Saturday, January 17, 2015 (Antony of Egypt)

Saturday, January 17, 2015 (Antony of Egypt)

Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) 8:6-7

In the fourth century Christianity transitioned from its revolutionary roots to find wider acceptance in society. Constantine legalized it and Theodosius I made it the state religion (it is a common error to say that Constantine made it the state religion. He didn't). With its emergence into the ‘mainstream,’ came what some perceived to be laxity in faith and morals. Baptismal vows, you see, don’t have the same force when you’re a Christian by virtue of your citizenship. So during this time many Christians flocked to the desert to live in solitude or in community. If they could not live radically Christian lives in the city, then they would do so in the desert. If they could not be martyred as a testament to their faith in Christ, then strict asceticism would have to do. We call this first wave of Christian monastics the Desert Fathers and Mothers. Antony (or Anthony) is one of the most popular and well-loved. I was first introduced to this curious, amazing, and sometimes hilarious group of people in Thomas Merton’s wonderful collection of their stories and sayings, The Wisdom of the Desert (now a part of our renewed church library). A few years ago our men’s book club studied a newer collection of their sayings, and I’m currently working through another collection as part of my spiritual direction sessions at Holy Cross Priory. I share with you a few stories from Benedicta Ward’s The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection (1975; repr., London: A. R. Mowbray & Co. Ltd., 1981).  

A hunter in the desert saw Abba Anthony enjoying himself with the brethren and he was shocked. Wanting to show him that it was necessary sometimes to meet the needs of the brethren, the old man said to him, ‘Put an arrow in your bow and shoot it.’ So he did. The old man then said, ‘Shoot another,’ and he did so. Then the old man said, ‘Shoot yet again,’ and the hunter replied ‘If I bend my bow so much I will break it.’ Then the old man said to him, ‘It is the same with the work of God. If we stretch the brethren beyond measure they will soon break. Sometimes it is necessary to come down to meet their needs.’ When he heard these words the hunter was pierced by compunction and, greatly edified by the old man, he went away. As for the brethren, they went home strengthened (p. 3-4). 
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The brethren came to the Abba Anthony and said to him, ‘Speak a word; how are we to be saved?’ The old man said to them, ‘You have heard the Scriptures. That should teach you how.’ But they said, ‘We want to hear from you too, Father.’ Then the old man said to them, ‘The Gospel says, “if anyone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.”’ (Matt. 5.39) They said, ‘We cannot do that.’ The old man said, ‘If you cannot offer the other cheek, at least allow one cheek to be struck.’ ‘We cannot do that either,’ they said. So he said, ‘If you are not able to do that, do not return evil for evil,’ and they said, ‘We cannot do that either.’ Then the old man said to his disciple, ‘Prepare a little brew of corn for these invalids. If you cannot do this, or that, what can I do for you? What you need is prayers’ (p. 5).  
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It was revealed to Abba Anthony in his desert that there was one who was his equal in the city. He was a doctor by profession and whatever he had beyond his needs he gave to the poor, and every day he sang the Sanctus with the angels (p. 6).

It is interesting that our assigned reading today is from the erotic Song of Songs, as many of the sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers concern the avoidance of lust. Many commentators, though, have interpreted the relationship depicted in the Song of Songs as representing the love of God for Israel, or Christ's for the Church. Both the Desert Teachers and the Song of Songs testify to an experience of love that paradoxically meets us where we’re at, yet is all-consuming. “For love is strong as Death, passion as relentless as Sheol. The flash of it is a flash of fire, a flame of Yahweh himself" (Song of Songs 8:6).

- Matthew Kieswetter