AUTHOR: Thomas Merton
PUBLISHED: Boston, MA: Shambala Publishers, 2004, (128 pages).
Who are the desert fathers? In the fourth century, these people could be found in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, and Persia. They were people of faith who left their cities so that they could venture into the wilderness to be closer to God and cultivate simple practices of the faith. They strive for purity of hearts. In this series, we will be dealing with hermits rather than cenobites. The selections are based on Thomas Merton's book entitled, "The Wisdom of the Desert."
Three Kinds of Men
"Abbot Joseph of Thebes said: There are three kinds of men who find honour in the sight of God: First, those who, when they are ill and tempted, accept all these things with thanksgiving. The second, those who do all their works clean in the sight of God, in no way merely seeking to please men. The third, those who sit in subjection to the command of a spiritual father and renounce all their own desires." (32)
My Thoughts: Indeed, the first is about contentment in spite of illness or temptations. In an age where we are quick to find pain relief or unable to tolerate any kinds of discomfort, being thankful is an important spiritual discipline. The second is about our inner motives. Are we doing our best simply to please people? If so, it will be futile because we will be caught in an endless circle of competition when others do better than us. Seek God instead, who alone knows our needs and our makeup. The last one is obedience and speaks about humility. Perhaps, this third one is the most challenging of them all. Now, what if the three contradict each other? That would be interesting.
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