Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic

Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

November 2022

November 29, 2022

Do Not Scorn

Charity, love, is at the heart of authentic Christian morality. What we do must be...

November 22, 2022

Pride And Anger

It is easy for us to let pride take control and lead us astray. It...

November 07, 2022

The Tool Is Not The Goal

A time of fasting is a time of preparation. However invaluable fasting, or any other...

October 2022

October 19, 2022

Rigid Legalism Will Only Wear Us Out

Rigid legalism offers us an unbearable burden which can and will wear us out if...

October 12, 2022

Love Establishes The Harmony We Need

“Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;...

September 2022

September 28, 2022

We All Naturally Seek That Which Is Good

Typically, during daily lives, and the spiritual development we have happen during them, we will...

September 21, 2022

Good Versus Judgmental Judgements

We are not to be judgmental, looking for reasons to condemn others. We are meant...

August 2022

August 31, 2022

We Must Not Confuse Our Will With God’s Will

St. Ammonas, a disciple of St. Antony of Egypt, eventually found himself in a position...

August 28, 2022

God Makes Salvation Possible

Grace gives us what we need to be saved; it acts as a medicine, healing...

August 24, 2022

We Should Make The World A Better Place

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your...

August 10, 2022

A Faith Not Lived Out Is Dead

The Christian faith is meant to lived, not just studied or spoken about. We must...

July 2022

July 27, 2022

Without Prudence, Zeal Can Be Dangerous

Both youth and recent converts to a new faith often show a lot of zeal...

July 06, 2022

Our Neighbor And Our Salvation

We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to take care of them...

June 2022

June 28, 2022

Abba Paul and Abba Timothy’s Arguments

It’s common, indeed, normal, for siblings to fight each other. Regardless how intense those fights...

June 20, 2022

Humility And Love

Ascetic Christian spirituality is based upon the recognition that we are all in need of...

May 2022

May 30, 2022

Transgressing The Law

As Christians, it is important that we should spiritually develop our ourselves, abandoning vices and...

May 24, 2022

Our Words Should Be Used To Build Each Other Up

“And he called the people to him and said to them, ‘Hear and understand: not...

May 18, 2022

Created Out Of Love

God needs nothing from us; the divine nature is unchangeably perfect. All the qualities we...

May 11, 2022

We Should Have Patience With Those Who Come To Us For Help

People dealing with difficult situations often find themselves going to the same people, time and...

May 02, 2022

God’s Does Not Desire To Throw Anyone Away

God is merciful and kind; God loves us and does not want to put undue...

April 2022

April 27, 2022

We Should Bear Each Other’s Burden

Christianity, teaching us that we should love everyone, tells us that we are called to...

April 18, 2022

Stand In Glory

Rejoice, and again, rejoice, celebrate the glory of the resurrection! Let us shout out with...

April 12, 2022

Mercy And Diversity Help Communities Flourish

Despite their ascetic discipline, a discipline established to help them pursue the form of holiness...

March 2022

March 18, 2022

We Should Not Let Bad Thoughts Take Hold Of Our Lives

We often have odd ideas cross our minds, causing us to wonder how and why...

March 09, 2022

Know When To Speak And When To Be Silent

We live in a foolish era; everyone likes to speak, giving their opinion to everything,...

February 2022

February 28, 2022

Fasting, And Other Spiritual Tools, Should Be Engaged With Prudence

Our spiritual struggle, our fight against our worst instincts and inclinations, cannot and will not...

February 22, 2022

Wrestling With God

Scripture is full of examples of those who were promised great things by God and...

January 2022

January 24, 2022

Religious Life, Child Bearing And The Dignity Of Women

Historically, one of the reasons why women entered religious orders was because they believed that...

January 19, 2022

We Should Engage Our Ministry With Compassion

Ministry is important, but we must remember, there are many different ways to be ministers....

December 2021

December 20, 2021

Tradition Should Be Living. It Is Not About Following A Dead Letter

Tradition is important, but we must understand tradition is meant to be a living tradition,...

Related posts from A Little Bit of Nothing

Catholic

The Unknown God Revealed In Christ

A Little Bit of Nothing

Catholic

Body, Mind, and Soul: Why Christians Must Value...

A Little Bit of Nothing

Catholic

We Will Struggle Against Temptation Until Our Last...

A Little Bit of Nothing

Catholic

What Is The Wedding Garment God Wants Us...

A Little Bit of Nothing

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos