Saints' Discussion Forums

A desert mother of the 4th century said:

There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one's mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of his own thoughts.

In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and, afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire. At first, they are choked with smoke and cry, until they obtain what they seek. As it is written, "Our God is a consuming fire" Heb 12;29; so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work.

Ah she's a rare bird! I think i might've read some of her in my book of desert quotations!

Yes here she is!

'Do not let yourself be seduced by the delights and riches of the world, as though they contained something useful on account of vain pleasure. Worldly people esteem culinary art, but you, through fasting and thanks to cheap food, go beyond their abundance in food. It is written: "He who is sated loathes honey." (Prov. 27:7) Do not fill yourself with bread and you will not desire wine.'

We must be careful not to overvalue our good recipes no? But see that we do ourselves true good with them as much as can be.

          From the time she gained responsibility for her family's affairs, after the demise of her parents,     
           Syncletica gave all that had been left her to the poor.

Delaney provides approximate dates (c316-c400) for St Syncletica, then states she was stricken with cancer at age 80, and suffered the rest of her life with great patience.  He says she retired with her blind sister to a relative's estate after giving her/their (?) inheritance to the poor.  This doesn't sound like a desert mother, but Pennington loves to refer to them in his Lection Divina book, but I think makes no specific reference.  One chapter is titled Father/Mothers with implication of retreats by women in the desert as described by St John Cassian (c360-c433), who went to Palestine c380 with a friend, both became monks, and lived as hermits in Egypt for an unspecified period under Archebius, went to Skete, then to Constantinople as a follower and deacon under St John Chrysostom.  Pennington refers to the Holy Spirit as her on p50.

A Desert Mother is a Holy Ascetic of the Desert who has attained self-mastery through ceaseless fasting and prayer. Desert Mothers are among the female Ascetics of the Church and many died in obscurity due to their desire to have their life hidden in Christ. Some, by God's grace left words of advice for disciples and for others. Christians, during persecution would flee and live in the deserts. This practice became so common that the once isolated ascetics began living together and forming communities. The desert is reputed to have generated many great Saints and Holy Ascetics.