Work
A Discourse on Abba Philemon
A desert elder's prayer practice in narrative form
A narrative account of the prayer practice of a desert elder named Philemon. Unlike the aphoristic and analytical texts that dominate the Philokalia, this discourse tells a story — of a practitioner's daily life, his method of prayer, and the transformation that results. The narrative form makes it one of the most accessible texts in the collection. Particularly valuable for its concrete depiction of how the Jesus Prayer was practiced in the context of an actual life.