aeternus

“When Abba Arsenius was in the palace, he prayed to
God, and said, “O Lord, direct me how to live”; and
a voice came to him, saying, “Arsenius, flee from
men, and thou shalt live.”

And when Arsenius was living the ascetic life in the
monastery, he prayed to God the same prayer, and again he
heard a voice saying unto him, “Arsenius, flee, keep silence,
and lead a life of silent contemplation, for these are the
fundamental causes which prevent a man from committing sin.”

A certain man said that there were once three men who
loved labours, and they were monks. The first one chose to go
about and see where there was strife, which he turned into
peace ; the second chose to go about and visit the sick ; but
the third departed to the desert that he might dwell in quiet
ness. Finally the first man, who had chosen to still the con
tentions of men, was unable to make every man to be at peace
with his neighbour, and his spirit was sad ; and he went to
the man who had chosen to visit the sick, and he found him
in affliction because he was not able to fulfil the law which he
had laid down for himself. Then the two of them went to the
monk in the desert, and seeing each other they rejoiced, and
the two men related to the third the tribulations which had
befallen them in the world, and entreated him to tell them how
he had lived in the desert. And he was silent, but after a little
he said unto them, “Come, let each of us go and fill a vessel
“of water”; and after they had filled the vessel, he said unto
them, “Pour out some of the water into a basin, and look
“down to the bottom through it,” and they did so. And he
said unto them, “What do ye see?” and they said, “We see
nothing.” And after the water in the basin had ceased to
move, he said to them a second time, “Look into the water,”
and they looked, and he said unto them, “What do ye see?”
And they said unto him, “We see our own faces distinctly”;
and he said unto them, “Thus is it with the man who dwelleth
with men, for by reason of the disturbance caused by
this affair of the world he cannot see his sins ; but if he live
in the peace and quietness of the desert he is able to see God
clearly.”"

- Compiled by Saint Athanasius (c. 297 - 373). From: Paradise or Garden of the Holy Fathers: Volume 1 Containing the Counsels of the Holy Men and the Questions & Answers of the Ascetic Brethren Generally Known as The Sayings of the Fathers of Egypt.