Meditations

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130

“The memorable saying of an ‘old man’. ‘Give me a word’ is a key phrase in the desert tradition. The ‘word’ is not an explanation or a consoling suggestion; it is a word given in order to create life and bring the one who receives it to God and salvation. It is a word that is truly life-giving if it is not discussed or argued over, but simply received and integrated into life. These apophthegms were always given to individuals to fit their own needs and circumstances and this should be remembered when using a collection such as this.

Benedicta Ward in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 249.

We are living in times when people want “explanations or consoling suggestions” as in the days of the Desert Fathers when the Roman Empire was crumbling. There was chaos everywhere.

Let us consider what our most generous gift may be in such times. Give an apophthegm or a word that creates life and brings someone to God. Notice this word fits the person’s needs or circumstances.

God help us see the needs of those around us. Rather than try to explain away a the brokenness of people or try to solve their problems, help us give them a word that will lead them to You. Amen.

I hope you have enjoyed the last few weeks with the Desert Fathers. I’ve finished the book and will move on to other books tomorrow and reflect on my word for the year, remember, as it relates to generosity.

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ Deuteronomy 15:11

“It was said of Abba Chomas that at the point of death he said to his sons, ‘Do not dwell with heretics, and do not have anything to do with rulers, then your hands will not be opened to gather together, but open to give.'”

Abba Chomas, a desert father, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 244.

Are your hands open?

If we have wrong thinking (“dwell with heretics”) or grasp for power (“have anything to do with rulers”) all we need is money to survive and make things happen, so we aim at gathering.

What should we do instead?

We must keep our hands open to give. This is a command of God. Open your hands wide. There are so many needs. If you have more than enough, consider whom God has positioned you to help.

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles He performs for people! Psalm 66:5

“There was one of the saints named Philagrius who dwelt in the desert of Jerusalem and worked laboriously to earn his own bread. While he was standing in the market place to sell his manual work, someone dropped a purse with a thousand pieces of money. The old man, finding it, stayed where he was, saying, ‘Surely he who has lost it will come back.’ He did come back weeping. Taking him aside privately, the old man gave it to him. But the other gripped him, wanting to give him a share. The old man would not agree to this at all and the other began to cry out, ‘Come and see what the name of God has done.’ The old man fled secretly and left the city in order not to be honoured.”

Philagrius in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 242.

Sometimes generosity comes into view as helping answer the prayers of a desperate person. And with the pandemic and all the stress in the world, there are a lot of weeping people. Most of the time, I am totally unaware of such people, plugging along at my own work.

Notice Philagrius is working laboriously. But he notices things, like this bag that is out of place. He collects it waiting for the opportunity to return it to the one who lost it. From there he fled secretly to avoid attention. God help us work laboriously, assist privately, and flee secretly.

So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayer. Ezra 8:23

“While you are young and healthy, fast, for old age with its weakness will come. As long as you can, lay up treasure, so that when you cannot, you will be at peace.”

Amma Syncletica, a desert mother, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 233-234.

Fasting is good while we are young because we learn to set aside our desires in a season when we have fewer physical limitations. When coupled with generosity, it brings peace.

Any desires other than Christ will not satisfy. Fasting and giving together guide us to the peace we search for our entire lives. And someday we will no longer be able to lay up treasure. We must do it whilst we can.

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.” Joel 2:12-14

“Abba Paul said, ‘I am in the slough, sinking in up to my neck and I weep in the presence of God, saying, “Have mercy on me.”‘ It was said of Abba Paul that he spent the whole of Lent eating only one measure of lentils, drinking one small jug of water, and working at one single basket, weaving it and unweaving it, living alone until the feast. Abba Paul said: ‘Keep close to Jesus.'”

Abba Paul, a desert father, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 205.

We can trace the practice of Lent back to the desert fathers. Abba Paul depicts Lent rightly for what it is: a time to return to God with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

Notice the practices of solitude and simplicity in this season which position us for fasting, prayer, and giving to those in need. But why work at a single basket in this season?

We as humans are guilty of multi-tasking to a point where we lose our focus on the things that matter. I am guilty of this. A discipline of single-tasking helps us keep our attention fixed on what matters.

Think about your journey for Lent in 2021. It does not start for a few weeks so you have time. How might solitude, simplicity, and single-tasking come together to help you “keep close to Jesus” and position you for greater generosity?

A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. Proverbs 18:16

“A secular man of devout life came to see Abba Poemen. Now it happened that there were other brethren with the old man, asking to hear a word from him. The old man said to the faithful secular, ‘Say a word to the brothers.’ When he insisted, the secular said, ‘Please excuse me, abba; I myself have come to learn.’ But he was urged on by the old man and so he said, ‘I am a secular, I sell vegetables and do business; I take bundles to pieces, and make smaller ones; I buy cheap and sell dear. What is more I do not know how to speak of the Scriptures; so I will tell you a parable.

A man said to his friends, “I want to go to see the emperor; come with me.” One friend said to him, “I will go with you half the way.” Then he said to another friend, “Come and go with me to the emperor,” and he said to him, “I will take you as far as the emperor’s palace.” He said to a third friend, “Come with me to the emperor.” He said, “I will come and take you to the palace and I will stay and speak and help you to have access to the emperor.” ‘ They asked what was the point of the parable. He answered them, ‘The first friend is asceticism, which leads the way; the second is chastity which takes us to heaven; and the third is almsgiving which with confidence presents us to God our King.’ The brethren withdrew edified.”

Abba Poemen (340-450) Egyptian Coptic Monk in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 182-183. Enjoy the new header photo shot on our twice daily walk in Christensen Park with our dog, Joy.

In this scene, the “Faithful Secular” visits Abba Poemen and asks for a word. Surprisingly, the tables are turned. Abba Poemen insists that the humble vegetable seller shares a word with them. His parable contains a strong message and gives a glimpse into the mindset of the Christian community of the desert at this time.

In the parable, the first friend, asceticism, refers to detachment from things. It’s vital for anyone who wants to live the Christian life and be generous. But it only takes us halfway. We must attach to Christ. This is the chastity piece. And then, Christ calls us to share what we have with the poor, which is the almsgiving piece.

Detach from things. Attach to Christ. Share generously with those in need. Do this, and Christ Himself testifies that it is the same as doing it for Him. “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

Lent begins on 17 February 2021. Easter is 4 April 2021. Start considering this question now. What will I fast or detach from, so that my hands, head, and heart are free to attach to Christ? With the intentionality of the faithful secular, let us create margin for generosity to those in need in obedience to the Risen King Jesus!

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:8-9

“Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.”

Abba Poemen (340-450) Egyptian Coptic Monk in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cisterian, 1975) 178.

The global pandemic has rightly shaken our attachment to things that were never intended to satisfy us. We must give our heart to the Giver and not the gifts He has given us to enjoy and share. When we give our heart to the Giver, we give it to the one who “satisfies the thirsty” and “fills the hungry with good things.”

Don’t give your heart to things that do not satisfy. Don’t seek things but more of God. Put your cup under His spigot. Be filled and positioned for unthinkable generosity.

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Luke 6:29

“Abba Macarius discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering his goods. So he came up to the thief as if he was a stranger and he helped him to load the animal. He saw him off in great peace of soul, saying, ‘We have brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.’ (1 Timothy 6:7) ‘The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ (Job 1:21).”

Abba Mararius (360-435), one of the desert fathers, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1975) 131.

Can you imagine a scene where someone takes our coat and so you offer your shirt too? Or imagine saying, “Let me help you load that.”

I think most of us are far too attached to “our” material things to assist a thief in loading them only to haul them away. Our proclivity is to fight for what is “ours.”

This story teaches us to remember to hold on loosely to everything. Possessions are temporal. They come and go. We arrived on earth without them and we will depart without them. In between, God supplied them.

When people see us behave this way, it shows our faith and true attachments. It shows we have found something worth more than all the possessions the thief can load.

Is there anything you might hesitate to load? We do not find “great peace of soul” in possessing things but in knowing the Lord who provides us with everything we have ever needed and will ever need.

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. Mark 2:19-20

“Abba Cassian related the following: ‘The holy Germanus and I went to Egypt, to visit an old man. Because he offered us hospitality we asked him, “Why do you not keep the rule of fasting, when you receive visiting brothers, as we have received it in Palestine?” He replied, “Fasting is always to hand but you I cannot have with me always. Furthermore, fasting is certainly a useful and necessary thing, but it depends on our choice while the law of God lays it upon us to do the works of charity. Thus receiving Christ in you, I ought to serve you will all diligence, but when I have taken leave of you, I can resume the rule of fasting again.”

Abba Cassian (360-435), one of the desert fathers, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1975) 112.

When we fast, we set aside our desires. It prepares us for works of charity when God gives us opportunity. When we receive Christ in others with all diligence, we practice hospitality. This is generosity.

What desires might you set aside today? This is the activity that makes us ready for generosity. Now, what would it look like for your to show hospitality with charity?

Sit with the Lord. Think of the people in your life like the old man in this account who had time for you. They made space to share with you and bless you.

How might this inspire you to fast? It is a “useful and necessary thing” because it teaches us to create space in our lives to receive Christ in others.

For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries. Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Revelation 18:3-5

“He also said, ‘The desire for possessions is dangerous and terrible, knowing no satiety; it drives the soul which it controls to the heights of evil. Therefore let us drive it away vigorously from the beginning. For once it has become master it cannot be overcome.’

Isidore of Pelusia, one of the desert fathers, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1975) 99.

In my Tuesday morning study has been going through the book of Revelation. It is a challenging book to read, for sure, but seems fitting in the times in which we live. This past week, we read the destruction of Babylon and how many had been deceived to pursue her luxuries.

God desires that we separate ourselves from that which cannot satisfy. Jesus urged us to remember that life was not found in having an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15). Sadly, most of the world thinks otherwise.

Then I saw this vivid picture with my word for the year (remember) in it in today’s Scripture. The reason God wants us to remove ourselves from such thinking and living is because he does not want us to suffer the consequences of her sins and crimes. The plagues and punishment that follow.

The desert fathers sent us a strong message by their separation from society which can shape our generosity. We must drive away the desire for things lest we be overcome by it and know no satiety. Are there any possessions that you have which have a hold on you?