Wisdom from the Desert

Some old men went to Abba Poemen and asked,"If we see brothers sleeping during the common prayer, should we wake them?"Abba Poemen answered,"If I see my brother sleeping, I put his head on my kneesand let him rest."Then one old man spoke up,"And how do you explain yourself before God?"Abba Poemen replied,"I say to God: You have said, 'First take the beam out of your own eye and then you will be able to remove the splinter from the eye of your brother.' " ================ Quarrel There were two old men who dwelt together for many years and who never quarreled.Then one said to the other:"Let us pick a quarrel with each other like other men do.""I do not know how quarrels arise," answered his companion.So the other said to him:"Look, I will put a brick down here between us and I will say 'This is mine.' Then you can say 'No it is not, it is mine.' Then we will be able to have a quarrel."So they placed the brick between them and the first one said:"This is mine."His companion answered him:"This is not so, for it is mine."To this, the first one said:"If it is so and the brick is yours, then take it and go your way."And so they were not able to have a quarrel. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' vmalpan@gmail.com