November 15, 1998
When
to Turn to a Spiritual Father?
Today's thought is from Abba Pastor and concerns when to turn
to spiritual fathers or other advisors for help:
BEGIN: A brother inquired of Abba Pastor saying: "My soul suffers harm from living
with the Spiritual Father that I have. What, then, do you command me to do? Shall I go on
staying with him?"
Now Abba Pastor knew that the brother's soul would be harmed by this other Abba, and he
was surprised that he even asked whether he ought to go on staying with him. And he said
to him, "If you like, stay with him." The brother went off and remained with
that Father. But he came back again, saying to Abba Pastor, "It is a great burden on
my soul!" And still Abba Pastor did not tell him to leave the man.
Finally the brother came back a third time and said, "Believe me, I am through with
him!" Then the elder said, "See! Now you are saved, go, and have no more to do
with him."
And Abba Pastor told the same brother, "When a man sees that his soul is suffering
harm, he has no need to ask advice about it. When it is a matter of secret thoughts, one
asks advice, that the elders may test them. But when there are manifest sins there is no
need to inquire - you just break off at once."
from Thomas Merton (trans), "The Wisdom of the Desert," (New York: New
Directions Publishing Corp., 1970), p. 44
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