How Theonas Came to Abbot John

Before we begin to set out the words of this conference held with that excellent man Abbot Theonas, I think it well to describe briefly how his conversion began, because from this the reader will be able to see more clearly both the excellence and the grace of the man. [a]

While he was still very young, he was joined in marriage by the wish and command of his parents. In their devout concern they were careful of his chastity, and they feared a disastrous fall at a dangerous age, so they thought the passions of youth might be headed off by the remedy of a lawful marriage. When he had lived with a wife for five years, he came to Abbot John, who because of his marvelous holiness had then been chosen to preside over the administration of the alms. For it is not just anyone who likes who is promoted to this office by his own wish or ambition. It is only the one whom the assembly of all the elders judges, on account of the advantage of his age and the witness of his faith and his virtues, to be more excellent than all others and above them.

To this blessed John, then, the young man I have spoken of had come in the eagerness of his devotion. He brought gifts of piety along with other landowners who were eager to offer tithes and firstfruits of their goods to the old man I mentioned. When the old man saw them pouring in on him with many gifts, and wanted to make some return for their offerings, he began, as the apostle says, to sow spiritual things for those whose material gifts he was reaping. And so he began his word of exhortation like this.