Desert Fathers

Normal people for thousands of years have been trying to escape the world system, finding that all it does is exasperate sinful living. I was recently reading about the desert fathers and their retreat and thought of how that decision was in my spirit when I came to the downtown east side of Vancouver. I figure our students have gone through a similar spiritual experience. Next to conversion, I'd have to say it is the most significant decision in my spiritual life: to deny the world and what it offers and to live sacrificially for Jesus.

Here is an illustration: While still living in the palace, Abba Arsenius prayed these words, 'Lord, lead me in the way of salvation.' And a voice came saying to him, 'Arsenius, flee from the world and you will be saved.' Having sailed secretly from Rome to Alexandria and having withdrawn to the solitary life [in the desert] Arsenius prayed again: 'Lord, lead me in the way of salvation' and again he heard a voice saying, 'Arsenius, flee, be silent, pray always, for these are the sources of sinlessness.'

Henri Nouwen writes about the disciplines of fleeing, being silent and continuous prayer: "They indicate the three ways of preventing the world from shaping us in its image and are thus the three ways to life in the Spirit."

Though not a retreat from all people coming down here certainly cuts us off from the world system. Fashion and vanity do not have the same lures that pull us in the suburbs. Money is exposed as fleeting and sin is brought to light how ugly its head is. That has been my experience here: finding a higher level of personal and social holiness, a more disciplined life and I'm working on continuous prayer.


Have you considered fleeing the world?