Keep A Careful Watch...

Dear Parish Faithful,

Great Lent: The Fifth Day

From Abba Philemon (6th - 7th c.):

Keep a careful watch on yourself.

Do not allow yourself to be swept away

by external obsessions.

The tumultous movements of the soul,

in particular,

can be rendered quiet by stillness.

But if you keep encouraging and stimulating them,

they will start to terrorize you

and can disorder your whole life.

Once they are in control, it is as hard to heal them

as it is to soothe a sore that we can't stop scratching.