The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks - 16. Patience (2/2/19)

At a meeting of the hermits in Cellia, Evagrius made a speech. Then the priest there said, 'Evagrius, we know that if you were in your own country, perhaps you would already be a bishop, ruling over many. Here you are only a pilgrim.' Evagrius was pierced to the heart at these words, but he bent his head calmly and without haste and looked at the ground, then wrote in the dust with his finger, and said, 'Truly, brothers, that is right. But as it is written, "I have spoken once and I will no more answer" (Job 40:5).'