They said of Abba Daniel that when the barbarians came to Scetis, the Fathers fled. The elder said, “If God does not care for me, why am I alive?” He passed through the midst of the barbarians, and they did not see him. Then he said to himself, “See, God cared for me, and I did not die. So you too must do what is human and flee as the Fathers did.”
A brother asked Abba Daniel, “Give me one command, and I will keep it.” He said to him, “Never put your hand into a dish together with a woman and eat with her. In this way you will escape a little from the demon of fornication.”
Abba Daniel said, “In Babylon there was the daughter of a leading man who had a demon. Her father had a monk whom he loved. The monk said to him, ‘No one can heal your daughter except some anchorites I know. But if you ask them, they will not agree to do it because of their humility. Instead, let us do this: when they come to the market, pretend that you want to buy their wares. When they come to receive the price, we will ask them to pray, and I believe she will be healed.’ Going out to the market, they found one of the elders’ disciples sitting there to sell their baskets. They took him with the baskets, as though he were to receive their price. When the monk entered the house, the demon-possessed woman came and slapped him. He turned the other cheek to her, according to the Lord’s command. The demon was tormented and cried out, ‘What force! The commandment of Jesus drives me out!’ Immediately the woman was cleansed. When the elders returned, they told them what had happened. They glorified God and said, ‘It is the custom of the devil’s pride to fall before the humility of Christ’s commandment.’”
Abba Daniel also said, “As the body flourishes, the soul grows thin; and as the body grows thin, the soul flourishes.”
Once Abba Daniel and Abba Ammoes were traveling. Abba Ammoes said, “When will we too sit in a cell, Father?” Abba Daniel said, “Who is taking God away from us now? God is in the cell, and God is also outside.”
Abba Daniel related that when Abba Arsenius was living in Scetis, there was a monk there who stole the elders’ vessels. Abba Arsenius took him into his cell, wanting both to win him and to give the elders rest. He said to him, “Whatever you want, I will provide for you. Only do not steal.” He gave him gold, coins, clothing, and everything he needed. But when the man went out, he continued stealing. When the elders saw that he did not stop, they drove him away, saying, “If a brother is found to have the weakness of some fault, we must bear with him. But if he steals, drive him away, because he harms his own soul and troubles everyone in the place.”
Abba Daniel the Pharanite related this. “Our Father Abba Arsenius said of a certain elder in Scetis that he was great in ascetic practice but simple in matters of faith. Because of his simplicity he was deceived and said, ‘The bread we receive is not by nature the Body of Christ, but an antitype.’ Two elders heard that he had said this. Knowing that he was great in his way of life, they supposed that he spoke from innocence and simplicity. They went to him and said, ‘Abba, we have heard a statement contrary to the faith from someone: he says that the bread we receive is not by nature the Body of Christ but an antitype.’ The elder said, ‘I am the one who says this.’ They urged him, ‘Abba, do not hold this opinion, but hold what the Catholic Church has handed down. We believe that the bread itself is the Body of Christ and the cup itself is His Blood, truly and not as an antitype. Just as in the beginning God took dust from the earth and formed the human being in His image, and no one can say that it is not the image of God simply because it is incomprehensible, so the bread of which He said, “This is My Body,” we believe to be truly the Body of Christ.’ The elder said, ‘Unless I am persuaded by the thing itself, I cannot be fully assured.’ They said to him, ‘Let us ask God about this mystery throughout this week, and we believe that God will reveal it to us.’ The elder received the word with joy and prayed to God, saying, ‘Lord, You know that I do not disbelieve out of malice; but so that I may not go astray through ignorance, reveal this mystery to me, Lord Jesus Christ.’ The other elders returned to their cells and also prayed to God, saying, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, reveal this mystery to the elder, so that he may believe and not lose his labor.’ God heard both. When the week was completed, on Sunday they came to church. The three stood alone together on one woven seat, with the elder in the middle. Their eyes were opened. When the bread was placed on the holy table, it appeared to the three alone as a little child. When the presbyter stretched out his hand to break the bread, an angel of the Lord came down from heaven with a sword, slaughtered the child, and poured its blood into the cup. As the presbyter broke the bread into small pieces, the angel also cut the child into small pieces. When they approached to receive the Holy Gifts, the elder alone was given bloody flesh. When he saw it, he was afraid and cried out, ‘I believe, Lord, that the bread is Your Body and the cup is Your Blood.’ Immediately the flesh in his hand became bread according to the mystery, and he partook, giving thanks to God. The elders said to him, ‘God knows human nature, that it cannot eat raw flesh; therefore He has changed His Body into bread and His Blood into wine for those who receive with faith.’ They thanked God for the elder, because He had not allowed his labors to be lost, and the three returned to their cells with great joy.”
Abba Daniel also told this about another great elder who lived in the lower parts of Egypt. In his simplicity he said that Melchizedek was the Son of God. When this was reported to blessed Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, Cyril sent for him. He knew that the elder worked signs and that whatever he asked of God was revealed to him, and that he held this opinion in simplicity. So Cyril used this approach and said, “Abba, I ask you: sometimes my thought tells me that Melchizedek is the Son of God, while another thought tells me that he is not, but is a man, a high priest of God. Since I am uncertain about this, I sent for you so that you may pray to God and He may reveal the matter to you.” The elder, confident because of his way of life, said boldly, “Give me three days, and I will ask God about this and tell you who he is.” He went away and prayed to God about the matter. After three days he came to blessed Cyril and said, “Melchizedek is a man.” The archbishop said to him, “How do you know, Abba?” He replied, “God revealed all the patriarchs to me, each one passing before me from Adam down to Melchizedek. Be assured that this is so.” The elder went away and himself proclaimed that Melchizedek was a man. Blessed Cyril rejoiced greatly.