Desert Fathers

In his own words on 1 John

• 1 John 1:9

  A hermit said that a man once committed a serious sin. Stricken with remorse, he went to confess to another monk. He did not tell him what he had done, but put it in the form of a question, 'If such a thought arose in someone's mind, would he be saved?' The monk, who had no discretion, answered, 'You are completely lost.' When the brother heard this, he said, 'Well, if I'm going to perish, I'll go and do it in the world.' But on his way he considered the matter and decided to tell his temptations to Silvanus, who possessed great discretion in these matters. The brother went to him and did not tell him what he had done, but again put it in the form of a question, 'If a thought like this came into someone's mind, could he be saved?' Silvanus began to speak to him with texts from Scripture, and said, 'That judgement does not only fall on people tempted to sin.' The brother perceived the force of the saying, and began to hope, and told him what he had done. When Silvanus learnt what he had done, he acted like a skilled physician and put on his soul a poultice made of texts from Scripture, showing him that repentance is available for all who in truth and in charity turn to God. After some years Silvanus met the monk who had driven the brother to despair, and told him what had happened, and said, 'That brother, who despaired because of your words, and was going back to the world, is now a bright star among the brothers.' He told him this so that we may know how perilous it is when anyone confesses thoughts or sins to someone without discretion.

  The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks