260- Do me a Favor, Don’t Talk to me

Abba Agathen was known for being very meticulous. He was always fighting for the salvation of his soul and enjoying the pious life with the Lord. When his departure from this world drew near, he spent three days in complete silence and he was not moving. He was staring and thinking about something that occupied all his thoughts and his feelings.

When the monks woke him up, they asked him, “Where are you, father Abba Agathon?”

“I’m standing in front of God’s judgment.”

“Are you also afraid of this moment?”

“Even though I kept God’s commandments, I’m a human. How can I know if my deeds were acceptable to God?”

“Don’t you have faith that your deeds were acceptable to God?”

“I won’t be sure until I meet God whose judgments are totally different from those of men.”

“Give us an apophthegm.”

“Do me a favor and do not talk to me now.”

 He died at that moment and they saw his face lighting up as one meeting His beloved.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: اصنعوا محبة، لا تكلموني!

Help me my Savior to be ready for death.

Let me await meeting You.

Let me be warned and afraid.

For the sake of this moment, St. Arsani was weeping all his life

And for it, every believer carried his cross with You.

Who can be excused in Your presence?

Your blood saves me.

Your Holy Spirit carries me to the Fatherly bosoms.

My Father Knows, how Much I can Tolerate

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

You’d Be beneath Me