Today September 24

Today is the feast day of one of the Desert Fathers. St. Paphnutius (fourth century), known as "the Buffalo," is one of the big ones. He was head of the four monasteries that were in the desert when St. John Cassian went to visit -- and wisely wrote everything down. Here are his stories:

Abba Paphnutius said, "When I was walking along the road, I happened to lose my way and found myself near a village and I saw some people who were talking about evil things. So I stood still, praying for my sins. Then behold an angel came, holding a sword and he said to me, "Paphnutius, all those who judge their brothers perish by his sword, but because you have not judged, but have humbled yourself before God, saying that you have sinned, your name is written in the book of the living!"

It was said of Abba Paphnutius that he did not readily drink wine. One day he found himself on the road facing a band of robbers who were drinking wine. The captain of the band was acquainted with him and knew that he did not drink wine. Seeing how weary he was, he filled him a cup of wine and holding his sword in his hand he said to him, "If you do not drink this, I will kill you." So the old man took the cup and drank it. Then the captain asked his forgiveness, saying, "Forgive me, abba, for I have made you unhappy." But the old man said, "I believe that, thanks to this cup, God will have mercy on you now and in the age to come." Then the robber captain said, "Have confidence in God that from now on I shall not harm anyone." So the old man converted the whole band by giving up his own will for the Lord's sake.

There was at Scetis with Paphnutius a brother who had to fight against fornication and he said, "Even if I take ten wives, I shall not satisfy my desire." The old man encouraged him, saying, "No, my child, this warfare comes from the demons." But he did not let himself be persuaded and he left for Egypt to take a wife. After a time it happened that the old man went up to Egypt and met him carrying baskets of shellfish. He did not recognize him at all, but the other said to him, "I am so-and-so, your disciple." And the old man, seeing him in such disgrace, wept and said, "How have you lost your dignity and come to such humiliation? No doubt you have taken ten wives?" And groaning, he said, "Truly I have only taken one, and I have a great deal of trouble satisfying her with food." The old man said, "Come back with us." He said, "Is it possible to repent, abba?" He said that it was. And leaving everything, the brother followed him and returned to Scetis, and thanks to this experience he became a good monk.

There was a brother who lived int he desert of the Thebaid and the thought crossed his mind, "Why do you live here in this useless way? Get up and go to the monastery and there you will make progress." So he went and found Abba Paphnutius and told him about this thought. The old man said to him, "Go and stay in your cell; make only one prayer in the morning and one in the evening and one at night. When you are hungry, eat, when you are thirsty, drink; when you are tired, sleep. But stay in the cell and take no notice of this thought." And he went away satisfied. He also became a good monk.

Abba Poemen said that Abba Paphnutius used to say, "Wherever you go, do not judge yourself and you will be at peace." St. Paphnutius, pray for us.