1. It was said of Abba Agathon that he spent a long time building a cell with his disciples. At last when it was finished, they came to live there. Seeing something during the first week which seemed to him harmful, he said to his disciples, "Get up, let us leave this place." But they were dismayed and replied, "If you had already decided to move, why have we taken so much trouble building the cell? People will be scandalized at us, and will say, "Look at them, moving again; what unstable people!"" He saw they were held back by timidity and so he said to them, "If some are scandalized, others, on the contrary, will be much edified and will say, "How blessed are they who go away for God`s sake, having no other care." However, let him who wants to come, come; as for me, I am going." Then they prostrated themselves to the ground and besought him to allow them to go with him.

 

2. Sermon on the Mount Matt. 6:25-33

 

Do Not Worry
25 do not worry about your life [OR CARE NOT FOR YOUR LIFE], what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

31"Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?` or "What shall we drink?` or "What shall we wear?` 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.?

 

3. Abba Agathon said, `If someone were especially dear to me, but I realized that he was causing me to do something less good, I should put him far from me.`