Sayings of the Fathers and Mothers

So, we started with several weeks of keeping a journal.  We wrote about the various texts supplied on line.  We went back and read our journal entries and noted patterns and development.  Next, we moved on to lectio divina - holy reading.  We read daily passages of scripture, over and over until we heard a message from the Spirit coming through.  Then, we sat with that message and listened to it in our heart.  Hopefully there was some journaling of the messages we heard so we can go back to them in the future.

Today we are going to begin with lessons from the desert Saints of Christianity.  Each day I will post several of the sayings of one of the desert fathers or mothers.  Read them over and find one that interests you.  Use that one saying as something to mull over in silent reflection and meditation.

Essentially you will be using it like a zen koan.  You will be doing lectio divina - this time it will be with a short aphorism from the Apophthegmata (Sayings of the Fathers).  Repeat it inside, over and over.  Listen for what the Spirit has to teach you from these aphorisms.

We will work with these sayings for a few weeks.  Be sure to journal what you hear.  This will leave a path for you to follow later, when you want to see where you have been and how you have developed.  On-line Journal at:  http://my-diary.org/

ABBA ARSENIOS (Arsenius)

Arsenius was born in Rome about 36o. A well-educated
man, of senatorial rank, he was appointed by the Emperor
Tbeodosius 1 as tutor to the princes Arcadius and
Honorius. He left the palace in 394 and sailed secretly to
Alexandria. From there he went to Scetis and placed
himself under the guidance of Abba John the Dwarf. He
became an anchorite near Petra in Scetis. He seems to
have had only three disciples, Alexander, Zoilus and
Daniel. He was renowned for his austerity and silence and
his combined with his learning made him seem somewhat
forbidding to the Coptic monks. After the second
devastation of Scetis in 434 he went to the mountain of
Troe where he died in 449.

1. While still living in the palace, Abba Arsenius prayed
to God in these words, 'Lord, lead me in the way of
salvation.' And a voice came saying to him, 'Arsenius, flee
from men and you will be saved.'

2. Having withdrawn to the solitary life he made the
same prayer again and he heard a voice saying to him,
'Arsenius, flee, be silent, pray always, for these are the
source of sinlessness.'

3. It happened that when Abba Arsenius was sitting in
his cell that he was harassed by demons. His servants, on
their return, stood outside his cell and heard him praying to
God in these words, 'O God, do not leave me. I have done
nothing good in your sight, but according to your
goodness, let me now make a beginning of good.'

4. 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.

5. Someone said to blessed Arsenius, 'How is it that we,
with all our education and our wide knowledge get nowhere,
while these Egyptian peasants acquire so many
virtues?' Abba Arsenius said to him, 'We indeed get nothing
from our secular education, but these Egyptian peasants
acquire the virtues by hard work.'

6. One day Abba Arsenius consulted an old Egyptian
monk about his own thoughts. Someone noticed this and
said to him, 'Abba Arsenius, how is it that you with such a
good Latin and Greek education ask this peasant about your
thoughts?' He replied, 'I have indeed been taught Latin and
Greek, but I do not know even the alphabet of this peasant.'

Amen.

+Tom

Arsenios the Great