"Father, Give Me a Word . . ."
Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent – March 11, 2015
A BROTHER asked a hermit, “Abba, if someone brings me gossip, should I ask him to stop speaking?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because we also gossip. We would be asking someone else to do what we cannot do.”
“Then what is the best thing to do?”
“The best thing is to remain silent. Silence is better for us and for others as well.”
[Bernard Bangley, By Way of the Desert, p. 219]
The Abbas and Ammas of the Desert had been shaped by their spiritual practices over a long, long period of time. Their wisdom was a gift of God, but it was also hard-earned. They lived disciplined, ascetic lives because they wanted to live in intimate connection with God. And they were able to share with others the fruit of that intimate connection.
Yet, you never find them imposing their wisdom on others. They were not interested in correcting others who wanted to order life differently. In fact, they typically imparted wisdom to others only when asked. Younger, less experienced men and women would come to the older masters with a request: “Father, give me a word.” So the Abbas would share their wisdom when asked for a word.
Today’s story from the Desert tradition reflects their humility and their deep belief that silence was the path to learning. “We have sinned, also,” the Abba said, “so it is best for us to remain silent . . . best for us and for others as well.”
And then about gossip, the Proverbs have wisdom for us:
Where there is no fuel
a fire goes out;
where there is no gossip
arguments come to an end. (Prov. 26:20)
Again, best for us and for others that we remain silent.
A BROTHER asked a hermit, “Abba, if someone brings me gossip, should I ask him to stop speaking?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because we also gossip. We would be asking someone else to do what we cannot do.”
“Then what is the best thing to do?”
“The best thing is to remain silent. Silence is better for us and for others as well.”
[Bernard Bangley, By Way of the Desert, p. 219]
The Abbas and Ammas of the Desert had been shaped by their spiritual practices over a long, long period of time. Their wisdom was a gift of God, but it was also hard-earned. They lived disciplined, ascetic lives because they wanted to live in intimate connection with God. And they were able to share with others the fruit of that intimate connection.
Yet, you never find them imposing their wisdom on others. They were not interested in correcting others who wanted to order life differently. In fact, they typically imparted wisdom to others only when asked. Younger, less experienced men and women would come to the older masters with a request: “Father, give me a word.” So the Abbas would share their wisdom when asked for a word.
Today’s story from the Desert tradition reflects their humility and their deep belief that silence was the path to learning. “We have sinned, also,” the Abba said, “so it is best for us to remain silent . . . best for us and for others as well.”
And then about gossip, the Proverbs have wisdom for us:
Where there is no fuel
a fire goes out;
where there is no gossip
arguments come to an end. (Prov. 26:20)
Again, best for us and for others that we remain silent.
Comments
Post a Comment