Abba Arsenios - 3.0

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 doinglectio divina - this time it will be with a short aphorism from theApophthegmata (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



13. Abba Mark said to Abba Arsenius, 'Why do you
avoid us?' The old man said to him, 'God knows that I love
you, but I cannot live with God and with men. The
thousands and ten thousands of the heavenly hosts have but
one will, while men have many. So I cannot leave God to
be with men.'

14. Abba Daniel said of Abba Arsenius that he used to
pass the whole night without sleeping, and in the early
morning when nature compelled him to go to sleep, he
would say to sleep, 'Come here, wicked servant.' Then,
seated, he would snatch a little sleep and soon wake up
again.

15. Abba Arsenius used to say that one-hour's sleep
is enough for a monk if he is a good fighter.

16. The old man used to tell how one day someone
handed round a few dried figs in Scetis. Because they were
not worth anything, no one took any to Abba Arsenius in
order not to offend him. Learning of it, the old man did not
come to the synaxis saying, 'You have cast me out by not
giving me a share of the blessing which God had given the
brethren and which I was not worthy to receive.' Everyone
heard of this and was edified at the old man's humility.
Then the priest went to take him the small dried figs and
brought him to the synaxis with joy.

17. Abba Daniel used to say, 'He lived with us many a
long year and every year we used to take him only one
basket of bread and when we went to find him the next year
we would eat some of that bread.'

18. It was said of the same Abba Arsenius that he only
changed the water for his palm-leaves once a year; the rest of
the time he simply added to it. One old man implored him in
these words, 'Why do you not change the water for these
palm-leaves when it smells 'Instead of the perfumes and
aromatics which bad?' He said to him, I used in the world I
must bear this bad smell.'

19. Abba Daniel used to tell how when Abba Arsenius
learned that all the varieties of fruit were ripe he would say,
'Bring me some.' He would taste a very little of each, just
once, giving thanks to God.

20. Once at Scetis Abba Arsenius was ill and he was
without even a scrap of linen. As he had nothing with which

to buy any, he received some through another's charity and
he said, 'I give you thanks, Lord, for having considered me
worthy to receive this charity in your name.'

+Tom