There’s an old saying that says ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants.’ While I applaud the proverb’s humility, something about it has always rubbed me the wrong way. What’s amazing about the great feats of the past — whether it’s standing up to Nazis, demanding Civil Rights, or the acts of creative genius in … Continue reading Against Golden Ages: A Reflection on Abba John the Dwarf 14
I once heard an old priest say that people are wrong to think that sin is titillating, exciting, and creative: There are so few ways to sin that it’s boring, but there are infinite ways to be holy, so that's where the real excitement, creativity and wonder lie. It’s something I’ve thought about often over … Continue reading On Discernment: A Reflection on Abba Joseph of Panephysis 8
Over the past few days, this series on the wisdom of the Desert Fathers has been focusing a lot on how to live a good and holy life. We had Abba Sisoes talking about shame and fear and their relationship to sin, Abba Poemen bemoaning the lack of truly perceptive monks in the Desert, and … Continue reading The Ways of Wisdom: A Reflection on Psalm 51 and Joseph of Panephysis 2
In yesterday’s post, our old friend Abba Poemen commented on how much more common it was in the Desert for monks to achieve ascetic mastery than it was genuine perception. In today’s saying, he talks about three tools that just might get us to that place of true excellence: Abba Poemen said: ‘Vigilance, self-awareness, and … Continue reading Three Guides for the Soul: A Reflection on Abba Poemen 35
A few years ago, I, like many Christians, was shocked and disappointed when it came out that Jean Vanier, the founder of the l’Arche communities and a great hero to many of us, had been found to have psychologically and sexually abused at least six women. It was yet another reminder that even those who … Continue reading On Perception: A Reflection on Abba Poemen 106
Matthew Root 