised to the one who loves Him. For it is written: "Conquer your desire through patience, and you will be perfect in Christ;" and, "To the one who conquers, I will give to eat from the tree of life which is in the midst of paradise." The Lord says again: Whoever through the wood of the cross conquers all the passions of the flesh, to him I will give a white garment. For if

we fear the Lord, the ineffable goods, and the crowns of glory have been prepared. For the war against the machinations of the enemy and the victory over him, granted through the Lord's help, is not given by the command of the saints, but by three, as in the parable of the seed, the Lord himself said: "For one gave," he says, "thirty, another sixty, another a hundred." And if you examine the Scriptures, you will find the meanings of these orders manifold: martyrs, as my word goes, are those who produce the hundredfold fruit; virgins, the sixtyfold; and the rest, who, according to the Lord's commandments, strive to keep themselves blameless in every conduct pleasing to the Lord, the thirtyfold. May it be ours to be enrolled among your disciples, Christ Jesus, and to enjoy your holy goods, now and into the unending ages of ages. Amen.