Sights and Insights
Jan. 25, 2022
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. – 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NRSV)
Every so often, I return to the writings of the “Desert Hermits” These were the original Christian monastic figures. In the deserts of Egypt in the early days of Christianity, many Christians decided to live in the desert in solitude, focusing on prayer and basic subsistence. There were some monasteries, but they were loose collectives rather than organized orders that are more familiar to us today. Some of the sayings of those who lived the contemplative life have been written down, representing wisdom of early Christian spirituality. As we come to the end of the week of prayer for Christian unity, I share this early writing as a reflection on unity and living together as a community:
Abba Nicetas said of two brothers that they met with the intention of living together. The first thought within himself, ‘If my brother wants something, I will do it,’ and the second thought the same, ‘I will do the will of my brother.’ So they lived many years in great charity. Seeing this, the enemy set out to separate them. He stood at the entrance to the cell, appearing to the one like a dove and to the other like a raven. The first said, ‘Do you see that little dove?’ The other said, ‘It is a raven.’ They began to argue and to contradict one another, then they stood up and fought till they drew blood, to the great joy of the enemy; and they separated. After three days they returned and came to their senses and each asked the other’s forgiveness. They recognized that each of them had believed the bird to be what he had seen and recognized that their conflict came from the enemy. So they lived to the end without being separated.
– From Benedicta Ward, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, page 157.
May we have the wisdom to allow space for one another and to seek forgiveness when we value our sense of being right on small matters over the importance of deep relationships with one another.