Triggered to Thinking

Many retreated from regular society and chose a hermit’s lifestyle. These men were known as “The Desert Fathers”. Douglas-Burton Christie notes, “Many of the desert monks refused to participate in the growing establishment of the church under Constantine, choosing instead to live on the margins of society under the direct guidance of the Spirit and the Word of God” (Burton-Christie, 1993, p.3). The Desert Fathers would employ biblical interpretation used by the previous Christians, but would also situate their teaching in the context of the desert. These fathers spoke against the evils of jealousy, slander, gossip, hate and evil. There is a story about the Desert Fathers welcoming a traveling Manichee monk. The monk was surprised by the hospitality of the Desert fathers that he became a Christian. The sayings of the Desert Fathers can be inspirational to us today, and I will share some in honour of this year’s Thanksgiving. These sayings can remind us all to be more thankful this year and to be kind to our fellow humans. 

Some of the hermits used to say, “Whatever you hate for yourself, do not do it to someone else. If you hate being spoken evil of, do not speak evil of another” (Ward, 2003, p.6).

Poemen also said, “Teach your heart to follow what your tongue is saying to others” (Ward, 2003, p. 81).

Joseph asked Poemen, “Tell me how to become a monk.” He said, “If you want to find rest in this life and in the next, say at every moment, ‘Who am I? ‘ and judge no one” (Ward,2003, p.85).

He also said, “Evil cannot drive out evil . If anyone huts you, do good to him and your good will destroy his evil” (Ward, 2003, p. 101). 

But now when we meet, we spend our time in gossip, and so we drag each other down (Ward, 2003, p. 115).

Works Cited

Burton-Christie, D. (1993). The word in the desert. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195066142.001.0001

Ward, B. (2003). The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks. Penguin UK.