Eternal Wisdom from the Desert
Eternal Wisdom from the Desert

Author: Henry L. Carrigan

Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA)

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 9781557252838

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In the fourth century, thousands of men and women fled into the Egyptian desert seeking to recapture the passion of the earliest Christians through lives of prayer and solitude. As records of the wisdom and purity of the "desert fathers and mothers" spread through the Roman Empire, Christians streamed to the caves of these desert hermits, seeking counsel on the interior life. The hermits' ascetic practices and wise words were a shining witness to a living faith that could be woven into the fabric of daily life. This volume contains Athanasius' famous The Life of St. Anthony, St. Jerome's The Life of Paul the Hermit, and the collected sayings of many of the desert fathers. Encouraging humility, patience, prayer, introspection, and love, the desert fathers and mothers teach today's believers that deep contemplative practice opens the door to eternal wisdom for daily life.

The Desert Fathers
The Desert Fathers

Author: Benedicta Ward

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2003-03-27

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 0141907002

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The Desert Fathers were the first Christian monks, living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. In contrast to the formalised and official theology of the "founding fathers" of the church, the Desert Fathers were ordinary Christians who chose to renounce the world and live lives of celibacy, fasting, vigil, prayer and poverty in direct and simple response to the gospel. Their sayings were first recorded in the 4th century and consist of spiritual advice, anecdotes and parables. The Desert Fathers' teachings and lives have inspired poetry, opera and art, as well as providing spiritual nourishment and a template for monastic life.

The Love of Eternal Wisdom
The Love of Eternal Wisdom

Author: Saint Louis de Montfort

Publisher: Aeterna Press

Published: 2015-02-20

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13:

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O divine Wisdom, Lord of heaven and earth, I humbly beg pardon for my audacity in attempting to speak of your perfections, ignorant and sinful as I am. I beg you not to consider the darkness of my mind or the uncleanness of my lips unless it be to take them away with a glance of your eyes and a breath of your mouth. Aeterna Press

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Author:

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 1975-02-01

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0879079592

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`Give me a word, Father', visitors to early desert monks asked. The responses of these pioneer ascetics were remembered and in the fourth century written down in Coptic, Syriac, Greek, and later Latin. Their Sayings were collected, in this case in the alphabetical order of the monks and nuns who uttered them, and read by generations of Christians as life-giving words that would help readers along the path to salvation.

The Wisdom of the Desert
The Wisdom of the Desert

Author: Thomas Merton

Publisher: New Directions Publishing

Published: 1970

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 9780811201025

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"The ascetics of Scete and the Thebaid in the Egyptian Desert have been more often admired than known or understood. Translations by such scholars as Helen Waddell have done much to restore the true perspective. This new selection from the Latin 'Sayings of the Fathers' (Verba Seniorum) has been made by Thomas Merton with a special purpose. It is not only a translation and selection, but a new monastic redaction in the spirit of our own time. Merton has felt free, as a monk, to do what generations of monks before him have done. He has made a wholly independent and original use of material which is the traditional basis of Christian monastic spirituality." -- Dust jacket.

The Wisdom of the Desert
The Wisdom of the Desert

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1974

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13:

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Thomas Mertons affection for the spiritual nonconformists who once inhabited the deserts of the Near East shines through in these much-loved short tales of their acts and words of wisdom. Mertons free translation from the Latin sources presents their radical lives with humour and insight, relating them to Zen recluses, Hindu renunciates and all those who have ever fled conventional life in search of higher wisdom.

On First Principles
On First Principles

Author: Origen

Publisher: Ave Maria Press

Published: 2013-12-09

Total Pages: 576

ISBN-13: 0870612808

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Origen’s On First Principles is a foundational work in the development of Christian thought and doctrine: it is the first attempt in history at a systematic Christian theology. For over a decade it has been out of print with only expensive used copies available; now it is available at an affordable price and in a more accessible format. On First Principles is the most important surviving text written by third-century Church father, Origen. Origen wrote in a time when fundamental doctrines had not yet been fully articulated by the Church, and contributed to the very formation of Christianity. Readers see Origen grappling with the mysteries of salvation and brainstorming how they can be understood. This edition presents G. W. Butterworth’s trusted translation in a new, more readable format, retains the introduction by Henri de Lubac, and includes a new foreword by John C. Cavadini. As St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Doctor of the Church, wrote: “Origen is the stone on which all of us were sharpened.”

Desert Fathers and Mothers
Desert Fathers and Mothers

Author: Christine Valters Paintner

Publisher: SkyLight Paths Publishing

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 1594733732

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Timeless and contemplative sayings from the earliest Christian sages of desert spirituality can be a companion on your own spiritual journey. The desert fathers and mothers were ordinary Christians living in solitude in the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Arabia who chose to renounce the world in order to deliberately and individually follow God's call. They embraced lives of celibacy, labor, fasting, prayer and poverty, believing that denouncing material goods and practicing stoic self-discipline would lead to unity with the Divine. Their spiritual practice formed the basis of Western monasticism and greatly influenced both Western and Eastern Christianity. Their writings, first recorded in the fourth century, consist of spiritual advice, parables and anecdotes emphasizing the primacy of love and the purity of heart. Focusing on key themes of charity, fortitude, lust, patience, prayer and self-control, the Sayings influenced the rule of St. Benedict and have inspired centuries of opera, poetry and art. This probing and personal SkyLight Illuminations edition opens up their wisdom for readers with no previous knowledge of Western monasticism and early Christianity. It provides insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that describes historical background, explains the practice of asceticism and illustrates how you can use their wisdom to energize your spiritual quest.

The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers

Author: Henry L. Carrigan

Publisher: Paraclete Press

Published: 2010-09-01

Total Pages: 157

ISBN-13: 1557258554

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As word of the wisdom and purity of the Desert Fathers and Mothers spread throughout the Roman Empire, Christians streamed to the caves of these hermits, seeking counsel on the interior life. The hermits’ ascetic practices and teachings were a shining witness to a living faith – offering wisdom for both monastic and lay Christians. Encouraging humility, patience, prayer, introspection, and love, the Desert Fathers and Mothers have influenced centuries of believers, showing how contemplative practice can reveal the true meaning of everyday life. “Let Christians care for nothing that they cannot take away with them. We ought rather to seek after that which will lead us to heaven, namely wisdom, chastity, justice, virtue, an ever watchful mind, care of the poor, firm faith in Christ, a mind that can control anger, and hospitality. Striving after these things, we shall prepare for ourselves a dwelling in the land of the peaceful.” (from the book)

Practical Spirituality According to the Desert Fathers
Practical Spirituality According to the Desert Fathers

Author: Athanasius Iskander

Publisher: St Shenouda Monastery

Published: 2011-03

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13: 9780980517118

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Although the Bible tells what people need to do to reach perfection and earn eternal life, it does not tell how. Fr. Iskander borrowed methods and techniques from the Holy Fathers and provided wise instructions on how to practically apply them to the struggles faced by young Orthodox people living in the 21st century.