Abba Sisoes

Abba Sisoes said “Let yourself be despised, cast your own will behind your back, and you will be free from care and at peace.”

Abba Sisoes asked Abba Or, “Give me a word,” and he said to him, “Do you trust me?” He replied that he did. Then he said to him, “Go, and what you have seen me do, do also.” Abba Sisoes said to him, “Father, what have I seen you do?” The old man said, “In my own opinion, I put myself below all men.”

It was said of Abba Sisoes that when he was at the point of death, while the Fathers were sitting beside him, his face shone like the sun. He said to them, "Look, Abba Anthony is coming." A little later he said, "Look, the choir of prophets is coming." Again his countenance shone with brightness and he said, "Look, the choir of apostles is coming." His countenance increased in brightness and lo, he spoke with someone. Then the old men asked him, "With whom are you speaking, Father?" He said, "Look, the angels are coming to fetch me, and I am begging them to let me do a little penance." The old man said to him, "You have no need to do penance, Father." But the old man said to them, "Truly, I do not think I have even made a beginning yet." Now they all knew that he was perfect. Once more his countenance suddenly became like the sun and they were all filled with fear. He said to them, "Look, the Lord is coming and he's saying, 'Bring me the vessel from the desert'". Then there was as a flash of lightening and all the house was filled with a sweet odor.