He [Poemen] also said, 'There is no greater love than that you should lay down your life for your neighbour. When you hear a complaint against you and you struggle with yourself, and do not begin to complain in return, when you bear an injury with patience and do not look for revenge, that is when you lay down your life for your neighbour.'
The Desert Fathers,
Sayings of the Early Christian Monks,
p.178-179
Abba Poemen
Desert Father c. 340-450
Sunday March 29, 2026 - Linda Dion - Abba Poemen, one of the most popular of the Desert Fathers, was a deeply compassionate spiritual director, a wise shepherd and a very charismatic speaker. He was a kind and gentle soul to all those who came to him for guidance. And he is also one of my favourite desert monks! I enjoy reading his "sayings".
As we enter into Holy Week and journey towards Christ's passion and death on the cross, there is still a bit of time left to put into practice what Abba Poemen recommends as to how we can lay down our life for our neighbour, in imitation of Jesus. Simple...but difficult!
May your Holy Week be blessed!
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.