Reflecting on the Spirituality of The Desert Fathers and Mothers

My motivation for wanting to discuss the spirituality of the desert fathers and mothers stems from my recent engagement with the Lectio 365 daily devotions during Lent. I had heard about the desert fathers and mothers previously and thought of them as ancient ascetics/mystics who simply wanted to get away from people in their pursuit of God. I also knew that they were influential on early Christianity - specifically during the third and fourth centuries. In my desire to better understand the desert fathers and mothers, I purchased Andrew Arndt’s book: Streams in The Wasteland: Finding Spiritual Renewal with the Desert Fathers & Mothers.

In the following, I refer to Scripture passages, quotes from Arndt’s book, and from the desert fathers and mothers.

Jeremiah 2: 5, 13
What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves (v.5). My people have committed two sins, they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (v. 13). These two sins - forsaking the true and living God and digging their own cisterns that cannot hold water are the sins that Judah was accused of by the prophet Jeremiah - sins described by Andrew Arndt as “the same for individuals, families, communities, peoples, and nations.” The church grew rapidly during the first and second centuries in spite of great persecution and by the time of Constantine, had grown to about six million. During this time the church was increasingly being influenced by the culture and it is for this reason, and a desire  for purity and holiness that the desert fathers and mothers moved into the Egyptian, Syrian, and Arabian deserts practicing solitude, silence, and prayer. Commenting on Jeremiah 2:5 above, Arndt wrote:

 “We always eventually become like what we worship- for better or for worse. We are, by an infallible law of the universe, transformed into the likeness of the objects of our devotion.” The desert fathers and mothers devoted themselves wholly to God - for the purpose of being transformed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6; 3:18).

The Desert Fathers and Mothers

The desert fathers and mothers were referred to by the terms Abba (Father) and Amma (Mother). Listed here are just a few and some of their words of wisdom. Abba Poemen: “ Have the mentality of an exile in the place where you live and you will have peace.” Amma Syncletica: There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town…it is possible to be solitary in one’s mind while living in the crowd.” Anthony of the Desert - “Wherever you go, keep God in mind and whatever you do, follow the example of Holy Scripture. Wherever you are, stay there and do not move away in a hurry. If you keep to these guide-lines, you will be saved.” John Cassian: “Live in the flesh, but not according to the flesh." “Perfection in holiness can be achieved only through humility.”

As we observe this season of Lent, may we draw closer to God in the wilderness of this world, learn from the legacy of the desert fathers and mothers, live for the Glory of God, and be more transformed into the likeness of Christ, the object of our devotion.

Denny Barnett