Elder said: “A little absinthe**...

 An Elder said: “A little absinthe** ruins an entire container of honey and a single sin expels a man from the Kingdom of Heaven and relegates him to the Gehenna of fire. Flee from bodily sin as from fire, O humble monk, lest you be consumed by it." (Speaking about fornication)

+From the Gerontikon

http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2018/06/elder-said-little-absinthe.html?m=1

Training obedience

 Abba Agathon loved very much Abba Alexander, because he was very ascetic, humble, extremely gentle and of mild nature. One day all his disciples where working next to the river along with Abba Alexander who was also working peacefully. Then his disciples said to Abba Agathon: “You see Abba, Abba Alexander does nothing.”

Not my will, but thine, be done

 

 Many times we are unhappy with certain bad thoughts (attacks from the enemy) that continuously come to our minds. These very disagreeable thoughts they can practically torture us and this is why we pray to God to take them away from us. However, at this time we better also consider what our Lord said in his prayer at the garden: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” We read at the Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Gerontikon) the following story. There was someone that was really bothered by evil thoughts and with tremendous humility was saying:

Useful spiritual advice

 

 A monk went once to Elder Feleka. He was also accompanied by several individuals that were not monks. He asked the Elder to tell them something useful like a spiritual advice. But the Elder was silent. The monk pleaded with him for some time, and finally the Elder said:

-You want to hear something useful for the soul?

-Yes, they responded.