A Labyrinthine Journey

More from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Benedicta Ward, trans, Cistercian Publications, 1975).

This one comes from Abba Arsenius who was originally a tutor in the Royal Court in Rome, then left it all for the solitude of the Egyptian desert.

A brother questioned Abba Arsenius to hear a word of him and the old man said to him, “Strive with all your might to bring your interior activity in accord with God, and you will overcome exterior passions.” [Arsenius Saying # 9, page 10]

With all the focus nowadays with image and looking good and how can we as the church present ourselves in such a way that seekers will be interested in us, Abba Arsenius provides me a needed corrective. It all comes back to who we are with God when no one can see us. The nature of the work of the Spirit is that as we align our hearts with our relationship with the loving God, then our lives will follow. And instead of being controlled by the world around us and our/its image of us, God is able to recreate us as grace and righteousness desire.

Continuing my reading of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Benedicta Ward, trans; published by Cistercian Publications, 1975).

This is from Abba Agathon, one of the early monks at the community of Scetis.

The brethren also asked him, “Amongst all good works, which is the virtue which requires the greatest effort?” He answered, “Forgive me, but I think there is no labour greater than that of prayer to God. For every time a man wants to pray, his enemies, the demons, want to prevent him, for they know that it is only by turning him from prayer that they can hinder his journey. Whatever good work a man undertakes, if he preseveres in it, he will attain rest. But prayer is warfare to the last breath.” [Agathon, #9, p21f]

So I am not alone in the struggles with prayer, nor will it really get much easier. That is both comforting and not. Prayer is the only way to make the journey and prayer is always an uphill battle.

Sorry for the lack of posting, not even sure why, but know that I want to get back. Here is one way I am going to try, spiritual quotes. I am currently working through Benedicta Ward’s The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, (Cistercian Publications, Kalamazoo, 1975)

Abba Anthony says:

A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, “You are mad, you are not like us.” [#25, p 6]

My immediate thought is that we are in that time. And which mad am I?