(1) From the Desert Abbas and Ammas: The Tired Brother or Sister

Inasmuch as I've often recommended reading what the early church's Abbas and Ammas have left by way of recommendation for authentic living, during the next several months I'll post now and then a "word" from the Desert Fathers. Here's the first I've chosen, one that is typical, indicative of the creative way they suggest that life in Christ might well be lived among us:

Some old men came to see Abba Poemen and said to him, "When we see brothers who are dozing at the synaxis [a liturgical office said by the monks together], shall we rouse them so that they will be watchful? He said to them, "For my part when I see a brother who is dozing, I put his lead on my knees and let him rest." (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, trans. Benedicta Ward (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1975), 179-80.

Now that's delightful, not only because I sometimes doze off during worship when the sermons are particularly dull, but also--and more importantly!--because this "word" from Abba Poemen nicely hints at the empathetic and compassionate understanding Abba Poemen encourages us to nurture as we live with others. So the next time you see my head bobbing as I try to stay awake, do support me in some way other than elbowing me to jolt me out of my drowsiness. I'll do that same for you; after all, you may have experienced a sleepless night, and especially hard day at work, or some an exhausting labor of love . So lean your head on my shoulder and rest.

The implications of Poemen's saying, his "word," are enormous. More of the sayings will be coming soon.

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