I'm reading In the Heart of the Desert by John Chryssavgis. It's an introduction to the world of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, a world that is gone, historically speaking; I am moved by their complete embrace of imperfection and their deep compassion. Abba Arsenius, Abba Poemen, Amma Syncletica, Abba Moses the Robber, Abba Macarius, and others whose sayings have been passed down through the centuries were men and women seeking to be fully alive by doing the work of the soul unflinchingly. This deep commitment to honesty makes them great teachers. Their world is the world of human beings who know that "forgetfulness of who we are is the ultimate tragedy (p. 47)." I'm enjoying this book immensely.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Heart of the Desert
I'm reading In the Heart of the Desert by John Chryssavgis. It's an introduction to the world of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, a world that is gone, historically speaking; I am moved by their complete embrace of imperfection and their deep compassion. Abba Arsenius, Abba Poemen, Amma Syncletica, Abba Moses the Robber, Abba Macarius, and others whose sayings have been passed down through the centuries were men and women seeking to be fully alive by doing the work of the soul unflinchingly. This deep commitment to honesty makes them great teachers. Their world is the world of human beings who know that "forgetfulness of who we are is the ultimate tragedy (p. 47)." I'm enjoying this book immensely.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment