Авва Кроний

1. They told about Abba Kronia that he was one of the oldest disciples of Anthony the Great. He was one hundred and ten years old. He acquired and maintained such humility until old age that, while instructing others, he constantly reproached himself 633. 2. The brother asked Abba Kronius: “What should I do with forgetfulness, which captivates my mind and possesses me so much that because of it I fall into sins?” The elder answered him: “Because of the wicked lifestyle of the sons of Israel, the foreigners captured the ark of the Lord, took it with them and placed Dagon, their god, in the church. Then Dagon fell on his face before the ark of the Lord.” The brother asked: “What does this mean?” The elder answered: “If forgetfulness prevails in a person’s mind based on the reasons that produce this forgetfulness, then it also leads to the obvious fulfillment of the demands of the passions. If the mind, having rejected the foundations on which forgetfulness is based, turns to God and seeks Him, remembering the separation of the soul from the body and the judgment that follows this separation, then forgetfulness immediately leaves the person and completely disappears. Scripture also teaches this. “When you return to breathe,” it says, “then you will be saved and understand where you were” (Is. 30:15) 634. 3. The brother asked Abba Kronius: “By what means does a person achieve humility?” The elder answered: “By the fear of God.” The brother asked again: “By what means does a person come into the fear of God?” The elder answered: “In my opinion, one should renounce everything, take upon oneself bodily labors, and with every effort keep within oneself the remembrance of the departure of the soul from the body.”635 With such remembrance of death, bodily feat takes on the meaning of actively expressed, and therefore very real, repentance. 4. The brother said to Abba Kronius: “Tell me an edifying word.” Abba answered him: “When Elisha came to the Somanite woman, he found her alien to relations with anyone; after the coming of the prophet she conceived and gave birth to a son.” The brother asked: “What is the meaning of these words?” The elder answered: “When the soul remains in sobriety, protects itself from enemy temptation and does not fulfill its lusts, then the Spirit of God comes to it, and it, being barren in its loneliness, receives the ability to conceive and give birth.” 636 5. Abba Kronius said: “If Moses had not brought his sheep to the foot of Mount Sinai, he would not have seen the fire in the bush.” The brother asked: “What does the bush mysteriously mean?” The elder answered: “The cup signifies bodily deeds, according to the testimony of Scripture, which says: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the countryside” (Matthew 13:44). The brother said to this: “Consequently, without bodily achievement, a person will not be able to achieve any state of grace!” The elder answered: “The Scripture clearly testifies to this. “Looking,” it says, “at Jesus, the author of faith and the perfecter of Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). And David says: “If I give sleep to my eyes, and let me slumber everywhere” (Ps. 131:4) 637. 6. Abba Kronius 638 said: “Abba Isidore of Pelusia told us the following: “During my stay on Mount Sinai, there was a brother there of very active life, and very handsome in appearance. He came to church in an old short cell robe, which was covered in patches. Seeing him in such attire among many brothers, one day I said to him: “Brother! You see that all the brethren are present in church in decent attire, like Angels: why do you always come in such clothes? He answered: “Abba! forgive me: I have no other clothes.” I invited him to my cell, gave him leviton and everything he needed. From that time on, he dressed like the other brothers, and his appearance was like that of an Angel. The fathers were faced with the need to send ten brothers to the emperor on some matter. The fathers included this brother among those sent. Hearing about this, he fell down before his fathers and said to them: “Forgive me for the sake of the Lord! I am a slave of one of the nobles there: if he recognizes me, he will remove me from monasticism and force me to enter into his service again.” The fathers, believing what was said, left him. Subsequently, it became known from a certain visitor who knew this brother briefly that in worldly life he had the rank of eparch, but said so about himself in order to remain in obscurity and so as not to create rumors between people. – With such care the fathers avoided the glory of this world and the comforts of temporary life 639. This Cronius apparently lived much later than the first Cronius, a student of Anthony the Great. You might be interested in: