Heroes of the Desert: The Lives and Teachings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

Transcription

1 A N OW Y OU KNOW M E D I A Heroes of the Desert: The Lives and Teachings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers Presented by Father Philip G. Bochanski, C.O., M.A.

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3 Table of Contents Program Summary... 5 About Your Presenter... 6 Part I: Alone with God Alone... 7 Topic 1: Why the Desert?... 8 Topic 2: The Development of Monasticism Topic 3: Daily Life in the Desert Part II: Saint Antony the Great Topic 4: The Life of Antony Topic 5: Father of Monks Topic 6: The Wisdom of Anthony Part III: A Garden in the Wilderness Topic 7: The Words of the Fathers Topic 8: Saint Arsenius and Saint Macarius Topic 9: Saint John and Saint Poemon Part IV: Saint Syncletica and the Desert Ammas Topic 10: The Mothers of the Desert Topic 11: Saint Syncletica s Advice for Beginners Topic 12: Saint Syncletica s Wisdom for Life s Journey Part V: Finding Healing in the Desert Topic 13: Saint Mary of Egypt: Into the Desert W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

4 Topic 14: Desert Conversions: Saint Mary of Egypt and Saint Moses the Ethiopian.. 65 Topic 15: Saint Moses of Ethiopia: The Convert s Wisdom For Further Reading W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

5 Program Summary Discover the timeless wisdom of our spiritual ancestors. Beginning in the 3 rd century AD, pious men and women journeyed into the Egyptian desert, where they sought to be alone with God alone. Known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, they pursued lives of solitude and prayer in order to make complete offerings of themselves to God. In doing so, they acquired great insight into the spiritual life, which has been passed down to us in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, a timeless collection of profound wisdom. Now, you can discover the fascinating lives and works of our spiritual forefathers. Join Father Bochanski in exploring the lives of such awe-inspiring figures as St. Antony the Great and St. Mary of Egypt. Through 15 video or audio lectures, you will journey into the ascetic world of the desert a world that has much to teach us about our own time. The greatest and wisest of these desert monks and nuns were recognized as abbas ( fathers ) and ammas ( mothers ), and their life stories have inspired countless men and women through the ages. You will begin by looking at an overview of the purpose and method of their lives before considering how their teachings can be applied to your spiritual life today. Like the monks themselves, the teachings of the desert are characterized by their simplicity, practicality, and timelessness. Although they were developed amid circumstances quite different from modern urban life, you will find them readily adaptable and applicable to your daily circumstances. Most importantly, getting to know the Desert Fathers and Mothers will show the power of God at work in the lives of ordinary people who trustingly hand their lives over to Him. In his foundational book, The Lausiac History, Palladius wrote, Seek for meetings with holy men and women so that you may see clearly your own heart. The grace of their thoughts will increase your strength. By looking at the heroic examples of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, you will gain invaluable insight into your own spiritual journey. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

6 About Your Presenter Father Philip G. Bochanski is a Catholic priest and a member of the Philadelphia Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. He received his M.A. in Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Father Bochanski has published several books and articles on spirituality and history and serves as a peer reviewer for the Linacre Quarterly, the journal of the Catholic Medical Association. He is the co-author and editor of Our Faith-Filled Heritage: The Church of Philadelphia Bicentennial as a Diocese and The Wonderful Works of God: A Sesquicentennial History of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Throughout his priestly ministry, Father Bochanski has been active in the work of adult faith formation. He is a frequent presenter of lectures and courses at the parish and archdiocesan levels, including a course on the Church Fathers. He presently serves as Chaplain to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters in Philadelphia, to the Philadelphia Guild of the Catholic Medical Association, and to the Philadelphia chapter of the Courage Apostolate. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

7 Part I: Alone with God Alone W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

8 Topic 1: Why the Desert? I. Throughout the Scriptures, the Desert is intimately connected with the history and identity of the People of God. A. During the Exodus event, the Israelites spent forty years in the desert. 1. God led them out of Egypt, rescuing them from slavery. 2. He protected them there from their enemies. 3. He sustained them and fed them in miraculous ways. 4. He led them, through winding paths, to the Promised Land. B. The wandering of the Israelites was a time of testing and discipline, which proved God s closeness to his people and his love for them (cf. Deuteronomy 8:5-6). C. Moses insisted that this desert experience was necessary so that the Israelites would realize and remember their dependence on God (cf. Deuteronomy 8:15-17). D. The prophets called the Israelites to return to their Covenant relationship with the Lord. Some of them use desert imagery, particularly Hosea (cf. 2:16-22). E. When John the Baptist comes to call the people to repentance, he makes his appearance in the desert of Judea, as Isaiah had foretold (cf. Mark 1:4-6, etc.). F. After his baptism in the Jordan, Jesus himself spends forty days in the Judean desert (Luke 4:1-14 and parallels). 1. He fasts and prays, and is tempted by Satan. 2. This is interpreted as a sign of his solidarity with the human race and as his giving us an example to follow in times of temptation. 3. The desert is confirmed as a place of testing, of closeness with God, and of victory, through Christ, over the power of the Evil One. II. Several historical landmarks set the scene for the age of the Desert Monks A. The Golden Age of desert monasticism runs from the foundation of Antony s monastery, around 305, to the attacks on the monks at Scetis, around B. Important changes were happening in the world and in the Church at the time. 1. The experience of persecution a. Under the emperors Decius and Valerian (250 57), and again under Diocletian (302 05), persecution and execution of Christians was widespread in the Empire. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

9 b. Some Christians like Saint Paul the First Hermit left the cities in early days to avoid the persecutors and took refuge in the desert, whether in monasteries or in caves and hermitages. c. This would become an issue again from time to time, especially at the beginning of the fifth century with barbarian invasions. d. Under the emperor Constantine, Christianity was officially tolerated (313) and persecutions ceased. From this point, many Christians went to the desert, not to avoid suffering, but to seek out an alternative way to make a real offering of themselves for Christ a living martyrdom, so to speak. 2. The rise of Christological heresies a. As the faith spread, various misunderstandings took hold in certain areas over certain aspects of Church teaching on the Incarnation of Christ that is, how it is that Jesus Christ is truly God and Man. b. These misunderstandings developed into controversies that sometimes had political overtones as well. Those who held the true faith in opposition to an emperor or local governor who was a heretic could be exiled or persecuted. They sometimes sought refuge among the monks. c. A series of Ecumenical Councils met, beginning in A.D. 325 at Nicea, to address these heresies and develop the authentic teaching of the Church. It would take several centuries and much theological and pastoral work for the teaching of the Councils to take hold. 3. The development of monasteries a. At first, monks lived in isolation, alone or in small groups. b. Beginning with Saint Pachomius in Tabennesi around the year 320, they began to organize more structured communities, with numerous buildings and walls. c. These could house several hundred or even thousands of monks safely. They attracted monks and nuns in great numbers. III. The Battle against the Self A. Once the battle against the persecutors was over, the desert monk was left to fight a different kind of battle. B. The spiritual battle against the passions becomes a new kind of martyrdom 1. This is nothing new: since the Original Sin, human history is a story of combat between good and evil. 2. The passions one s emotional responses and desires are not immoral in themselves, but often lead to evil thoughts and acts. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

10 3. The spiritual athlete fights against the passions before they can do him harm IV. The desert monks developed a new vocabulary to describe this spiritual battle: A. Ascēsis (ἄσκησις): exercise or training in holiness through self-discipline B. Athlētēs (ἀθλητης): a monk saw himself as an athlete who wrestled with his desires and temptations to master them in hand-to-hand combat C. Mortification (mors, mortis = dead ; facere = to make ): putting the desires of the flesh to death through voluntary sacrifice W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

11 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What did the desert mean for God s people in biblical times? How does this compare to the desert experience in the fourth and fifth centuries A.D.? 2. Are there aspects of the desert that would remain valuable for us today? How can we seek them out, amid the conditions of urban/suburban/modern life in the 21 st century? 3. Compare the external battle against persecutors with the internal battle against the self. Which, do you think, requires more strength and courage? Why? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

12 Topic 2: The Development of Monasticism I. For the desert monks, the spiritual battle most characteristically takes the form of flight from the world. A. Silence and distance allow the monk to live with God alone. B. They saw going into the desert as truly a death to the world and to the things of the world. C. As radical as this may seem to us, from the perspective of heaven, it is a small sacrifice in comparison to the eternal reward that awaits them. II. Where are they going when they leave the world? A. Many monasteries were in Egypt 1. The capital, Alexandria, was on the coast, at the Nile delta. 2. Antony s birthplace and first monastery (Pispir, the Outer Mountain) were about 100 miles south 3. Closer to Alexandria were second generation monks, who had been disciples of Antony and then founded their own monasteries: a. Nitria where there were mines for natron, an important mineral b. Scetis also known as Skete, which became a generic word for a loosely-organized monastery 4. About 300 miles south of Alexandria in Upper Egypt (called this because the Nile flows south to north) was Tabennesi, where Pachomius and his sister founded their monasteries. B. Later, famous monasteries would be founded in other places: 1. Mount Sinai 2. Palestine, especially near Bethlehem and Jerusalem 3. Syria III. The Monastic Vocabulary A. Monos (μόνος) = alone, single, one B. Monachos (μοναχός) = one who lives alone, a monk C. Monē (μονή) = a place to live alone, a monastery W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

13 IV. This vocabulary may be confusing to us, because we often think of a monastery as a place to house many monks. In fact, there were various ways to live as a desert monk: A. In a cell (κέλλα), that is, a small chamber or enclosure 1. This is the same root word from which we derive our jail cell though this was a cell for setting someone free. 2. It could take several forms a. A hut or shack on the outskirts of a town b. An abandoned cemetery vault or mausoleum c. A natural cave or grotto d. A small purpose-built structure made by the monk himself 3. A monk could live alone, or several monks could find or build cells close enough to one another to come together for prayer and spiritual conversation, but distant enough to provide privacy and solitude. B. In a hermitage (ἐρήμος), a solitary cave or cell located at a great distance from anyone, often in the deep desert 1. Some hermits lived for decades without any human contact. 2. Some reported mystical visions and miraculous provisions of food and the sacraments. 3. The stylites didn t go out, but up they constructed pillars, sometimes 45 feet high or more, and lived at the top of them for years at a time. C. A laura (λαύρα) the Greek word for alley consisted of a number of cells built close together. 1. These were just niches at first, dug into the side of a cliff or hill and just big enough for shelter. 2. As time went on they became more elaborate and organized. 3. St. Pachomius began life in an arrangement like this, and was inspired by God to develop a new kind of desert living: D. The coenobium (κοινόβιον, from κοινός, together, + βίος, life ) what we would recognize today as a monastery, a group of buildings including dormitories, a central church and refectory (dining hall) and other common areas 1. It was usually walled for protection against intrusion and for privacy. 2. Each dormitory slept about forty brothers, and there could be 30 or 40 houses in a large monastery making 1,200 or 1,600 members in a large coenobitic community. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

14 3. The monasteries had a common rule, written by their founder, and were often grouped together under a regional superior. In Upper Egypt, this man was responsible for the supervision of about 50,000 monks at the time of Saint Jerome in the early fifth century. V. Why did the coenobitic life develop? A. For Pachomius, it was a personal call from the Lord, after he had led an eremitical life for a time. He grew to appreciate the importance of the common life, and felt called to share it with others. B. Other desert monks likewise identify a particular benefit to living with others: C. Even in the solitude of the desert, a monk still brings himself along with him. D. This means that the very basic human temptations to pride, envy, anger, selfishness, etc., must always be fought and conquered. E. The best way to do this, the monks believed, was through contact with other people, which provided daily opportunities to practice humility and charity. F. Either a monk would learn to be patient, or he would run away because he couldn t take it, and learn his weakness. G. Life in community provides the discipline to keep the self in check. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

15 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Compare the different forms of monastic life. What do they all have in common? Is there a logical progression from one to another? 2. Do you think you could live like the hermits, separated from all human contact for 30 or 40 years or more? Why or why not? What is the value of a sacrifice like this? 3. What are the similarities between life in a coenobitic monastery and life in a modern family, or a house with roommates? Can we apply lessons from the desert monasteries to modern life? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

16 Topic 3: Daily Life in the Desert I. Someone who wished to become a monk was not automatically received into the monastery. A. He demonstrated perseverance by being made to wait a few days sometimes a few weeks! at the door or gate of the monastery. 1. The porter would question him to discover: a. His family and personal history b. His intentions and his readiness B. The important thing was that he be able to be detached from the world. 1. This is an obligation for every disciple: possessions must come second to our relationship with Christ. 2. Some are called personally to radical poverty as a way to pursue perfect love of God and neighbor. C. This detachment is demonstrated when he is admitted by his being stripped of his worldly possessions, including his clothing. 1. His things are kept for a while, in case he does not persevere. Then they are given away to the poor. 2. He is dressed in the common clothing of the monastery (St Jerome): a. The lebitonarion, an Egyptian tunic without sleeves, which were seen as a sign of worldliness b. A linen mantle c. Two hoods, which were the common dress of children, and may have been a sign of humility they also provided privacy and eliminated distractions during prayer d. A linen belt e. A goat skin f. Shoes and a staff, used only for journeys when necessary 3. Other than these clothes, a mat, and the tools they needed for working, the monks had no possessions in the monastery. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

17 II. The monks had to be trained to renounce their own wills and trust in the advice of their spiritual fathers or mothers. A. They never did any activity in or out of the monastery without permission B. They were taught to reveal their thoughts and temptations in a special relationship with the spiritual father (abba ) or mother (amma ). 1. This was a deep relationship based on honesty and openness. 2. The best way to overcome the devil is to submit in humility to the abba. 3. Once the monk was able to share a burden with the abba, the devil lost his power over the monk. He no longer had to fight the temptation alone. C. A similar relationship exists today in what is commonly called spiritual direction. D. The abbas all had abbas of their own, and handed on the wisdom acquired over many generations. III. Basic rules for daily life kept the monk focused on God A. He worked quietly at manual labor, including plaiting leaves to make baskets and mats. B. He did not speak in the cell, but meditated on the words of the abbas and his superiors. C. No one ate during the day, and they did not sleep except at fixed hours. They never stretched out to sleep, but had little seats on which to recline. D. The monks gathered at regular hours for prayer and meditation on the Scripture. 1. Everyone had to be able to read, so as to be able to pray with Scripture, and especially to memorize the psalms. 2. The synaxis was the common liturgical prayer on Saturday and Sunday, which included the celebration of the Eucharist. 3. They continued prayers throughout the night, doing work to keep awake until dawn. E. Constant prayer and watchfulness was joined with abstinence and fasting. 1. No one ate until 3:00 p.m., and usually ate only once a day. 2. The old or the inexperienced might take a second meal; others ate only every few days. 3. Usually everyone ate at a common table, though some were allowed to take bread and water in their cells. IV. This strict asceticism was not for its own sake. A. The strict rule of fasting gave way to the rule of hospitality. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

18 B. External penances had a deeper meaning. 1. Everything was done for the sake of purity of heart, to remove spiritual attachments and obstacles. 2. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes, this is the necessary condition for seeing and loving God. C. As amazing as the monks asceticism was, even more edifying is their deep love of God, and the gifts they received from Him because of their purity of heart. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

19 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. How did the dress of the monks express their detachment from material things? How can we translate this ideal in modern circumstances? 2. Do you think it was easy for the young monks and nuns to converse with the abbas/ammas about their struggles and temptations? What makes a relationship such as this possible and fruitful? 3. What was the ultimate purpose of the ascetical practices of the desert monks? How did their external works relate to their internal dispositions? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

20 Part II: Saint Antony the Great W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

21 Topic 4: The Life of Antony I. Much of our knowledge of this great saint come from the Life of Saint Antony, written by Saint Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, around the time of Antony s death in A.D A. It had a great impact on many other saints, notably playing a role in the conversion of Saint Augustine. B. It became a model for writing saintly biographies in the Christian tradition. II. Antony was born near Herakleopolis Magna in A.D A. This was in central Egypt, about 40 miles south of Alexandria along the Nile River. B. He would have been close enough to visit Alexandria from time to time, and to be influenced by the style of preaching of Origen and his school. III. His parents we well-to-do Christians, who owned some property. A. They raised Antony and his younger sister in the faith. B. He did not like formal schooling, and attended very little. It is unclear if he ever learned to read and write. C. He was, however, very attentive at the liturgy, and had a deep love for prayer and meditation. He learned much of the Scripture by heart. D. When Antony was 18 or 20, his parents died, leaving him in charge of his sister and of the family estate. IV. About six months later, he was going to church for the liturgy, and entered as the Gospel was being read. A. The text for the day was Matthew 19:21 If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. 1. Like the young man in the Gospel to whom Jesus was speaking, Antony took these words as being addressed directly to him. 2. Upon returning home, he gave away almost all he had, keeping only enough for him and his sister to live on. B. On a later occasion, he went back to church and heard another Gospel, Matthew 6:34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. 1. Now he sold his house and all his remaining possessions, giving the money to the poor. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

22 2. He entrusted his sister to a community of holy women probably not what we would recognize as a convent, but a group of widows. a. Detached from possessions and responsibilities, he was free to dedicate himself to living for God alone, and to learning the ascetic life. V. He started this on the outskirts of his own town. A. There were old men living a solitary life in huts at the crossroads, or caves in remote areas. 1. Antony would seek them out and try to discover what aspect of asceticism each one was particularly expert in. 2. He then tried to incorporate the lessons he learned from each holy man and make them all his own. B. After a time, he moved to an abandoned crypt in the cemetery, for greater solitude. 1. On the way there, he experienced many temptations to turn back and give up his plans. a. To worry about his sister and whether she were well b. To return home to care for the extended family and the estate c. To pick up money lying by the side of the road d. To give in to physical lusts the devil appears in various tempting forms 2. Each time he is tempted, Antony responds with greater mortification and asceticism, and reminds himself how far he still has to go. C. Once he arrived at the tombs, his encounters with demons became more intense. 1. He struggled bravely for several days, confronting the demons with prayers and taunts, even as they attacked him physically. 2. Eventually rescued by a vision of the Lord, who appeared in a bright cloud and scattered the demons. 3. He challenged the Lord, asking why He did not appear sooner. Christ responded that He allowed the temptations to go on to strengthen and test Antony, but that He had never left him alone. VI. He soon departed the town and the tombs, and went to Mount Pispir (later known as the Outer Mountain ) A. He found an abandoned military fort, which provided shelter. B. His friends and people seeking his advice would not give him peace. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

23 C. Eventually he barricaded himself in the fort in order to achieve complete solitude. D. After pleading with him, to no avail, his friends eventually broke down the door. 1. By this time, Antony had been in the fort for 20 years, and was 56 years old. 2. He had been living on a tiny amount of food brought to him by travelling merchants once or twice a year. 3. His friends expected to see him emaciated and wasted away. 4. Instead, Athanasius says, he emerged as from a shrine he looked stronger and healthier than ever, radiant with grace and holiness. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

24 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. How did Antony see God at work in his life? What difference did this make in Antony s ability to trust the Lord and to follow Him? 2. What, do you think, was the source of Antony s strength against temptations? Was this something unique to him, or can anyone learn and develop such endurance? 3. How did Antony spend those twenty years during which he was barricaded in the fort at Mount Pispir? What impact did this have on his spiritual life? What lesson(s) can this teach us, as we strive to grow in holiness and a relationship with God? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

25 Topic 5: Father of Monks I. When Antony emerged from the fort at Mount Pispir, there were many people there. A. His friends had come out to see what had happened to him. B. Many others had heard about the holy man living in solitude. C. A number of men from this group decided to stay there to live near him and become monks following his example. II. This was not a proper monastery, as we have seen, but a collection of cells at a distance from one another, around Antony s dwelling. A. Athanasius says that the desert was soon colonized by monks who were attracted by Antony s example. B. He guided them by his own example, and by exhortations, both individually and in groups. C. A large portion of the Life of Antony contains his teaching to his fellow monks, as we shall see later. III. Around the year 311, a persecution of Christians broke out, under the emperor Maximinus Daia. A. The patriarch Peter of Alexandria was killed, along with many others. B. When Antony heard of this, he and many of his monks made the journey to the city (about 150 miles) to encourage those facing persecution. 1. At this point Antony was about 60 years old. 2. He was willing to die for the faith, but he did not seek it out. C. A large crowd gathered to support those on trial; the judge ordered all the monks out of the court, insisting that they were not fit for the dignity of the emperor s halls. D. Antony went home, washed his clothes and his body, and came back to sit in the front row. His personal appearance and dignity were such that no one dared confront him. His presence brought great strength to the martyrs. IV. Upon his return from Alexandria, Antony sought greater solitude. A. At first he thought he would take a boat to the Thebaid (Upper/southern Egypt) and live unknown in a large monastery. B. He heard a voice telling him to join a caravan heading east. After a three-day journey (about 70 miles) he came to the Inner Mountain, near the coast. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

26 C. He remained here for the rest of his life. D. Eventually, of course, people found the holy man even at the Inner Mountain, and sought him out for prayers and advice. 1. He worked many miracles here, always attributing the healing power to God and not to his own prayers or actions. 2. He gave counsel to those who came to him, sometimes answering questions with the help of heavenly messages. V. He only left the Inner Mountain on two occasions: A. Once (in 338) to visit Alexandria again, at the request of Patriarch Athanasius. 1. The Arian heresy, which denied the real divinity of Jesus Christ, had been addressed by the Council of Nicea (325), but various political and theological controversies prevented the orthodox teaching from taking hold. 2. Although Antony had little formal education, his holiness and wisdom gave impact to his words on behalf of the true faith. B. In 341 (when he was about 90), he received a vision telling him to seek out Saint Paul of Thebes. The story was recorded by Saint Jerome. 1. He had been thinking that perhaps he was as wonderful as people were saying he was. 2. God wanted to show him someone who had been in the desert even longer than Antony Saint Paul, the first hermit. a. Paul had fled to the desert to escape persecution as a young man. b. Finding a natural atrium with a spring and a palm tree, he lived in total isolation for nearly a century before Antony arrived. 3. After a three-day journey, Antony came upon Paul s hermitage, and spent the day conversing and praying with him. A series of miraculous incidents marked the encounter and the journeys there and back again. 4. Antony left impressed with Paul s virtues. VI. Antony died at the Inner Mountain in A.D. 356, at the age of 105. His Life by Saint Athanasius appeared the following year. VII. This is the most important of several sources that we have for the teaching of Saint Antony: A. The Life of Saint Antony by Saint Athanasius 1. Its 90 chapters teach by example. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

27 2. A quarter of these chapters (16 43) comprise Antony s Address to the Monks, a record of a discourse that he gave one day at the Outer Mountain. 3. A significant portion of this Address deals with the demons and their strategies. B. Seven letters from Saint Antony to his fellow monks, living in the areas surrounding the Outer Mountain. 1. These may have been dictated, or written in Antony s own hand. 2. They deal mostly with the common life and fraternal charity. C. Thirty-five sayings in alphabetical collection of the Apophthegmata Patrum, and others throughout the anonymous collection W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

28 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why do you think so many people were attracted to follow Antony s example, and came to live in the desert? Would he have the same kind of impact if he were living today? 2. Do you think it was selfish of Antony to want to go farther into the desert, and to flee to the Inner Mountain? Why or why not? How was this a part of his vocation? 3. What was the source of Antony s wisdom, both practical and theological? Why does Athanasius make a point of telling us that Antony did not have a formal education? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

29 Topic 6: The Wisdom of Anthony I. In his Address to the Monks, Antony provides a basic plan of life. A. Antony s program for purification rests on some basic principles (cf. Life, 14-20): 1. Life is short in comparison to heaven. 2. We must not grow weary doing what is right. 3. We must not think that we are doing some great thing. 4. We must not grow careless in the Lord s service. 5. There is no turning back we must not regret what we left behind. B. The accomplishment is within us if we have the will, he says. This does not deny the reality of sin, but puts the project in its proper perspective. C. It is built on the characteristic ideal of the Egyptian Christian mindset that is also found in the preaching of Origen: 1. The spiritual life is not a reinvention of the wheel, not an effort to make up a whole spiritual program from scratch. 2. Rather, the image of God is present in every person, however much sin has marred, distorted or covered it up. 3. The ascetic life is a renewal and restoration of this image of God, which can never be eradicated a process of purification. D. The process of purification follows several steps: 1. The whole body is purified by ascesis: a. The eyes, to see rightly b. The ears, to hear peaceful things c. The tongue, to speak kindly d. The hands, to perform works of charity and worship e. The stomach, by fasting and sacrifice f. The feet, by going where needed to minister to others 2. The soul is purified by repentance and remembrance of past sins, which eliminates the desire to judge others. 3. This gives a taste of the Resurrection: we begin to live the life of heaven in this world. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

30 4. God takes pity on the soul dedicated to repentance and gives a person the strength to accomplish the necessary tasks. II. We have enemies, powerful and crafty the wicked demons. A. A significant part of Antony s address is devoted to warnings against the tricks of the demons, and explanations of their strategies. B. As we have seen, he is speaking from long, personal experience. C. He gives an overview of the way the demons operate: 1. They are great in number, of diverse kinds. 2. They do not want us to take the place from which they fell. 3. They have a general plan of attack: a. They place stumbling blocks with evil thoughts. b. They try to intimidate us by exaggerating their size and strength. c. They may incite us to prayer, trying to get us to take on immoderate levels of devotion so that we despair when it becomes difficult. D. Antony encourages his monks to be on their guard, but not to be overly fearful: 1. The Enemy has no power except what God permits to him. 2. We should pay no attention to the wonders the demons can perform. They cannot even prevent Antony speaking against them, after all. 3. Still, one must never boast of having power over them, but must rely on the power of Christ. III. Many of Antony s teaching come to us in the form of anecdotes and sayings: A. On humility: 1. I saw the snares that the Devil 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. (Alphabetikon, Antony 7) 2. He who knows himself knows God, and he who knows God is worthy to worship him as is right. (Letter 4) B. On fraternal charity and love of neighbor: 1. Our life and our death is with our neighbor. If we gain our brother, we have gained God. But if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ. (Alphabetikon, Antony 9) W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

31 C. On renunciation of the world: 1. Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember him who gives death and life. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate all peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to God. (Alphabetikon, Antony 33) 2. Let us not look back upon the world and think that we have renounced great things. For even the whole world is a very trifling thing compared with all of Heaven.... What we leave behind is practically nothing.... (The Life of Saint Antony, 17) 3. Remember what you have promised God, for it will be required of you on the day of judgment. Suffer hunger, thirst, nakedness, be watchful and sorrowful; weep, and groan in your heart. Test yourselves, to see if you are worthy of God; despise the flesh, so that you may preserve your souls. (Alphabetikon, Antony 33) D. On relaxation in the midst of asceticism: 1. One day, Antony and some of his monks were resting, sharing a meal and conversation. A hunter rode up and was surprised to see the great Antony, whom he had always pictured as being so strict, behaving in such a way. 2. Amused by his reaction, Antony asked the hunter to show him how he shot an arrow with his bow. When he did so, Antony asked him to shoot another; then another, and another. After several times, the hunter responded to the old man that, if he shot so many arrows so quickly, without giving his bow a rest, he would break the bow and the string and they would be useless. 3. Antony explained to the man that the same rule applied to the body and the soul. Although we must strive for purity of heart always, we must take a little rest from our penance from time to time, or the instruments God has given us to use to draw close to Him will break. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

32 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Is it surprising to hear the Father of Monks someone so experienced and so holy speak of the spiritual life as beginning again every day? Why or why not? 2. How does Antony s teaching about the strategies of the demons compare to the way they are presented in the modern world, especially in movies and television? Which approach do you think is more realistic and useful? 3. How do we balance Antony s teachings on vigilance and relaxation? How did he achieve this balance in his own life? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

33 Part III: A Garden in the Wilderness W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

34 Topic 7: The Words of the Fathers I. Types of Ascetical Literature II. The Vitae Lives of the Desert Fathers and Mothers A. These are more or less formal biographies of a particular saint. B. They often include discourse(s) given by the subject. C. They were heavily influenced by the style and content of the Life of Antony, written by Athanasius and published around 357. D. They are not just historical accounts, but also spiritual. 1. That is, they provide the motivation behind the person s decisions and actions. 2. They also record the acts of Divine Providence in bringing the person to holiness and to the fulfillment of his vocation. 3. At times, the stories recorded may be more difficult to accept as strictly historical. III. Travel Journals/Histories A. The writers some of them monks themselves, others not visited second-generation monks and monasteries in Egypt and Syria. B. Their journeys could last several months, or even many years. C. They recorded their experiences in the form of collections of anecdotes. D. Some histories became quite famous: 1. Palladius Lausiac History of the monks in Egypt (named for the bishop for whom it was composed) 2. The History of the Monks in Egypt by Rufinus IV. Monastic Rules A. More or less formal rules of life for the larger monasteries B. In addition to practical details, they were heavily laden with Scriptural references. C. They also taught by example they contained many anecdotes of the fathers that were meant to work as parables to get across the purpose of the rules. V. Works of Ascetical Theology A. More systematized reflections and compilations based on the teachings of the Fathers W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

35 B. The most famous, The Institutes and The Conferences of St. John Cassian, became standard texts for monks for many centuries. 1. Like Palladius and Rufinus, Cassian had travelled in Egypt and spoke with many monks there over a period of several years. 2. More than a decade later, he recorded his experiences at the request of his bishop in Marseilles, where he had founded a monastery. 3. He freely adapted the lessons of the Egyptian desert to the semi-urban life of southern France. There was as much of Cassian in his works as there was of the desert fathers. C. Other works were the compilation of the life experience of abbots, written at the request of their superiors to be used: 1. By abbots of other monasteries 2. Or by those who would succeed them after their death D. The best example of this sort of work is the Ladder of Divine Ascent by the abbot John of the Monastery of Mount Sinai in the seventh century. He became known as John Climacus that is, John of the Ladder. VI. Apophthegmata Patrum The Sayings of the Fathers A. This is a very particular word: 1. Phthegma (φθέγμα) = a voice; it is also used for animal sounds like grunts, barks or moos 2. Phtheggomai (φθέγγομαι) = to utter a sound 3. Apophtheggomai (ἀποφθέγγομαι) = to express an opinion 4. Apophthegmata (ἀποφθέγματα) = short sayings B. Thus, we are referring to utterances and anecdotes, as opposed to formal discourses. 1. They are usually referred to as the sayings of the Fathers. 2. Also called the verba seniorum (the words of the elders or the gerontikon from γέρων, old + εἴκων, record the stories of the old men ) C. They were given in response to specific requests, usually put in the traditional form, Father, give me a word. D. They required meditation and rumination to be understood. 1. They usually pertained to a certain need or situation. 2. Different words applied to different monks. It was not unusual for the same abba to give different advice to two monks on the same topic, especially if he knew them well. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

36 E. The sayings occur in various editions, in Greek, Latin, and Syriac; they have been translated many times. 1. The Verba Seniorum of Pelagius the Deacon (Rome, 550) was the standard Latin text in the Middle Ages. 2. The Spiritual Meadow, translated into Latin by John Moschos in Jerusalem around The Evergetinos, published in Greek around 1050 in Constantinople 4. The Philokalia, compiled in Greece by Nicodemos of Mt Athos in 1783 F. The oldest Greek collections exist in two main forms: 1. The Alphabetikon: connected to specifically-named persons a. Nearly 1,000 sayings in total b. Attributed to 131 monks 128 men, 3 women i. Only 21 of these have more than 10 sayings; many only have one or two. ii. Many of these monks don t appear in any other source. iii. Over half of the sayings are attributed to only 10 abbas. iv. 21% attributed to Abba Poemen; perhaps the collection was begun by his disciples and added to later 2. The Systematikon a. Anonymous sayings in most cases b. Arranged systematically according to theme W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

37 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Do you have a favorite spiritual author? Does he or she write long treatises or short reflections? Does this have anything to do with why you enjoy his or her writing? 2. What is important about the fact that the sayings of the abbas and ammas are case-specific and usually uttered in response to specific questions and situations? What must we keep in mind when we read them and interpret them? 3. Some desert literature notably the work of St John Cassian is already translated and adapted for life in situations other than the desert. How can we continue to translate the advice of the abbas and ammas to our own modern circumstances? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

38 Topic 8: Saint Arsenius and Saint Macarius I. Abba Arsenius the Great A. He was born in Rome, around A.D. 360 so, just after the death of Saint Antony. B. He was well-educated, and became the tutor of the children of the Emperor Theodosius I. 1. He lived with the royal family in the palace, where he enjoyed a life of luxury, with servants at his disposal, and all the best food, clothing, and entertainment. 2. A contemporary said that his every whim was carried out, so that he lived as if he were the father of the emperor. C. He left the palace in 394, sailed for Alexandria, and then moved on to Scetis. 1. He did this at the direct urging of a voice from God: Arsenius, flee from men, and then you will be saved. 2. In the desert, he was determined to make up with asceticism for all of the luxuries he had enjoyed in the world. 3. People did not always understand his commitment to silence and detachment, and worried that he was taking things to extremes. II. One day Abba Arsenius came to a place where there were reeds blowing in the wind. The old man said to the brothers, What is this movement? They said, Some reeds. Then the old man said to them, When one who is living in silent prayer hears the song of a little sparrow, his heart no longer experiences the same peace. How much worse it is when you hear the movement of those reeds. (Alphabetikon, Arsenius 25) A. For Arsenius, silence was the way to purity of heart, that made it possible to hear the voice of God speaking. B. The movements of thoughts could come from various sources: 1. From the Evil One, in the form of temptation 2. From the world, in the form of distraction 3. From the self, in the form of desire 4. From God, in the form of inspiration C. Silence was a necessary component of discernment and reflection, so that the monk could tell where the movement of the heart originated and act accordingly. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

39 III. It was said of him that, just as none in the palace had worn more splendid garments than he when he lived there, so no one in the Church wore such poor clothing. (Arsenius 4) It was said of the same Abba Arsenius that he only changed the water for his palm leaves once a year.... One old man implored him in these words: Why do you not change the water when it smells bad? He said to him, Instead of the perfumes and aromatics that I used in the world, I must bear this bad smell. (Arsenius 18) A. Arsenius determined that his attachments to worldly things had become obstacles to a deeper dependence on God and a real love for him. B. He was determined to overcome these obstacles by deliberately sacrificing luxuries and even taking on things that were disagreeable. C. He sought out penances that were opposed to the things he used to depend on. IV. Abba Macarius the Great A. He was born about the year 300 in Lower Egypt, probably not far from Alexandria. He was about 50 years younger than Antony. B. In his youth, he worked as a camel driver and merchant. 1. He sold natron, a naturally-occurring compound of sodium that was used for a variety of household cleaning purposes, as an early form of body soap and toothpaste, and as a preservative for food. 2. Natron gave its name to the town of Nitria, and to the monastery founded nearby. 3. Some people suggested that Macarius actually stole the natron that he later sold. C. He was later ordained as a priest, and lived in solitude on the outskirts of his village. D. He went to the desert under somewhat unusual circumstances: 1. A young woman from the town where he lived became pregnant with her boyfriend. When confronted by her father, she blamed it on Macarius. 2. Macarius was seized, beaten, and humiliated by the townsfolk. He remained silent and did not contradict the woman s story. 3. He worked hard to make baskets, which he sold and sent the money from them to support the girl, whom he referred to as his wife. 4. When the time came for her to deliver her child, she was in labor for five days, and could not give birth until she told the whole truth. 5. Macarius was vindicated, and the townsfolk came to apologize. He fled the town to preserve his solitude and humility, and went to Scetis. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

40 E. Cassian says Macarius was the first to find a way to live at Scetis. V. Abba Pambo said to him, Father, say a word to the brethren. He said, I have not yet become a monk, but I have seen monks. (Alphabetikon, Macarius 2) A. This story comes from a time when Macarius had been living for many years at Scetis, and had become the abba of the place. B. He relates how he left Scetis for a while and met two hermits who lived like wild beasts in the deep desert, totally cut off from all human contact. C. They wore no clothes and depended totally on God for safety, shelter, and food. They had been living this way for forty years. D. He realized that, for as much progress as he had made, there was still a long way to go before he could say he was completely detached from the world and dedicated to God. E. It is a reminder that the spiritual battle and the work of growing in holiness is never really finished as long as we are in this world. VI. Abba Macarius while he was in Egypt discovered a man who owned a beast of burden engaged in plundering Macarius goods. So he came up to the thief as if we were 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 Tim 6:7). (Macarius 18) A. This is one of several stories that speak of Macarius simple, happy detachment from material goods. B. This is particularly interesting given his background, and the fact that he was sometimes accused of having been a thief himself. C. It was said that, if people treated him as a saint, he avoided them, but if they brought up his supposedly shady past, he welcomed them joyfully, because they helped him to stay humble. VII. Macarius humility allowed him to be gentle with the brethren: A. One story relates how he had a vision of the Devil going to tempt the young brothers in the monastery. On returning, the demon noted that he had been vanquished by all the brothers but one, whom he was able to tempt to various sins. B. Macarius went down to speak to that brother, who was hesitant to share his struggles with the abba. Instead, Macarius mentioned the things that he knew the young brother had been tempted by, as if he (Macarius) himself still struggled with them. He asked the brother to pray for him, and to offer advice if he had any. C. In this way, the brother felt free to open up and to admit that he also had the same problem. The two of them were able to converse freely and honestly about the sins that were troubling the brother. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

41 D. The next time the Devil came to tempt the brothers, he told Macarius that he was not able to conquer any of them, especially the brother with whom Macarius had spoken, who had developed new strength against temptation. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

42 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Not everyone understood Abba Arsenius desire to remain silent and separated from people. What do you make of it? Does it seem extreme to you? 2. Do you understand Abba Arsenius idea that the way to overcome attachments that have become obstacles between the self and God, is to do penance by accepting the opposite suffering silence instead of music; bad smells instead of perfumes; etc.? How could you put this into practice in your own life? 3. Do you think that Abba Macarius was right in the way that he spoke with the brother who had been overcome by temptations as if he himself were the one with many failings? Can you think of other situations in which a similar approach would be effective in helping someone to see the truth? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

43 Topic 9: Saint John and Saint Poemon I. Abba John the Short A. He was born about 339, in Tese, near Oxyrhynchus (modern el-bahnasa), about 300 miles south of Alexandria, on a canal west of the Nile. B. He left home at 18 to join the monks of Scetis, and was trained by Abba Ammoes for 12 years. C. He eventually became a leader at Scetis, taking on many disciples himself, including Abba Arsenius. He was ordained a priest for the service of the monks. D. To preserve his solitude he dug a cave underground where he could retreat from time to time. E. After 407, he moved permanently to Antony s Inner Mountain. II. It was said of Abba John that he withdrew and lived in the desert at Scetis with an old man. His abba, taking a piece of dry wood, planted it and said to him, Water it every day with a bottle of water until it bears fruit.... Then the old man took some of the fruit and carried it to the church, saying to the brethren, Take and eat the fruit of obedience. (Alphabetikon, John the Short 1) A. The water was so far away that he had to leave in the evening, stay overnight, and return the next morning. B. It took three years for the tree to bear fruit. C. This story is the most famous about Abba John. It testifies to his unquestioning obedience, a mark of his humility and his trust in his vocation. III. Abba John said, I am like a man sitting under a great tree, who sees wild beasts and snakes coming against him in great number. When he cannot withstand them any longer, he runs to climb the tree and is saved. It is just the same with me. I sit in my cell and I am aware of evil thoughts coming against me, and when I have no more strength against them, I take refuge in God by prayer and I am saved from the enemy. (12) A. He had learned from experience not to trust himself, but to rely on God in the midst of his struggles. B. This was not something that came automatically to him. God trained him through long experience of temptation. His abba advised him not to ask God to take him temptations away, but to give him the strength to bear them well. C. He learned how to protect himself from temptations and the occasions of sin. He was content with the knowledge that he was weak, and did not resent it. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

44 IV. Abba John said, A house is not built by beginning at the top and working down. You must begin with the foundations in order to reach the top. The foundation is our neighbor, whom we must win, and that is the place to begin. For all the commandments of Christ depend on this one. (John the Short 34) A. Charity for the neighbor is the beginning of his whole spiritual plan: 1. We should have a little bit of all the virtues. 2. It takes daily, persevering effort to acquire them. 3. We must use great patience and fervent love of God. 4. We must practice great humility, vigilance and purity of speech and thought. 5. We must not get angry when insulted, but maintain peace and equanimity. 6. We must not pay attention to the faults of others, but consider ourselves the least of everyone. 7. We must renounce material possessions and live by the Cross. 8. We must do our work in peace and persevere in the ascetic life. 9. At all times, we must remember the nearness of death. V. Abba John was singularly generous with him time and energy. A. He recognized his abilities and knowledge as gifts from God, and therefore something that must be freely and joyfully shared with others. B. He encouraged his disciples to adopt the same attitude toward those who came to them for help. VI. Abba Poemen the Great A. He was born around the year 340. He was one of seven brothers, all of whom went away together to become monks. 1. Their mother did not want to lose them, and came to seek them out in the desert. They saw her coming and ran to their cells, locking her out. 2. When she pleaded with him, Abba Poemen told her that, if she wanted to see them in heaven, she had to leave without seeing them in this world. B. He settled in Scetis around 370, and had contacts with Arsenius, Moses the Ethiopian, John the Short, and others. C. He is said to have lived until 450, to the age of 110. D. The alphabetical collection contains 209 of his sayings. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

45 1. This is 15% of the whole collection, though he is only one of the 131 monks in the book. 2. Some scholars think that the collection was begun by his disciples, who added other abbas sayings to the list of Poemen s that they had already compiled. VII. A brother said to Abba Poemen, Give me a word. The old man said to him, As long as the pot is on the fire, no fly nor any other animal can get near it, but as soon as it is cold, these creatures get inside. So it is for the monk: as long as he lives in spiritual activities, the enemy cannot find a means of overthrowing him. (Poemen 111) A. Fervor is a necessary component of the spiritual life. B. It is kept going by 1. Fear of the Lord 2. Prayer 3. Works of charity 4. Detachment and asceticism C. Still, in the midst of fervor, moderation and periodic rest are also important. VIII. A brother came to see Abba Poemen and said to him, Abba, I have many thoughts and they put me in danger. The old man led him outside and said to him, Expand your chest and do not breathe in. He said, I cannot do that. Then the old man said to him, If you cannot do that, no more can you prevent thoughts from arising, but you can resist them. (Alphabetikon, Poemen 28) D. We will always face temptations, as long as we are living in the flesh. E. We cannot avoid them, even in the solitude of the desert. F. The fight goes on continually, and so vigilance is necessary. IX. A brother said to Abba Poemen, I have committed a great sin and I want to do penance for three years. The old man said to him, That is a lot. The brother said to him, For one year? The old man said again, That is a lot. Those who were present said, For forty days? The old man said again, That is a lot. He added, I myself say that if a man repents with his whole heart and does not intend to commit the sin any more, God will accept him after only three days. (Poemen 12) A. It is not the external works not even the asceticism of the desert that wins forgiveness from God. B. Rather, sins are overcome with patience and great trust in God s mercy. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

46 C. Forgiveness and reconciliation are gifts of grace and given freely by God. They are not earned, even by lots of works. This does not mean that penance is unimportant, but our focus must be on internal repentance which leads to conversion. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

47 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What do you make of Abba John s total obedience, even to the point of watering the stick? Was this blind obedience, or was it based on something deeper? What impact did it have on his life as a monk? As an abba? 2. What would Abba Poemen identify as the bare essentials of a successful life as a desert monk? How can we translate these into qualities we can seek in our own lives? 3. Do you see similarities in the personalities of Abba Poemen and Abba John? Where do you think such similarities originate? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

48 Part IV: Saint Syncletica and the Desert Ammas W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

49 Topic 10: The Mothers of the Desert I. Not surprisingly, ancient sources do not always give equal time to the women who answered the call to live as ascetics in the desert. A. The histories do not even fully account for their presence there, but they were indeed represented in large numbers. 1. Pachomius s sister founded a monastery for women near his, near Tabennesi 2. The women lived on the other side of the river from the men. 3. They followed a similar rule of life and were organized along the same general lines. 4. Palladius reports that, in the early fifth century, at least 400 women lived here. B. The Lausiac History of Palladius relates a number of stories of women The courageous women to whom God granted struggles equal to those of men. 2. He recalls some of them by name: a. The matron Paula, a confidant of Saint Jerome b. Amma Alexandra, who lived walled in a tomb for 10 years c. Amma Isidora, who did menial work and let everyone in her convent think she was insane C. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers include four women, along with 128 men. 1. Amma Theodora a. She was the wife of a tribune who became notable for her detachment from possessions. b. She was often consulted by monks about the monastic life, and even the archbishop Theophilus came to her for counsel. c. Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter s storms, cannot bear fruit, so it is with us. This present age is a storm, and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. (Alphabetikon, Theodora 2) 2. Amma Sarah a. By her own admission, she struggled against temptations and impure desires for more than 13 years. She fought against them with strict asceticism. b. Finally the demon of lust appeared to her in visible form and admitted defeat. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

50 c. An idea of her spirit of self-denial is given in one anecdote that is told of her: She had lived near a river for 60 years, it is said, but was surprised one day when someone mentioned how pleasant it was to be close to running water. In all that time, she had never raised her eyes and looked at it. d. If I prayed God that all men should approve of my conduct, I should find myself a penitent at the door of each one. I shall rather pray that my heart may be pure towards all. (Sarah 5) D. Amma Matrona 1. She was born in Asia Minor in the early fifth century and lived in Constantinople. She married a wealthy man, and they had a daughter. 2. She was very devout and would spend entire days sometimes in church. In her early twenties, she began to live a very ascetical life, drawing sharp criticism from her husband. 3. Eventually she felt called by God to leave her husband and become a nun; she entrusted her daughter to the care of the widows of the local church and left for the desert. 4. To hide from her husband, she disguised herself and entered a monastery of men. When she was discovered after some time, the abbot arranged for her to enter a women s monastery in Emesa, where she eventually became abbess. 5. Her husband tracked her down, and she fled from him to Lebanon. After his death she and the sisters with her moved back to Constantinople, where she died at the age of 100, after 75 years of the monastic life. 6. We carry ourselves wherever we go, and cannot escape temptation by mere flight. Many people living secluded lives on the mountain have perished by living like people in the world. It is better to live in a crowd and want to live a solitary life than to live a solitary life but all the time be longing for company. II. The best known and most influential of the women of the desert was Amma Syncletica. A. She was born in Alexandria, Egypt, around AD 270. B. Her parents were wealthy Christians, originally from Macedonia. 1. They emigrated to Alexandria because of the reputation of Christians there. 2. She had several siblings: a. One sister (who was blind) b. A brother who died in childhood c. Another brother who died just before he was to be married W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

51 3. Her name may give us some indication of her family s status: a. Synkletos (σύγκλητος) = the assembly or senate b. Synkletiko (συγκλητικο) = a senator c. Synkletike (συγκλητικη) = a senator s wife or daughter C. By all accounts, she was extremely beautiful and had many suitors because of her wealth and rank. 1. Her parents encouraged her to marry, especially as she was their only hope of grandchildren. 2. She ignored her suitors and neglected her appearance so as to discourage them. 3. She desired a divine marriage, a total commitment to Christ. 4. Her sacrifice was seen as a new kind of martyrdom. 5. She was not persuaded by her parents pleading, nor by offers of gifts. D. She began a strict, ascetical life in her parents house. Her fasting was a safeguard and foundation for the other virtues. 1. When she was made to eat more than a little, she was sick. 2. When she fasted, she felt and looked exceptionally well. E. When her parents died, she left home with her sister. 1. She sold all of the family estate and distributed the proceeds to the poor. 2. She lived in a family tomb outside the city, spending the time in solitude and prayer to discern God s will for her life. F. Eventually she sent for a priest from the village. In his presence, she cut off her hair her last connection with worldly things and made a commitment to live for God alone. She went into the wilderness and began an ascetical life. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

52 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Can you identify specifically feminine or maternal aspects of the stories and teachings that come down to us from the desert ammas? What special benefits can we derive from them? 2. Do you think Amma Matrona was right to leave her family to become a desert nun? Why or why not? How did she explain her decision? 3. Amma Syncletica s biographer claimed that her decision to give her life completely to Christ was a greater and more painful sacrifice than if she had died as a martyr. Do you agree with this? In what ways do you think he meant it? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

53 Topic 11: Saint Syncletica s Advice for Beginners I. As soon as she entered the wilderness, Syncletica began to deny herself all sorts of things. A. In this way, her biographer says, she headed off the first impulses of temptations. B. Her austerities included: 1. Reducing her food to only bran bread in small amounts 2. Taking water only when necessary, and often no water at all for long periods 3. Sleeping on the ground at all times 4. Constant prayer 5. Practice of the virtues, especially faith, hope, and love 6. Love for neighbor, and almsgiving, if not in actuality then certainly in intent C. She knew to moderate her penance when the battle was easier, in order not to lose strength. II. Although she loved solitude, her reputation spread, and women came to her from the surrounding towns and villages and asked for advice on the spiritual life. A. At first she refused to teach them because in her humility she considered herself just a beginner. B. Eventually gave into their request, and (like Saint Antony) a large part of her Life is a discourse of the 113 chapters (70%!) records her advice to these women. 2. However, her biographer insists that they learned more from her example than from her words. C. It seems that many women came to live with her in the same region. III. She lived in this way into her late 60s. After many years of penance, she was stricken with great suffering. A. A cancer in her lungs afflicted her for 3½ years. B. She developed a fever that burned her insides. C. Next, a terrible infection in a molar quickly destroyed her jaw and her tongue. 1. This was particularly devastating, as it affected her ability to speak and to teach and encourage others. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

54 2. It also became an occasion for testing and teaching others to be humble, as it created a terrible odor that repulsed those who looked after her. D. Syncletica became a model of patience in suffering, and taught patience to those who tended her. E. She suffered in this way for many months, and eventually died on the day she had predicted, at the age of 80. IV. In her teaching, Amma Syncletica was always practical, especially with those who were just starting out in the spiritual life. A. I am telling you these things to safeguard you from the Adversary. What is being said, however, is not suitable for all, but only for those who choose this life. Just as one diet is not suitable for all animals, so the same instruction is not appropriate for all people. 1. She was attentive to the needs of each person who came to her. 2. She sent many home to the city, to be holy right where God had put them. 3. Those who stayed she led in the way that God knew best. 4. She was willing to praise beginners when possible, so that they did not get too discouraged by criticism. 5. There is a particularly motherly quality to her approach to holiness. B. For those who are making their way to God, there is at first great struggle and effort, but then indescribable joy. 1. She compares growth in holiness to building a fire. a. First, there is little to show for it but lots of effort and lots of smoke. b. This causes tears and coughing, which can lead to discouragement and a desire to give up. c. It is only if one perseveres through this initial phase, when it does not seem like much is happening, that one arrives at the flame that is useful and gives warmth. d. Because we know it is the Lord s desire to kindle the flame in us, we must persevere in our efforts until it catches. C. This growth in holiness requires a total commitment. 1. Conversion cannot be something superficial or merely external. 2. The renunciation of the world, and of the external, material things that come from it, make it possible for the nun to concentrate on what needs conversion within herself. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

55 3. Syncletica uses the image of cutting off her hair upon entering the monastic life: a. Now that the scalp is clean, the little lice that cling to it are visible and can be attended to. b. The locks of hair represent big, material attachments. The tiny lice are the internal problems like pride, anger and envy. They are less noticeable, but more dangerous when hidden. c. Now that they are out in the open, a nun must not stop growing in holiness until all of these hidden vices are addressed and eradicated. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

56 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Do you think it was any more difficult for Amma Syncletica, as a woman, to go off into the wilderness and live the ascetical life than it would have been for a desert monk, like Saint Antony? Why or why not? 2. Have you experienced the kinds of initial trials that Amma Syncletica describes when she uses the image of trying to light a fire and achieving only smoke at first? What makes it difficult to persevere? How can one get the strength to keep going? 3. What does Amma Syncletica mean by the lice that are hidden by the hair on the head of the soul? How does this image help us to understand the process of conversion in our own spiritual lives? Is this an easy process to undergo? Why or why not? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

57 Topic 12: Saint Syncletica s Wisdom for Life s Journey I. As we have seen, Saint Syncletica spent many decades in the desert. A. Her advice was not just for beginners, but bore the mark of long experience. B. She counseled those who joined her to endure trials and persevere for the long journey through life. C. In this way, they would put the Enemy to shame. D. She compared those who lived the ascetical life to sailors, who do not turn back to port at the sight of a storm, but lie quiet for a little while, and then resume their journey. II. We remember that she was from the port city of Alexandria, which was home to the Pharos, the great lighthouse which was among the Seven Wonders of the World. A number of her sayings have to do with sailing, navigation, or shipbuilding: A. The mind must become painstakingly diligent with respect to its thoughts. We are sailing in uncertainty. For our life is a sea... But some parts of the sea are full of reefs, and some full also of monsters, but some too are calm. We seem to be sailing in the calm... during the day. It often happens, however, that the secular person has saved his ship in the midst of storm and darkness, by crying out and staying awake. We, on the other hand, have drowned in calm waters through carelessness in letting go of the rudder of righteousness. Let the one standing firm, therefore, take care lest he fall. (Life, para ) B. Like a ship our soul is sometimes engulfed by the waves without, and is sometimes swamped by the bilge-water within. We must guard against onslaughts of spirits from outside us, and bail out impurities of thoughts inside us. Against the storm waves outside, salvation often comes from ships nearby when the sailors cry out for help. But bilge-waters overflow and frequently kill the sailors, often when they are asleep and the sea is calm. (Life, para. 45) C. Just as a ship sailing without rudders is constantly tossed about, so is danger ever gusting against negligent souls. They are not able to reach a safe harbor since they have dropped the Lord as their pilot. (Life, para. 85) D. Just as one cannot build a ship unless one has some nails, so it is impossible to be saved without humility. (Alphabetikon, Syncletica 26) III. Humility and patience also figured prominently in her spiritual program. A. The seemingly little sins like envy and malicious talk were, in the long run, more dangerous to the common life than the big ones like lust, greed and murder. 1. The bigger, more obvious sins are healed by being found out, and the person is soon brought to conversion. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

58 2. But the anger and resentments that one harbors in her heart can linger unnoticed for a long time and poison relationships in small and subtle ways. 3. Once they have taken hold of the heart, they become increasingly difficult to root out. i. They do damage not by the size of their blow, but by the negligence of the wounded. (Life, para. 65) B. Humility could be acquired, she said, by the particular asceticism that came from being obedient. 1. This internal sacrifice of being obedient to the amma of following another s will and directions rather than our own preferences is more valuable than lots of external sacrifices. 2. There is often danger, she saw, in doing visible things, since they can draw attention to the one performing the penance. 3. But obedience always trains the heart and mind to be humble rather than proud. IV. She also saw the necessity of voluntary poverty and detachment from material goods. A. It led to freedom from temptation and openness to God s will. B. Detachment was aided by generous acceptance of ascetical penances. C. The involuntary giving up of strength that came along with old age was also a form of detachment and led to a greater dependence on God, which is very necessary as one draws closer to death. W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

59 REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What might the sayings from Amma Syncletica about ships and navigation tell us about her history and personality? Does this help to humanize a figure who would otherwise be somewhat remote from us? 2. Amma Syncletica is often more attentive to small, internal sins than more visible, external ones, and encourages others to be equally vigilant. To what do you attribute this special concern of hers? 3. How did Amma Syncletica incorporate her personal story and experience her long life, her illness, and her great suffering into her teaching on the spiritual life? Does this help us or not as we try to learn from her? W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /

60 Part V: Finding Healing in the Desert W W W. N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A. C O M / /