April 4, 1999
The Sanctified Layman and His
Wife
This is the story of a layman and his wife whose
sanctity was revealed to the Desert Fathers by God's Providence. Their example serves to
show us that everyday people living in the world can still live sanctified lives if they
choose to do so, even if their calling may differ from others.
BEGIN: Two Fathers asked God to reveal to them how far they had advanced. A voice came
which said, "In a certain village in Egypt there is a man called Eucharistus and his
wife who is called Mary. You have not yet reached their degree of virtue."
The two old men set out and went to the village. Having enquired, they found his house and
his wife. They said to her, "Where is your husband?" She replied, "He is a
shepherd and is feeding the sheep." Then she made them come into the house.
When the evening came, Eucharistus returned with the sheep. Seeing the old men, he set the
table and brought water to wash their feet. The old men said to him, "We shall not
eat anything until you have told us about your way of life." Eucharistus replied with
humility, "I am a shepherd, and this is my wife." The old men insisted but he
did not want to say more.
Then they said, "God has sent us to you." At these words, Eucharistus was afraid
and said, "Here are these sheep; we received them from our parents, and if, by God's
help we make a little profit, we divide it into three parts: one for the poor, the second
for hospitality, and the third for our personal needs. Since I married my wife, we have
not had intercourse with one another, for she is a virgin; we each live alone. At night we
wear hair-shirts and our ordinary clothes by day. No one has known of this till now."
At these words they were filled with admiration and went away giving glory to God."
END
from Sr. Benedicta Ward, "The Desert Christian," (New York: MacMillan
Publishing Co., Inc., 1975), p. 60
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