Midweek Meditation: "Wisdom of the Desert 5"

TITLE: The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
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."

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Wisdom from Abbot Pastor Part IV

"Abbot Pastor said: If a man has done wrong and does not deny it, but says: I did wrong, do not rebuke him, because you will break the resolution of his soul. And if you tell him: Do not be said, brother, but watch it in the future, you stir him up to change his life." (184)

"Do not dwell in a place where you see that others are envious of you, for you will not grow there." (78)

Additional Wisdom  (Not) from this book

How the abbot Pastor wished to deal gently with one of the Lord's little ones. A brother came to the abbot Pastor and said, "I am working hard at the tilling of my land, for I desire to make a feast for the brethren." The abbot Pastor said to him, "Go in peace, my son, you are doing a good work." Then the brother departed joyfully, and laboured yet more that he might add something to the feast he was preparing. But the abbot Anub, who had heard what was said, rebuked Pastor, saying to him, "Do you not fear God, that you have spoken thus to a brother, telling him to make a feast?" The abbot Pastor, being grieved, was silent. After two days, he sent for the brother to whom he had spoken and, Anub being present, said to him, "What was that which you asked me the other day, for my mind was wandering when I answered you?" The brother replied to him, "I told you about the tilling of my field and the harvest of it, and the feast that I was making." The abbot Pastor said to him, "I thought you were speaking of your brother who is still in the world. The making of feasts is no work for a monk."

The brother was bitterly grieved when he heard this, and cried out, "I know no other good work to do, neither am I able to do any other; may I not till my farm for the sake of the brethren?" So saying, he departed. Then the abbot Anub was exceedingly sorry, and said, "My father, grant me your pardon." Pastor said to him, "Behold! I knew from the beginning that the making of feasts was no work for a monk, but according to the capacity of his mind I spoke to him. At least I excited his mind to a work of love. Now he is sad and despairing, and he will make his feast just the same."


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Midweek Meditation: "Wisdom of the Desert 4"

TITLE: The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
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."

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Wisdom from Abbot Pastor Part III

"Abbot Pastor was asked by a certain brother: How should I conduct myself in the place where I live? The elder replied: Be as cautious as a stranger; wherever you may be, do not desire your word to have power before you, and you will have rest." (115)

"Abbot Pastor said: A man must breathe humility and the fear of God just as ceaselessly as he inhales and exhales the air." (116)

"Abbot Pastor said: Any trial whatever that comes to you can be conquered by silence." (122)

"Abbot Pastor said that Abbot John the Dwarf had prayed to the Lord and the Lord had taken away all his passions, so that he became impassible. And in this condition he went to one of the elders and said: You see before you a man who is completely at rest and has no more temptations. The elder said: Go and pray to the Lord to command some struggle to be stirred up in you, for the soul is matured only in battles. And when the temptations started up again he did not pray that the struggle be taken away from him, but only said: Lord, give me strength to get through the fight." (126)

"Abbot Pastor said: Just as bees are driven out by smoke, and their honey is taken away from them, so a life of ease drives out the fear of the Lord from man's soul and takes away all his good works." (138)

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Midweek Meditation: "Wisdom of the Desert 3"

TITLE: The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
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."

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Wisdom from Abbot Pastor Part II

"A brother inquired of Abbot Pastor, saying: My soul suffers harm from living with the Spiritual Father I have. What, then, do you command me to do? Shall I go on staying with him? Now Abbot Pastor knew that the brother’s soul would be harmed by this other Abbot, and he was surprised that he even asked whether he should go on staying with him. And he said to him: If you like, stay with him. The brother went off and remained with that Father. But he came back again, saying to Abbot Pastor: It is a great burden on my soul! And still Abbot Pastor did not tell him to leave the man. Finally the brother came back a third time and said: Believe me, I am through with him! Then the elder said: See! now you are saved, go, and have no more to do with him. And Abbot Pastor told the same brother: When a man sees that his soul is suffering harm, he has no need to ask about it. When it is a matter of secret thoughts, one asks advice, that the elders may test him. But when there are manifest sins there is no need to inquire—you just break off at once." (85)

"Abbot Pastor said: Get away from any man who always argues every time he talks." (98)

"A brother said to Abbot Pastor: If I give one of my brothers a little bread or something of the sort, the demons spoil everything and it seems to me that I have acted only to please men. The elder said to him: Even if your good work was done to please, we must still give to our brothers what they need. And he told him this story. Two farmers lived in a village. One of them sowed his field and reaped only a small and wretched crop. The other neglected to sow anything at all, and so he reaped nothing. Which of the two will survive, if there is famine? The brother replied: The first one, even though his crop is small and wretched. The elder said to him: Let us also sow, even though our sowing is small and wretched, lest we die in the time of hunger." (110)

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Midweek Meditation: "Wisdom of the Desert 2"

TITLE: The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
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."

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Wisdom from Abbot Pastor

"Abbot Pastor said: There are two things which a monk ought to hate above all, for by hating them he can become free in this world. And a brother asked: What are these things? The elder replied: An easy life and vain glory." (35)

"Abbot Pastor said: The virtue of a monk is made manifest by temptations." (57)

"A certain brother inquired of Abbot Pastor, saying: What shall I do? I lose my nerve when I am sitting alone at prayer in my cell. The elder said to him: Despise no one, condemn no one, rebuke no one, God will give you peace and your meditation will be undisturbed." (75)

"Abbot Pastor said: If you have a chest full of clothing, and leave it for a long time, the clothing will rot inside it. It is the same with the thoughts in our heart. If we do not carry them out by physical action, after a long while they will spoil and turn bad." (79)

"A Brother came to Abbot Pastor and said: Many distracting thoughts come into my mind, and I am in danger because of them. Then the elder thrust him out into the open air and said: Open up the garments about your chest and catch the wind in them. But he replied: This I cannot do. So the elder said to him: If you cannot catch the wind, neither can you prevent distracting thoughts from coming into your head. Your job is to say No to them." (83)

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Midweek Meditation: "Wisdom of the Desert 1"

TITLE: The Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century (Shambhala Library)
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."

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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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Midweek Meditation >> Change

I learn a lot from the desert fathers during my years in seminary, working on my courses on spirituality. There are desert fathers (abba) as well as desert mothers (amma). The sayings are short but extremely profound. Simple and clear, they do not leave much for us to guess.  Instead, the teachings speak simple truths directly into a complex world. Here is one.  It is about we becoming the person we imitate.

Amma Syncletica said: "Imitate the Publican and you will not be condemned with the Pharisee. Choose the meekness of Moses and you will find your heart which is a rock changed into a spring of water."

The questions for us this week.

• Who are we imitating? 
• Are we trying to copy and overcome the person sitting on the next cubicle? 
• Are we doing something simply because others are doing it?
• Are we trying to become the person that we admire, based on some worldly feature? 
• or are we trying to become the person that we worship, based on God's love?

conrade