Progressing To Good Judgement

Τούτῳ τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀμμωνᾷ προεφήτευσεν ὁ ἀννᾶς Ἀντώνιος, λέγων, ὅτι Ἔχεις προκόψαι εἰς τὸν φόβον τοῠ Θεοῠ, καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτὸν ἔξω τοῦ κελλίου, καὶ ἔδειχεν αὐτῷ λίθον, καὶ ἔιπεν αὐτῷ· Ὕβρισον τὸν λίθον τοῦτον καὶ τύψον αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ἐποίησεν οὕτως. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Μὴ ἐλάλησεν ὁ λίθος; Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Οὑχί. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀντώνιος· Οὕτω και σὺ καταλαβεῖν μέλλεις τοῦτο τὸ μέτρον. Ὅ καὶ ἐγένετο. Προέκοψε γὰρ ὁ ἀββᾶς Ἀμμωνᾶς οὕτως, ὡς ἀπὸ πολλῆς ἀγαθότητος μηκέτι εἰδέναι τὴν κακίαν. Ἐν οἶς γενομένου αὐτοῦ ἐπισκόπου, προσήνεςκαν αὐτῷ παρθένον λαβοῦσαν ἐν γαστρὶ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ὁ δεῐνα ἐποίησε τοῠτο· δὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμίαν. Ὁ δὲ σφραγίσας αὐτῆς τὴν κοιλίαν, ἐκέλευσε δοθῆναι αὐτῇ ἔξ ζυγὰς σινδονίων, λέγων· Μήποτε ὡς ἀπέρχεται γεννῆσαι, ἀποθάνῃ ἢ αὐτὴ ἢ τὸ παιδίον, καὶ μὴ εὔρῃ κηδευθῆναι. Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ κατ' αὐτῆς ἐντυχόντες· Τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; δὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμίαν. Ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς· βλέπετε, ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστι τοῦ θανάτου· καὶ τί ἔχω ἐγὼ ποιῆσαι; Καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτήν· καὶ οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ὁ γέρων κατακρῖναί τινα. Ἀποφθέγματα Ἀγίων Γερόντων, Παλλάδιος Γαλατίας Source: Migne PG 65.121b-c

Father Anthony spoke a prediction to Father Ammonas, saying that he would progress in the fear of God. He led him outside his cell, and showing a stone to him, said to him, 'Hurt this stone, and beat it.' And he did so. Then Anthony said to him, 'Has the stone said anything?' He replied, 'No.' Then Father Anthony said to him, 'You too will rise to the level of this stone.' And so it was. For Father Ammonas advanced to the point where his goodness was so great, he took no notice of wickedness. Thus, having become bishop, someone brought to him a young girl who was pregnant, saying, 'The wretched girl has done this; give her a punishment.' But he, having marked the young girl's womb with the sign of the cross, commanded that six pairs of fine linen sheets should be given her, saying, 'It is for fear that, when she comes to give birth, she may die, she or the child, and have nothing for the burial.' But her accusers resumed, 'Why did you do that? Give her a punishment.' But he said to them, 'Look, brothers, she is near death; and what shall I to do?' Then he sent her away, for the elder did not dare condemn anyone. Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia