What I've Learned from the Desert Fathers

[@garyr.8116]

Wow Austin! - you really meant it when you said you were going to 'decrease' the number of books you read but INcrease the QUALITY of the ones you do read! Good on you - it's been fascinating watching your journey of Spiritual ascent- you've made such incredible progress for such a young man! No doubt you will take many others along with you. God bless you and your family always!

[@timothyhyer-devine1550]

The version of the St. Moses story which I have heard has it being a bag of sand. I'd never heard it told with a bucket of water. This has been a very important story for my family as our son is named for St. Moses. My wife found out that she was pregnant on the feast day of St. Moses the Black And so he is very special to us.

[@bonniejohnstone]

The story is recorded both ways as water and sand. First time I heard water it surprised me.

[@steadydividends571]

Here’s one of my favorite quotes “abba lot went to see abba Joseph and said to him. “Abba as far as I can say I do my little office, I read my psalms, I fast a little bit, I pray and meditate, I live in peace with others as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. Tell me, father, what else what more can I do”? Then the old man, Abba joseph, stood up, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire, and he said to him “if you will, you can become all flame”.

[@emilianoking9400]

What did he mean by that?

[@George-ur8ow]

Theosis. Participation in the uncreated light of God. ​@@emilianoking9400

[@SRGN_SavedSinner]

@@emilianoking9400frfr 😂

[@George-ur8ow]

Theosis. Direct participation in the uncreated light of God. ​@@emilianoking9400

[@George-ur8ow]

Theosis​@@emilianoking9400

[@davidbasaraba457]

I’m old and I stand out of the way, bowing to you younger folks who are dwarfing where we were when we were you! God bless you.

[@farida.5766]

Love this. As a Coptic Orthodox Christian the heart of the desert fathers is really engrained in our ethos.

[@bonniejohnstone]

The oldest Monastery, St. Anthony‘S in Egypt!

[@pattypeterson30]

Beautiful thoughts. You are blessed with a spiritual awareness and open-mindedness that not all Christians possess. I love listening to your channel for this very reason.

[@EJ-gx9hl]

I suggest the desert fathers in a year podcast presented by exodus 90. It started last week and it’s on KZbin, Spotify, Apple and Google podcasts

[@kragar4]

Yes!!!

[@crushtheserpent]

Also Fr. Charbel Abernathy does a deep dive on a number of the major works of the desert fathers. His podcasts can be found at Philokalia Ministries or on the Sensis Fidelium KZbin channel

[@KirWor25]

“Great cacophony of the culture”… I love that!! Thank you for sharing your reflection with us! One of my goals for this year has been to learn more about the early Church fathers, and church history in general. Finding your channel has been a blessing! Keep up the great work, God bless! 🙏🏽

[@ElijahRexNewcomb]

I really appreciate your first point about a "word." I have found in my own life with Christ that its often one phrase, or title of a saint or the BVM, or verse, or image/icon that strikes me in a fresh way that I cant help but sit and chew on and it is those experiences of prolonged reflection on one or two insights that are the drumbeat or through line of my growth/conversion/sanctification whatever you want to call it.

[@catalinaserbanescu1687]

Be careful not to confuse Christ with abstract things. Christ is a person, He became incarnated as a human being, with a body and ascended to Heaven with His body. This is of utmost importance, and we must not see Christ as only dematterialised spirit, we must be very careful not to ildolize actual words, phrases, slogans etc.

[@samlandon8742]

I work in campus ministry and just today finished putting together a selection of Desert Father sayings for some of our students in small groups! My favorite one: "One of the monks, called Serapion, sold his book of the Gospels and gave the money to those who were hungry, saying: 'I have sold the book which told me to sell all that I had and give to the poor.'"

[@Gina-Psalm139]

Thank you for this reflection and the excellent questions, Austin. This confirms what God has been inviting me into the last few days as well. I'm so thankful to have gotten to watch your journey these last few years, it's been a privilege and a help 🕊️

[@crushtheserpent]

These desert fathers have been truly transformative for me! On my bedside table are: The Conferences of John Cassian The Ladder of Divine Ascent by John Climacus The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian The Evergetinos (collected sayings and stories of the desert fathers) All very highly recommended!

[@nikosd]

Praise be to God for your endeavor! Indeed, we must "live differently"! The wisdom of the Desert Fathers, though born in a time and place far removed from our own, offers profound insights into the human condition that remain eternally relevant. Their emphasis on solitude and the "desert" - a place of inner and outer stillness - speaks powerfully to the incessant noise and allurements of contemporary existence. In our age of constant connectivity, we are bombarded by information and stimulation, leaving little room for contemplation and the cultivation of true peace. The "desert" need not be a physical place, but rather a state of being. It requires a conscious effort to detach from the incessant noise of the world - the clamor of social media, the allure of entertainment, the constant demands of work and social life. Fasting from technology, in moderation, can be a powerful tool in this pursuit. It allows us to rediscover the quiet of our own souls, to reconnect with the divine, and to cultivate the virtues of patience, humility, and love. However, true "desert" living extends beyond the digital realm. It requires us to cultivate inner silence, to resist the temptations of pride, anger, and lust, and to seek communion with God in all aspects of our lives. May your journey of spiritual exploration be fruitful, and may the wisdom of the Desert Fathers guide you towards a life of peace and fulfillment in Christ.

[@pboyle3723]

A really interesting fact is that in the Irish language (Gailaige), "Desert" is used in place that was used by the people from monasteries in the 4th century and onwards.. where the ordained would go to seek solitude and seclude themselves for prayer. Near us, we have Desertmartin (Martin's desert) and Altadesert (Glen of the desert). It is fascinating how the word came with Christianity from the East to Ireland in the early years.

[@andrewpearson1903]

Medieval hermits who lived in the "wilderness" often set up their hermitages a mile (maybe less) outside of a town. We can laugh at that, but distances and danger probably felt much greater when people traveled on foot and weren't protected by police or personal firearms.

[@CatholicWithaBiblePodcast]

I’m kinda obsessed with Anthony right now. Perfect!

[@GospelSimplicity]

He's great!

[@CarlylePhelps]

…possibly your most Orthodox video 😊

[@TJ-015]

he’s getting there. Patience brethren ☦️

[@michaelmullard4292]

It’s really hard to over-estimate the impact of the Desert Fathers and Mothers on both Catholic and Orthodox spirituality. The first few lines of the Brief Rule of St. Romuald, so important in my own tradition, echoes Abba Moses of Scetis: “Sit in your cell as in Paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms - never leave it…”

[@catalinaserbanescu1687]

The desert Fathers were Orthodox Christians, not Catholic, nor anything else. They did not just influence Orthodoxy, they were practicing it, they WERE (still are, those of them who are not saints, alive and immortal in Christ) Orthodox. The desert Fathers were keeping the Orthodox sacraments: holy Lyturgy, communion, confession etc.. Only the Orthodox are still practicing hesychasm, the incessant prayer practice with the the Lord's (the mind's and the ehart's prayer) today. Orthodox regularly read the Philocalia, in fact the Philocalia is not just a reading for us, it is simply part of Orthodoxy.

[@blackforestgiant648]

Once I attended a meditation course in a Benedictine monastery. We were required to not speak for several days. What struck me, how well it went and how calm I got during the time there. It was an opportunity to think about, when and when to talk, and I realized I talk too much senseless stuff. The Desert Fathers were really on to something. I might add: A few other attendants quitted it, because heavy thoughts or memories could emerge in this kind of silence. It's not a solution for everyone.

[@valwhelan3533]

This is why it is recommended to have access to a spiritual director if you are into heavy meditation/silence. The mind is very powerful and can throw up a lot of stuff.

[@blackforestgiant648]

You are completely right. We actually had an experienced anchorite who lead the course and we could talk to. And, still, this is no guarantee, everything will be fine. If it's too much, it's too much.

[@motiveyeseyecare3481]

May the Lord continue to shine His light to us through the Coptic desert fathers!

[@merhawifirzun3477]

This is quite astonishing, i was just reading few minutes ago "A Silent Patriarch", a biography of Pope Kyrillos The 6th, who was Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the 20th Century. I just closed that book, came here and i found you talking about the Desert Fathers ? So here is why i am surprised, Pope Kyrillos The 6th was similar to the Desert Fathers in his life.what i was reading about him was how he lived a solitude life, wether he was with his family or in the Monastery. I highly recommend the book for you, i have seen being recommended to you by others as well. The Desert Fathers, these Fathers i would not exaggerate if i say they are my teachers after the Lord Christ. When i was reading the bible, the struggle i had was, the unawareness of pride or your own sin or judging others(i don't mean i have managed to control them even now), but the Desert Fathers were a window and example for me how one ought to really follow or fulfill the teachings of Christ. You know the Gospel does not just teach us to believe in Christ, but there are teachings that commands to pick up your cross and follow him, to get slapped and turn the other cheek, to bless and pray those who curses you, to not judge, to not go after possessions, these are not to be seen lightly. I dare to say if one neglected them, then he truly has not resembled Christ, i would include myself in that. The Desert Father had special place in my life, they are so far away in time from us, but their impact is as one who were present. An other thing is, There are few observations i got from reading them, that is the Desert Fathers' lives or Sayings resembles the three books of Solomon. Ecclesiastes is the one that speaks about the Vanities of this World, Proverbs put Wisdom above riches and Golds, The Songs of Songs is description of a Soul who is sick or for better word touched by the love of God. These are three stages of Spirituality. Ecclesiastes indicates the beginning of realization about the World, therefore you go after the precious thing, and that is what Proverbs suggests. The Songs of Solomon is about those who truly love God and go after him. These three levels are seen in the Desert Fathers. But you can also say the Gospels contain all of them. When i first read The Teachings of Christ, Solomon and The Desert Fathers, the Wonder i got was the same and that is, as the writers of the Gospels would say about people's reactions to Christ, they were impressed by his Teachings. These similarities obviously are not unintentional, Because the Source of the Wisdom is Christ himself and that's where Solomon and the Desert Fathers are getting their wisdom. Thus one can easily see his Spirit in their Spirit and his wisdom in their wisdom. Great Video i did not expected you to speak about the Desert Fathers, i hope this is not your last one on them. I have watched many videos from you and i enjoyed them greatly.but when i saw this clip, the joy i got was as if you started talking about people from my village or something.

[@countryboyred]

I’m often critical of this channel but this was a good video. Nice job Austin.

[@OMNIBUBB]

Austin, I’d love to see you interview Joshua Schooping. I bet he’d have some great insights about the spirituality of the desert fathers. ✌️

[@mythco.3461]

This seems very similar to overall attitudes of the Puritans. When you read them you get a deep since of their pastoral care and love and awe of Christ and divine things.

[@jukesngambits]

Thank you for your work!

[@ajcschmidt]

Excellent. Keep your heart on Him :)

[@mr.caleblynn9246]

I love the saying of the desert fathers! That was the first early Christian writing I read!

[@matthewmeyer3483]

Love it! Thanks you Austin

[@toddvoss52]

This is very good. They were also influenced by stoic practices regarding the passions . Here is a quote from Marcus Aurelius Wash yourself clean. With simplicity, with humility, with indifference to everything but right and wrong. Care for other human beings. Follow God.

[@dgbx6]

I am gay and am thoroughly burned up by the church, - people dictating how I am to think of myself, believe, and behave in order for them to accept me, - which they still don't. There is no trust from them. I still try to hang on. This video is a balm for my soul. Thank you.

[@Bradford.C.Wallsbury]

Christ expects us to change in ways which are very uncomfortable, but for our own good. God bless

[@ElijahRexNewcomb]

St. Charles De Foucauld, Pray for us!

[@bonniejohnstone]

Good job brother!

[@jess96154]

Great video!

[@kelvyquayo]

I have recorded many audiobooks of early writings. This channel is my hero 😝

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

Unplugging, this is exactly what I must start to practise.

[@ventriloquistdude22]

I’m liking all the Good Good golf apparel in all the videos these days 🏌️‍♂️

[@GospelSimplicity]

You're the first person to recognize the hat!

[@user-og9fg2pz5p]

I've liked watching your thoughtful and open-minded videos for a years now, which is why I was surprised after watching this one. I was thinking was the comment about sexualities really necessary? Lgbt Christians, and I assume this was about them, already have it difficult enough as it is. No sense beating people who are alreddy down, they'd have changed already if it was possible. God bless you 🙏

[@GospelSimplicity]

Interesting that you assume it was about LGBTQ people. I can say that's not what I had in mind

[@davidstankiewicz2049]

Excellent thoughts.

[@Petrusanak]

Do you have the complete works of the Desert Fathers and if so, how do you read them chronologically?

[@crushtheserpent]

There are numerous collections of the desert fathers. They are usually compiled either thematically (ie. by subject matter) or alphabetically (ie. the name of the father). I haven't heard of chronologically (I'm guessing due to the fact this would have generally been unimportant to readers looking for spiritual wisdom). I can highly recommend the four volume 'Evergetinos' (compiled thematically) published by CTOS (Centre for Traditional Orthodox Studies). A page of that a day will change your life!

[@ninjason57]

So funny how your community post had almost 70% antenicene fathers over desert fathers, at 30%, but yet you decided to make a video on the desert fathers! Really goes to show how under appreciated they are!

[@GospelSimplicity]

I actually recorded this prior to the poll, but perhaps it tips my hand on which I'd choose!

[@ninjason57]

@ hah almost as if you made the video but wanted to test the waters to see if the community would be interested in the topic. I think the fact that the desert fathers ended up in lower percentage proved the need for you to make this video on them. Cheers!

[@LadderOfDescent]

Interesting. “Christians were fleeing to the desert because the faith was too easy and all about status” ……sound familiar?

[@pjla-lbl]

Very important to Oriental Orthodox churches.

[@nbinghi]

All Protestants have the Orthodox and Catholic to thank for even keeping these books in circulation so you can "discover" them. The very fact that these aspects of Christian history have been kept from you should have the impact of Christians fleeing Protestantism in droves.

[@davidshoesmith3780]

The Desert Fathers had an intense eschatological awareness. They believed that everything in this life was temporary and was passing away, so why not instead focus on those things which are eternal? They had a real fear of God’s judgement, as can be seen in the story of one monk who was on his deathbed, and asked the brothers to pray for him. The other monks said why ought we to pray for you abba? You are holy! And he said “brothers I have not even begun to repent”

[@CJ-rk5eg]

An Orthodox priest could have offered the same message. You are acquiring the “mind of the Church” [or phronima] Thank you.

[@vasiliossmith2616]

We must return to the one Holy catholic Apostolic Church of the Holy Fathers and the Ecumenical council's decision

[@sallylafaille7688]

Do you recommend we seek a spiritual father? Do you have one, or are you seeking one?

[@lewkbauer]

Christ.

[@scottishbananaclan]

​@lewkbauer Christ is our father. A spiritual father is just a mentor, could be your pastor or an older person to direct you.

[@brentmccarty0517]

What is the book club?!

[@user-zo2ge3oe8d]

Sit for 5 minutes in silence? You gotta pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers in this racket.

[@Bradford.C.Wallsbury]

Baby steps

[@gracenotes5379]

100%, so good.

[@jesuslovesyoue]

Trivia: Did you know Austin is short for Augustine? It’s Augustine’s nickname. August means venerable or majesty.

[@everetunknown5890]

What is theology?

[@bonniejohnstone]

Theo is Greek for ‘god’ ‘ology’ is ‘the study of’ so Theology is ‘the study of God’.

[@andrewbacon3583]

Bottom right book set. Is that Robert Alter's Hebrew Bible with commentary?

[@GospelSimplicity]

Good eye! Indeed it is. Brilliant literary translation of the Hebrew Bible (in my opinion).

[@CCiPencil]

Why treat the Church Fathers as little nuggets of truth that you can pick and choose versus’ confirming your worldview around their theology, which was handed down from the Apostles?

[@AML-FRL]

💥💥💥

[@TheChampFighter]

It's only a matter of time before you become an Eastern Orthodox Christian, Austin. 😌✝️☦️

[@bonniejohnstone]

Between God and him, not us! (I’m Orthodox)

[@christopherflux6254]

So a guy called Paul flees to desert and leads a spiritual movement? Is surname isn’t Atreides is it?

[@GospelSimplicity]

LOL, I'm ashamed as a Dune fan I never put that together

[@hempenasphalt1587]

Begome Orthodox Austin! 😜

[@ChurchontheStreets-w7g]

Begome Anabaptist! :)

[@RudyCarrera]

@@ChurchontheStreets-w7g You're basically Muslims.

[@ChurchontheStreets-w7g]

@@RudyCarrera how so?

[@kragar4]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqGpqJucqd6GppIsi=yMKwleiA0Gf3FrbQ

[@TheLionFarm]

Thanks for sharing

[@Theos_thinker]

Yo…I’m early

[@GospelSimplicity]

The first!

[@JohnBoyX570]

Bring back Yankovich hair

[@borkdude]

What's your opinion on going to a zen center to learn to meditate? "Sitting in your cell" is very similar to zazen. But it might be controversial since zen might not be compatible with christianity (at least on a theological level)

[@mrjustadude1]

I would avoid it. Go to a real monestary :)

[@xnihilo64]

Zen is about emptying yourself. Christian meditation is about filling yourself with the mind of Christ.

[@borkdude]

@@xnihilo64 What if you do zazen and pray the Jesus prayer?

[@lewkbauer]

I had an attachment to zen at one point. And when the monk told me that I might do better in a Christian monastery. I was a little put off by the comment. Years later, I’m glad I didn’t go down the zen path. As said above: zen is emptiness. Christ is the fullness of love. Embrace the Christian roots of meditation. Avoid all else. Just my 2 cents!

[@bowrudder899]

"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world." (1 Corinthians 5:9-10)

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

Were the desert fathers protestant, or catholic?

[@loganmaurer4181]

They pre date the reformation, the great schism and chalcedon, that is to say, all of the major divisions in Christianity. The question of which tradition, if any, can claim continuity with them today is complicated.

[@pedroguimaraes6094]

They were just the desert fathers and that's ok.

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

@loganmaurer4181 I personally could accept any of the apostolic branches. Those schisms were likely unavoidable and didn't radically change the substance of the faith. But protestantism is a hard break founded on early modernism. It's its own thing. It's not apostolic and it has a definite expiration date.

[@Catholic-Perennialist]

@pedro Chrysostom left the desert to become a part of the universal church. There was no protestantism in the 3rd century

[@pedroguimaraes6094]

@@Catholic-Perennialist I know they were not, the reformation happened much later. But the protestant churches did not create a church from scratch. The magisterial reformation has this name because they were former catholic priests and presbyters that reform catholic churches.

[@frederickanderson1860]

Jesus is the one person you should focus on. Jesus only spent 40 days as a reflection of the people of Israel in their 40 years wilderness journey. Jesus and Israel and the same God they had.

[@RudyCarrera]

Jesus gave us a Church (Orthodoxy) and a community. Pretending you have a personal relationship is delusion at best, and Satanic at worst.

[@scottishbananaclan]

​@RudyCarrera The person who made the comment is wrong, but so are you. We do have a personal relationship with Christ, and we also have one with the body of Christ dead and alive.

[@frederickanderson1860]

@scottishbananaclan the body of Christ whatever that means . A doubt jesus founded the Roman Catholic church or had a church in mind like we imagine. But centuries of western church traditions just give a distorted view without the Jewish point of view.

[@basiliskir8771]

You are flirting with Orthodoxy 😂😂😂 Protestants do not approve reading something else, except Holy Bible

[@scottishbananaclan]

Not true at all. I am anglican and have Many friends in the other classical protestant traditions, we very much ready other things aside from the bible. Especially church fathers :)

[@GospelSimplicity]

Well, seeing as this was translated by a Protestant nun, it seems odd to say Protestants wouldn't want you to read these texts.

[@bonniejohnstone]

Not true. My father and brother went to Baptist Seminary, my Orthodox Priest taught at a Protestant Seminary (happens a lot) where clergy learn Greek and Church history. They just don’t use what they know with their church.