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| January 2008 |
| Billie Silvey |
| Spiritual Simplicity |
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| The desert is a hard place. It’s hard to find food there. You don’t carry a lot of belongings with you. After Jesus was baptized, Satan led him into the desert to tempt him. (This Christmas I received a fictional account of the story from a totally different perspective ). During his ministry, he went away on his own to pray and encouraged his disciples to do the same. Paul, after his conversion, went away to Arabia. In the third century, a group of Christian hermits, ascetics and monks sought to follow their example by renouncing the world and moving into the Egyptian desert. At first, they did it to flee Roman persecution. Then they did it because they were attracted by the solitude and felt they could better learn self-discipline and follow God single-mindedly there. In the fourth century, they introduced common prayers and meals, which developed into monasticism. They were known as the Desert Fathers, and their writings and spirituality still have influence. Here is a sample of their writings: Poverty “In the matter of piety, poverty serves us better than wealth, and work better than idleness, especially since wealth becomes an obstacle even for those who do not devote themselves to it. Yet, when we must put aside our wrath, quench our envy, soften our anger, offer our prayers, and show a disposition which is reasonable, mild, kindly, and loving, how could poverty stand in our way. For we accomplish these things not by spending money but by making the correct choice. Almsgiving above all else requires money, but even this shines with a brighter luster when the alms are given from our poverty. The widow who paid in the two mites was poorer than any human, but she outdid them all.” --St. John Chrysostom Humility “I saw the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, ‘What can get through from such snares?’ Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Humility.’” --St. Anthony the Great Fasting “I shall speak first about control of the stomach, the opposite to gluttony, and about how to fast and what and how much to eat. I shall say nothing on my own account, but only what I have received from the Holy Fathers. They have not given us only a single rule for fasting or a single standard and measure for eating, because not everyone has the same strength; age, illness or delicacy of body create differences. But they have given us all a single goal: to avoid overeating and the filling of our bellies. . . . A clear rule for self-control handed down by the Fathers is this: stop eating while still hungry and do not continue until you are satisfied.” --St. John Cassian The Centrality of God “First of all it must be understood that it is the duty of all Christians--especially of those whose calling dedicates them to the spiritual life--to strive always and in every way to be united with God, their creator, lover, benefactor, and their supreme good, by Whom and for Whom they were created. This is because the center and the final purpose of the soul, which God created, must be God Himself alone, and nothing else--God from whom the soul has received its life and its nature, and for Whom it must eternally live.” --St. Dimitry of Rostov We may not escape to the desert--or even desire to. But we will have desert times in our lives, times of temptation and trial. And we'd be wise to create desert times--daily through devotions and journaling; weekly through worship and small groups; and yearly through holidays which recall us to the simple basics of our lives and faith. |