Dorotheus of Gaza

Dorotheus of Gaza ( * 505, † 565, alternative spelling: Dorotheos ) or Abba Dorotheus was a Christian monk and Dept. He came under the influence of the hermit Barsanuphius the monastery of Abba Serid (alternative spelling: Abba Sveridus ) a. To 540 he founded his own monastery nearby and became its head. He wrote instructions for monks, many of which have survived in the Doctrinae diversae collection. In the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church he is recognized as a saint and will be on June 5 and June 18 ( corresponding to 5 June in the Gregorian calendar).

Some instructions of Abba Dorotheus

• The providence of God.

Wishes you not, that things happen according to your determination but wishes to you that it is, as it should be; in this way, reaches its peace with all. And believe that everything that happens to us, even the most insignificant, by the providence of God appears. Then you will endure everything that happens to you for no apparent reason.

• The desire for goodness.

Anyone who desires the salvation, not only must avoid evil, but is required to do good, as the Psalm says: "let away from evil and do good " (Psalm 34, 15). When someone was upset, he should not only overcome his anger, but also show clemency; and if someone was proud, he shall not only overcome his pride, but also show modesty. So every vice has an opposing virtue: pride - modesty, avarice - generosity, lust - chastity, impatience - patience, anger - gentleness, love - hate.

• The fight against their own inadequacies

What is a person who pursues his passions? He is like a man who, after he was fired from his enemies with arrows, the latter shall take with his hands and his heart pierced with them. But who resists his passions, is like someone who is overwhelmed by his enemies with arrows, but remains unharmed because he is well armed. And who has overcome his passions altogether, as someone who they either break under a hail of arrows or she steers back into the hearts of his enemies - just as the Psalm says: " Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows is broken. "(Psalm 37, 15).

• Protection of conscience.

When God created man, He breathed into him something divine; a certain idea, a spark of light and heat. The idea that enlightens the mind and shows him what and what is right and wrong, conscience is called. Conscience is a law of nature. Long before a law was written, patriarchs and saints were pleasing to God by following the voice of their conscience.

• Moderation and gentleness

Not only the food we should be moderate, but we include every sin. Just as we fast with our stomach, we should also fast with our tongue. Likewise, we should fast with our eyes, eg consider any exciting things and not allow our eyes, shamelessly and without restraint roam Likewise, we should keep our arms and legs from doing evil.

It is impossible to be indignant about his neighbor without first rising above him, to humiliate him and to regard themselves as standing higher than him.

• The worries and the Providence of God

If we suffer something unpleasant by our best friend, we know that he did not do it intentionally and loves us. We need to just think of God who created us to make our sake was incarnate and this has given for our sake with the greatest torments. We need to be aware of us that he has done all this out of kindness and love for us. We could accept that our friend, even though he loves us, has not done anything quite right and we therefore violated involuntarily. The same can not be accepted by God, because He is the highest wisdom and therefore always knows what is good for us and even still sets up the smallest things for our good. It may also be that our friend, although he loves us and feels with us, is unable to help us. But this can not be said of God, because HIM everything is possible and nothing is too difficult. So we know that God loves us and is gentle to us and infinitely wise and all-powerful. Everything he does is done for our benefit, and we should accept it with gratitude as from a benefactor, even if it appears to us as sorrow.

• Attainment of spiritual peace

Let us consider why a person sometimes when she is offended, is entzürnt, and other times not. What is the reason for this different behavior? And there is for a single reason, or is it more? There are several reasons, although they all originate from one main reason. Sometimes it happens that one is after praying or a charitable exercise in a friendly spiritual atmosphere and therefore its opposite neighbor is forgiving and does not interfere in his words. It may also be that one person to another is taken over all positive and therefore endure without murmuring what these causes you. Conversely, it may also be that a person is the one who wants to insult him, despised, and consequently ignores him.

• Modesty and vile thoughts

We need to know that a person who is oppressed by certain thoughts and this ( to his spiritual father) confesses not, this thought gives more power to torture and oppress. But if this person confesses to the depressing thoughts when they opposed him and fights him and seeks the opposite of that thought, then the passion is weakened and will eventually cease to torment him. So this person is with time, trusting in themselves and with the support of God, overcome the passion itself.

• Love to the neighbor

I heard from someone who, when he visited one of his friends and vorfand his apartment in disarray and dirt, thought to himself: " Blessed is this because he restores his earthly costumes and his spirit so much directed to the Celestial that he not. hatnimmt even have time to clean up his apartment " but when he visited another friend and his apartment vorfand neat and clean, he thought to himself: " his soul is as clean as his home; her condition speaks for his soul " And he never condemned others as slovenly or arrogant. ; by his friendly attitude he saw only the good in everyone and was treated well by all. May the Lord grant us the same friendly attitude so that we are treated well by all and never realize the mistakes of others like them.