Abba Isaac, Priest of the Cells
Isaac of the Cells was an anchorite in Nitria. He was a disciple of Abba Cronius whom he succeeded as priest and superior in Nitria in 395. He was exiled by Archbishop Theophilus as an Origenist with the Four Tall Brothers. Saying 5 introduces the theme of homosexual temptations which is noticeably absent form the first generation in Scetis; it appears as part of the decline in monastic standards after the devastations. There is in these sayings nostalgia for the virtues and austerities of the early days which mark them as belonging to the third generation.
1. One day they came to make Abba Issac a priest. Hearing this, he ran away to Egypt. He went into a field and hid himself in the midst of the hay. So the clergy went after him in pursuit. Reaching the same field, they stopped there to rest a little, for it was night. They unharnessed the ass to let it graze. The ass went close to the old man, so, when dawn came and they looked for her, they found Abba Isaac too, which filled them with astonishment. They wanted to bind him, but he did not allow it saying, "I will not run away again. For it is the will of God, and wherever I flee, I find that."
2. Abba Isaac said, "When I was younger, I lived with Abba Cronius. He would never tell me to do any work, although he was old and tremulous; but he himself got up and offered food to me and to everyone. Then I lived with Abba Theodore of Pherme and he did not tell me to do anything either, but he himself set the table and said to me, "Brother, if you want to, come and eat." I replied, "I have come to you to help you, why do you never tell me to do anything?" But the old man gave me no reply whatever. So I went to tell the old men. They came and said to him," Abba, the brother has come to your holiness in order to help you. Why do you never tell him to do anything?" The old man said to them, "Am I a cenobite, that I should give him orders? As far as I am concerned, I do not tell him anything, but if he wishes he can do what he sees me doing." From that moment I took the initiative and did what the old man was about to do. As for him, what he did, he did in silence; so he taught me to work in silence."
3. Abba Isaac said, "I knew a brother who wanted to eat an ear of wheat while he was harvesting in a field. He said to the foreman of the field, "Will you allow me to eat an ear of wheat?" The latter was astonished at these words and said to him, "Father, this field belongs to you, why are you asking me this?" See how conscientious the brother was."
4. He also said to the brethren, "Do not bring young boys here. Four churches in Scetis are deserted because of boys."
5. I was said of Abba Isaac that he ate the ashes from the incense offering with his bread.
6. Abba Issac said to the brethren, "Our Fathers and Abba Pambo wore old garments woven from palm fronds and mended all over; now you are foppishly dressed. Go away from here; leave this place." When they prepared to go harvesting he said to them, " I am not giving you any more directions because you would not keep them."
7. One of the Fathers related how, in the time of Abba Isaac, a brother came into the church of the cells one day, wearing a little hood. The old man turned him out saying, "This place is for monks; you are a secular and you may not live here."
8. Abba Issac said, "I have never allowed a thought against my brother who has grieved me to enter my cell; I have seen to it that no brother should return to his cell with a thought against me."
9. Abba Isaac had a serious illness which lasted for a long time. The brother made him a little broth out of flour into which he put some fruit. The old man did not want to taste it so the brother tempted him saying, "Take a little, Father, because you are ill." But the old man said to him, "Truly, brother, I should like this illness to last for thirty years."
10. Abba Issac said that Abba Pambo used to say, "The monk's garment should be such that he could throw it out of his cell for three days and no-one would take it."
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