St. John of Egypt

From Rufirms's Lives of the Fathers, chap. 1. Palla dius. Historia Lausiaca chap. 43. and Casaian, 1. 4 I.aatitat. chap. 23. 24, 25.

Amongst all the sainsts of the Egyptian deserts, there is perhaps none, St. Antony excepted, whose name is so illustrious in church history, and the writings of the holy fathers, as that of St. John of Lycopolis (so called from the place, near which he dwelt in the hither Thebais.) He was not only greatly renowned for his extraordinary sanctity and miracles, but also consulted as an oracle from all parts, on account of his eminent spirit of prophecy, not only by persons of an inferior rank, but even by the emperor Theodosius the Great himself, to whom, amongst other things, he foretold his glorious victories over the mighty armies of the two usurpers, Maximus and Eugenius. This Saint was born about the year 305, and brought up at first to the trade of a carpenter, but when grown up to manhood he withdrew himself under an ancient religious man, whom he served with so much diligence-and humility, that the good old father was quite wrapt 'n admiration at his virtue. However, to put it to the trial, whether his virtue was built upon a solid foundation or not, he often enjoined him to do many things

23G ST. JOHN OF EGYPT.

seemingly absurd, or extremely difficult, or altogether impossible, which the humble disciple immediately took in hand, and endeavored to accomplish with a wonderful faith, simplicity, and perseverance, without so much as once allowing himself to reflect on the un reasonableness or impossibility of the injunction: but believing all things possible to obedience, and looking upon the ordinance of his superior as the commandment of God himself, an instance of which is record ed by Cassian. The old father one day fixing a dry stick of wood in the ground, bid his disciple water that tree twice a day, which task, with his usual punctuality in matters of obedience, he constantly perform ed for the space of a whole year, whether sick or well, or whatever other occupation required his attention, though he was obliged to walk the distance of two miles each time to fetch the water, till at the expiration of the year, the old father asked him, whether the tree had as yet taken root or not, and he simply answering that he did not know, the father pulled the stick oui of the ground, and bid him water it no longer.

After the death of his master, having spent about five years in different monasteries in the exercises of a religious life, being then about forty years of age, he retired alone to a steep mountain, about two miles distance from the city of Lycopolis, and there chose a hollow rock of difficult access for his place of abode, which he divided into three rooms or apartments: one af which served him for an oratory, another for a work-room, and the third for his ordinary uses. The entrance of this cavern he closed up so effectually, that for the space of fifty years he neither went oat himself nor admitted any one to enter his enclosure, conversing only on certain days through a window with such as either came to be edified by his heavenly discourses, or to seek counsel, consolation, or a remedy for their diseases; but for the accommodation of such as came from a remote distance, he permitted a dwelling to be erected near to his grotto, where some ser vants of God, who had placed themselves under his direction, took care to provide them with food and lodging. But as for women, none were suffered to approach him upon any account whatsoever. He employed the whole week in conversation with God, except the Saturdays and Sundays, when he let himself be seen through his window by such as came to visit him; and after having prayed for and with them, and entertained them with excellent lessons out of the word of God, according to their exigencies, he resolved their doubts, comforted them in their spiritual afflictions, and encouraged them to fervor and perseverance in the love and service of God. His words were seasoned with that heavenly wisdom which he acquired by a continual conversation with God; for the more he withdrew himself from earthly tilings, the nearer the Spirit of God approached to him, with such heavenly light as not only to endow him with * clear understanding of things present, but also with so perfect a knowledge and foresight of things to come, that few or none of the saints since the Apostles have been found to excel, or even to equal him in the spirit of prophecy. He not only often declared the most secret thoughts of their hearts to those that came to visit him, and reproved them in private for sins of which he could have no knowledge but by revelation, but also foretold public calamities, and cautioned the people against tlve sins by which they were about to draw down the severe judgment of God upon their heads; and on many other occasions relat ing to the public welfare, he not only gave directions to those in power how to act, but punctually foretold the success. He became also illustrious for innumerable miracles: though to avoid ostentation he would never undertake to cure the diseased in his cell, but rather chose to send them some oil he had previous!^ blessed, which never failed to heal them of all their disorders.

Palladius relates how himself had undertaken a journey of eighteen days from mount Nitria to the neighborhood of Lycopolis, on purpose to visit this saint; and that as soon as he saw him, he told him his name, and mentioned the monastery from whence he came; and that shortly after the governor of the province coming in, and the Saint having entertained him for some time in private upon the affairs of his soul, when the governor was gone he let Palladius know what had passed in the mean time in his thoughts. He told him also the temptations he lay under of quitting his solitude, and of returning to hi« native country, under the specious pretext of comforting his aged father, and of inducing his brother and his sister to embrace a religious life, assuring him that such an undertaking was needless, for that they had both of them already renounced the world, and that his father would live seven years longer; and more over, that he should hereafter be a bishop, and afterwards suffer great troubles and afflictions; all which came to pass, for when Palladius, some time after, going into Palestine for a change of air, and from thence into Bithynia, he was there made a Bishop of Helonopolis, and became a partaker in the persecution raised against St. John Chrysostome, being himself also expelled from his see on the same occasion.

Eufinus also with six others, his companions, went in like manner from Jerusalem to visit the great Saint not long before his happy death. At their first coming, when according to custom they were about to join with him in prayer, and then to receive his benediction; he ased if there was not one amongst them in holy orders? They answered, no. But he looked on them one by one, and then pointing to the youngest of the company, he said, this man is a deacon; whicb was actually the case, though he desired to conceal it, and as only one of the company knew it, he therefore continued to deny it; upon which the saint taking hold of his hand, and kissing it, said: u My son, take care not to disown the grace you have received from God, Jest that which is good should be an occasion of your falling into evil, by telling a lie undor the pretext of humility. An untruth must never be told, not even under the pretence of good, nor upon any account whatever; for a lie can never proceed from God, but always from evil, as our Saviour himself teaches." The deacon received this charitable correction with respectful silence. After which, having all united in prayer, as soon as they had finished, one of the company, who was grievously tormented with a tertian ague, humbly entreated the Saint to cure him. He told him, that he desired to be delivered from what was sent him for his good, for that sicknesses, and such like chastisements, contributed to purify the soul. He however gave him some blessed oil, by the application of which he was suddenly and perfectly healed. The man of God gave orders, says Rufinus, for our entertainment, according to the strictest rules of hospitality, taking much care of us, whilst he was altogether regardless of himself; for he never eat till after vespers, and then but a verj small quantity of what had never been near the fire This was his manner of fasting, in which he still perse vered though he was now ninety years of age.

After refreshing their bodies by the entertainment the saint had ordered for them, they returned again to receive from him the food of their souls. Having asked them, from what place they came, and what was the motive of their journey? They answered, that they came from Jerusalem, with a desire to be edified by seeing what they had heard so much of. Upon which he told them, with a cheerful serenity of countenance, which proceeded from the inward joy and peace of his soul, that he wondered how they should take so much pains, and suffer the fatigues of so long a journey, merely to see a poor frail imperfect mortal, in whom there was nothing worthy of any one's seeking after or admiring; for even supposing they had conceived an opinion that they might be edified by what they should see in him, or hear from his mouth, yet how inconsiderable would all this be in t'omparison of *vhat they might learn at any time without going abroad, from the prophets and apostles, or rather from the spirit of God in the holy Scriptures. However, seeing they came so far with a desire to hear something from him, he made them a most divine ex hortation, set down at large by Rufinus; in which, after cautioning them against the danger of being puffed up by vanity, on account of their journey, or any thing they should see or hear from tne servants of God, either by harboring a better c pinion 01 trieni Reives, or seeking to raise themselves in tne esteem c"> athers, he proceeds to expatiate on the pernicious effects of pride and vain-glory, which not only rob us of the fruit and reward of all our good works, but is capable of even casting the soul, that seems to herself to have already ascended to the top of the hill of religious perfection, headlong down- the precipice that leads to the bottomless pit, as was the case with Satan and his angels. Of this he told them a dreadful ex ample, which had lately happened in that very desert, of a solitary, who dwelt in a cavern by himself, and led an austere life, laboring with his own hands for his subsistence, and passing both day and night in prayer; after having attained to an eminent degree of virtue, suffering himself to be puffed up with pride and a conceit of his own strength, he fell an easy prey to the enemy; who assuming the shape of a woman in distress, and being admitted by him into his cave, excited in his heart impure thoughts and criminal desires; to which, when he had consented, and was seeking to put them into execution, the phantom vanished away with a most hideous noise, whilst a multitude of devils was heard in the place, with a loud laughter mocking and insulting him. The wretch was so much cast down and confounded at his shameful fall, that aban doning all thoughts of endeavoring to rise again, and repair, by penance and humility, the fault into whicri his pride had betrayed him, he fell, into the deep gulf of despair, and returning into the world, he gave him aelf up to all manner of impurities, industriously avoiding the meeting or conversing with any holy person, who by their wholesome admonitions might seek to reclaim and convert him.

In the sequel of his discourse the Saint also incul cates the necessity of keeping a strict guard upon our hearts and thoughts, in order to prevent any passion, or disorderly affection of the will, or the vain desire of any thing which is not according to God, from taking root in the heart; for from these roots a thousand distractions presently shoot up, to the great prejudice of our attention and devotion in prayer, as well as to the purity of the soul; " so that it is not enough," says he, " to have renounced the world, and all the works of Satan, the prince of the world, nor even to have left our goods, our lands, and all we possessed in the world, we must also renounce our imperfections, and all vain pleasures, and unprofitable and hurtful desires, which, as the apostle tells us, I Tim. vi. 9, drown men in destruction and perdition. — For with out renouncing these things, we never effectually renounce the devil and all his works; since it is by their means the devil enters and takes possession of our heart. These disorderly affections hold a correspondence with our enemy; nay, as they proceed from him, and open to him the door of the soul, it is no wonder such souls should never enjoy rest, but rather be always agitated by troubles and commotion, since they arc always encompassed by so wretched a guest to whom they have given admittance by their passions and vices. On the other hand, he that has indeed renounced the world, that is to say, retrenched all his vices and passions, and banished all disorderly affections to sin far from his soul, so as to leave no gate open by which the devil may enter; — he who repressee his anger, resists and overcomes all irregular mo tions to evil, — avoids all lying, — abhors envy, — who not only speaks well of every one, but even denies himself the liberty of thinking evil of any one, and who always considers the good and evil of his neigh bor as his own, and behaves accordingly on every occasion, such a one as this opens the gate of his soul to the Holy Spirit, who enters in and fills it with his h'ght, and with those admirable fruits of charity, joy, peace, patience, &c. which are produced in the soul by this heavenly Comforter." Wherefore the Saint proceeds to recommend in a particular manner to all who are desirous of being truly religious, to labor to acquire such perfect purity, both of conscience and of heart, as may enable them to offer up to our Lord Buch a perfect and pure prayer as may introduce them to a certain familiarity with his divine Majesty and his holy angels, and to such a happy union of love, as to be enabled to say with St. Paul, Rom. viii. 38, 39. That neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to tome — nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He further adds, that the best means to attain this perfect purity, so pleasing to God, is to retrench by the virtue of mortification, vanities, inordinate af fections, and sensual delights of every kind, even in small things, and to walk resolutely in the narrow way of self-denial and penance; with which, if we join the love of solitude, silence, and recollection of spirit, we shall easily arrive at perfection, and even begin to en joy a kind of heaven upon earth.

With these and such like heavenly discourses the Saint entertained his guests, and after three days dis missed them, giving them his blessing, and telling them at parting, that on that very day the news was brought to Alexandria of the victory which the emperor Theodosius had obtained over the tyrant Eu-genius, but, said he, that good emperor shall not long survive this happy event, -but shall die a natural death. All which they soon after found to be true. The man of God himself did not survive that year. During the space of three days before his death, he let no man see him; and on the fourth day, being on his knees in prayer, he breathed out his pure soul into the hands of his Creator, whom he went to enjoy for a happy eternity.

Palladius relates, as having learnt it from the Saint himself, that during* the many years he had lived in his cavern he had never seen any woman, nor one piece of money, nor ever beheld any man eating, nor had any man ever seen him either eat or drink.

But we must not here omit a very remarkable his tory relating to this Saint, which we find not only at tested by Rufinus and Palladius, but also by St. Au gustine, L. de Cura pro Mortuis, c. 17. which he had learnt from those who had been informed thereof by the very parties themselves to whom it happened. A certain tribune or colonel came to the Saint and beg ged he would allow his wife to see him, as she had un dertaken a long and dangerous journey out of an extreme desire she had of visiting him. The man of God answered, that he never saw, nor admitted of visits from any woman. But as the colonel still press ed him, affirming that it would cost his wife her life, through the greatness of her affliction, if she were not admitted to see him, the Saint bid him go, and assure his wife she should see him without giving herself the trouble of either coming to him, or so much as going out of her own bed chamber. Accordingly that very night the man of God appeared to her in a vision in her sleep, said to her: " O woman, great is thy faith, which has obliged me to come hither to satisfy thy request. However I must warn thee against desiring in future to see the mortal and earthly visage of the servants of God, but rather to contemplate with the eye of the spirit their lives and other actions: for tkt flesh profitetrt nothing, but it is the spirit that giveth fife. Know this also, that I, not in the quality of a Saint, or of a prophet, as thou imaginest, but only in consideration of thy faith, have prayed to our Lord for thee, and he has been pleased to grant to thee the cure of all the corporal diseases under which thou laborest; and henceforward both thou and thy husband shall enjoy good health, and all thy house shall oe blessed. But take care that thou never forget the benefits of God; live always in the fear of the Lord, and desire no more for thy worldly subsistence than the appointment due to thy post. Content thyself then with having seen me in thy sleep, and desire no more." When the woman awaked, she related the whole vision to her husband, describing the habit of the Saint, and all the lineaments of his face, which to his great astonishment all perfectly agreed. Upon which he went the next day to return thanks to the man of God; who as soon as he saw him, said: " be hold I have fulfilled my promise, depart then in peace, and may the blessing of God go alono- with you both."

St. John of Egypt is celebrated in the Roman Martyrolo^y on the seventeenth of March.