Month: March 2013

Measuring yourself against others

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Ruler

A hermit said to a brother, “Do not measure yourself against your brother, saying that you are more serious or more chaste or more understanding than he is. But be obedient to the grace of God, in the spirit of poverty, and in love unfeigned. The efforts of a man swollen with vanity are futile. It is written, “Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”; “let your speech be seasoned with salt” and so you will be dependent upon Christ.”

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

My Heart believes with eyes deceived

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I was going to post this video after my Lenten desert time was over, but instead I’ve decided to do it now…

The above video is for the song “Intertwined” which was written by Ken Yasinski, sung by Janaya Trudel and produced by Clark Jaman.  The MP3 of this song is available for download here.

Upon falling in love with the chorus’ harmonies, I’ve pretty much had this song on a continuous loop for the last few days. Since Lent is a time for renewed dedication to prayer, and this song makes me want to go do a Holy Hour, I figured that I should post it now! Well, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it… 😉

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Desert Fathers: Brotherly Support

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monks

Two brothers went to a town to sell what they had made. In the town they separated, and one of them fell into fornication.

Afterwards the other brother said, “Let us go back to our cell, brother.” But he replied, “I’m not coming.” The other asked him, “Why, brother?” He replied, “Because when you left me, I was tempted, and was guilty of fornication.” The other, wanting to help him, said, “The same thing happened to me; after I left you, I also fell into fornication. Let us go together, and do penance with all our might, and God will pardon us sinners.”

When they returned to their cell, they told the brothers what had happened to them, and were told what penance they should do. But the one did penance not for himself, but for the other, as though himself had sinned. God, seeing his earnestness and his charity, revealed to one of the elders, a few days later, that he had forgiven the fornicator because of the charity of the brother who had not sinned.

Truly, this was to lay down his soul for his brother.

– De vitis Patrum, Sive Verba Seniorum, Liber V

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