OrthodoxFathers.org » Repentance http://orthodoxfathers.org Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:44:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Sin of Lust, Blasphemy and Repentance http://orthodoxfathers.org/sin-of-lust-and-blasphemy-and-repentance.htm http://orthodoxfathers.org/sin-of-lust-and-blasphemy-and-repentance.htm#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:50:19 +0000 Administrator http://orthodoxfathers.org/?p=231 A brother was attacked by the demon of lust. Now it happened that he went through an Egyptian village where he saw the daughter of a priest of the pagans.  He fell in love with her and said to her father, "Give her to me as my wife." The other replied, "I cannot give her to you without the authority of my god," and he went to the demon and said to him "here is a monk who has come, wanting my daughter.  Shall I give her to him?"  The demon replied, "Ask him if he will deny his God, his baptism, and his promises as a monk."  The monk agreed to this, and immediately he saw, as it were, a dove coming out of his mouth which flew away to the heavens.  Then the priest went to the demon and said to him, "Yes, he has agreed to these three things."  Then the devil replied, "Do not give him your daughter to wife, for his God has not gone from him and continues to help him." The priest went and said to him, "I cannot give her to you, for your God aids you and has not turned from you." When he heard these word, the brother said to himself, "God has shown me so great goodness, wretch that I am, even though I have denied Him, together with my baptism and promises as a monk.  God who is good, continues even now to come to my aid!" So he came to his senses, and became watchful, and went to the desert to visit a great old man to tell him about the affair.  The old man replied, "Stay here with me in the cave, and fast for three consecutive weeks, and I will intercede for you to God." The old man labored for the brother and besought God, saying, "Lord, I beseech you, grant me this soul and receive his repentance", and God heard him.  When one week was over, the old man went to visit the brother and asked him, "Have you seen anything?"  The brother replied, "Yes, I have seen a dove, high up in the heavens, facing towards my head." And the old man replied, "Give heed to yourself and implore God strenuously."  After the second week the old man went to see the brother and asked him, "Have you seen anything?"  He replied, "I Have seen the dove close to my head", and the old man encouraged him, "Be watchful and pray." As soon as the third week was completed, the old man sent to see him once again and asked him, "Have you seen anything else?"  He said, "I have seen the dove coming and standing on my head, and I put out my hand to take her, and the dove took wing and entered into my mouth."  Then the old man gave thanks to God and said to the brother, "See, God has accepted your repentance; henceforth, watch yourself." And the brother replied, "From now on, abba, I shall stay with you till my death."

Originally posted 2008-03-06 20:20:24.

]]> http://orthodoxfathers.org/sin-of-lust-and-blasphemy-and-repentance.htm/feed 0