Anthony's Advice

Ὁ αὐτὸς εἶπε· Πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχε πάντοτε τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μνημόνευε τοῦ θανατοῦντος καὶ ζωογονοῦντος. Μισήσατε τὸν κόσμον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ. Μισὴσατε πᾶσαν σαρκικὴν ἀνάπαυσιν. Ἀποτάξασθε τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ, ἵνα ζήσητε τῷ Θεῷ. Μνημονεύετε τί ἐπηγγείλασθε τῷ Θεῷ· ζητεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸ παρ' ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως. Πεινάσατε, διψήσατε, γυμνητεύσατε, ἀγρυπνήσατε, πανθήσατε, κλαύσατε, στενάξατε τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν· δοκιμάσατε εἰ ἄξιοί ἐστε τοῦ Θεοῦ· καταφρονήσατε τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα σώσητε ὑμῶν τὰς ψυχάς. Ἀποφθέγματα Των Ἁγίων Γερόντων, Παλλαδιος Source: Migne PG 65  85

Father Anthony said, 'Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Be mindful of Him who gives death and life. Hate the world and everything that is in it. Hate all contentment that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may live to God. Remember what you have promised God, for it will be asked of you on the day of judgement. Be hungry, thirst, be naked, be vigilant, be sorrowful, weep, and groan in your heart; test yourselves to see if you are worthy  of God; be contemptuous of the flesh, so that you may save your souls.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia