Showing results for "Desert" in Christianity

These are the words or sayings (Apophthegmata), of various monks (the abbas, i.e. fathers) who lived in the deserts of Egypt between 250 A.D. and 400 A.D. They cover topics such as love, poverty, fasting, humility, and prayer, and there is usually a short story that gives the context of the sayings. These sayings are one of the few surviving records of the first monks such as St. Anthony the Great and St. Pachomius, who followed a strict way of life. Their sole aim was to draw closer to God through their labours.

The Wisdom of the Desert was one of Thomas Merton's favorites among his own books, surely because he had hoped to spend his last years as a hermit. The personal tones of the translations and the blend of reverence and humor so characteristic of him show how deeply Merton identified with the legendary authors of these sayings and parables, the fourth-century Christian fathers who sought solitude and contemplation in the deserts of the Near East.

Beginning in the third century AD, pious men and women journeyed into the Egyptian desert, where they sought to be "alone with God alone." Known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, they pursued lives of solitude and prayer in order to make offerings of themselves to God. They acquired great insight into the spiritual life, which has been passed down to us in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Now, you can discover the fascinating lives and works of such awe-inspiring figures as St. Antony the Great and St. Mary of Egypt.

Toward the end of the fourth century, a group of men and women began to withdraw from the halls of privilege and power into the desert to rediscover the essence of Jesus Christ. The stories and examples of these desert fathers and mothers are recorded for us. The desert fathers and mothers found a way to live radically, humanly, and beautifully in a spiritually desolate and confusing time. So can we. Streams in the Wasteland is for all those who thirst for a better way—the radical way of Jesus amid the desert of our age.

For the hermits and communal monks of antiquity, the desert was a place to flee the cacophony of ordinary life in order to hear and contemplate the voice of God. But these monks discovered something surprising in their harsh desert surroundings: far from empty and silent, the desert is richly reverberant. Sonorous Desert shares the stories and sayings of these ancient spiritual seekers, tracing how the ambient sounds of wind, thunder, water, and animals shaped the emergence and development of early Christian monasticism.

In the earliest centuries of faith, Christians in the deserts of Palestine and Africa sought a short prayer that could be easily repeated, in order to acquire the habit of "prayer without ceasing." The result was The Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." This jewel of Eastern Christianity aims at enabling a person to be in God's presence, rather than to focus on feelings or thoughts about God.

Refresh your weary soul with living water from God's Word. Everyone goes through difficult seasons, tough losses, and moments that feel unbearable. In today's world, people thirst more than ever for reassurance and guidance. Streams in the Desert provides a river of wisdom, encouragement, and...

Born in the fourth century, Saint John Cassian (AD 360 - 435) lived when tensions between the traditional and innovative peaked. A monk and theologian, Cassian made the Christian tradition relevant for the needs of his day in his spiritual works. Indeed, his spirituality remains essential today; he influenced Saints Benedict and Ignatius of Loyola, and his works continue to be read worldwide.

For all that bewilders and bedevils us, the desert mothers and fathers can help us. In The Way of the Desert Elders, Lisa Colón DeLay asks: What if desert elders from more than a millennium ago could walk beside us and nourish our spirits? Starting in the fourth century, half a million Christians fled the villages and cities of the Roman Empire. Leaving behind comforts, they battled what Evagrius called "afflicting thoughts," which still unsettle us today. 

Streams in the Desert will encourage listeners through short devotions that speak to the soul with the ageless truth of the Word of God. Now combined with author L.B. Cowman’s follow-up of Springs in the Valley is an everyday morning and evening devotional. In Streams in the Desert Morning and...

Modern life is like a desert—a parched and barren expanse where the soul thirsts for the living water Jesus promised at the well. Amid the ceaseless distractions and allurements of materialism, God can seem absent. As the Desert Fathers of old fled the noise of the world to seek God in silence, we too have been been called into the desert. Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, this year-long series—beginning January 1, 2025—invites listeners to encounter the profound wisdom of the Desert Fathers. Drawing from their timeless Sayings, Bishop Varden illuminates the lives of figures like St. Anthony...

The course begins by looking at the origins of Christian monasticism during the third century CE, when thousands of men and women renounced the world and withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine to seek God in a life of solitude and prayer. What inspired them to do this? What were they trying to achieve? In seeking answers to these questions, we will examine the lives and sayings of the so-called "desert fathers", with a particular emphasis on the theological writings of Evagrius of Pontus (c. 345-399).

En este libro profundamente honesto y lleno de esperanza, Christine comparte su historia y proceso de sanidad, entrelazando su testimonio con sabiduría y principios bíblicos.

Some storms are routine. Others shake us to the core. But God steps in. In Storms and Deserts, Elizabeth Viera Talbot shares powerful stories—both personal and biblical—revealing how God’s love, grace, and faithfulness shine through life’s darkest moments.

Welcome! We’re glad you found us, because we’re those friends you can take with you—wherever you are on the path of infertility. At Springs, we know that infertility is a heavy cross. But as Catholics, we believe that by keeping our focus on Christ, we can come through this season of waiting stronger in faith and love—no matter what happens. So each week, we’ll bring you a conversation that gets to the heart of the infertility experience – including primary/secondary infertility, miscarriage/loss, childlessness, and more. It is an honor to walk with you! Visit us: ...

Ancient Christian wisdom for modern life — from the Coptic Orthodox ChurchTo share the timeless wisdom of the Coptic Orthodox Church through authentic stories, Scripture,and practical spiritual practices, reaching seekers, young adults, and all who long for Christ’s peace in themidst of the city.

Discover the profound and inspiring lives of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, early Christians who chose to leave the comforts of society in pursuit of spiritual salvation in the arid landscapes of Egypt and Palestine. This captivating collection, rendered by Challoner, provides a refreshing and engaging style that brings their timeless wisdom and experiences to life, making it a delight to read and listen to. (Summary by a LibriVox Volunteer)

This is the podcast home for Young Adults at High Desert Church — a community of 18 to 28 year olds learning to follow Jesus together. Here you'll find full Thursday night messages built to meet you where you are: in the car, on a walk, between classes, or at the end of a long shift. We believe your twenties aren't a waiting room. They're a calling. So we teach with that in mind — anchored in Scripture, aimed at real life. Subscribe and gather with us: 🕖 Thursdays at 7pm 📍 High Desert Church (14545 Hook Blvd. Victorville CA 92394) 🔗 https://www.highdesertchurch.com/young-adults ...

In God in the Desert, Old Testament scholar and spiritual director Noel Forlini Burt explores Old Testament wilderness narratives in conversation with wise voices from throughout church history, bridging the gap between biblical studies and spiritual formation. Journeying through stories such as...

Travel into the desert with Thomas Merton as your guide. In the third century, men and women journeyed into the deserts of Syria and Egypt. Turning away from the world, they sought to find salvation in solitude. By doing so, they developed new forms of monasticism and spirituality. Now known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, their wisdom remains as inspirational today as ever.