This week's selection is from an anonymous father of the desert. Forgive me for its brevity, but it is very strong and speaks well to all of us today.
BEGIN: An old man said, "The prophets wrote books, then came our Fathers who put them into practice. Those who came after them learnt them by heart. Then came the present generation, who have written them out and put them into their window seats without using them." END
And from the life of another father,
BEGIN: The old man said, "Spiritual work is essential; it is for this we have come to the desert. It is very hard to teach with the mouth that which one does not practice in the body." END
both selections are from "The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers," by Sr. Benedicta Ward, (Oxford: SLG Press, 1986), p. 31 and p. 33
