In this episode of Desert Fathers in a Year, we delve into a poignant story from the Systematic Collection of the Desert Fathers about two brothers navigating the aftermath of temptation in the marketplace. This narrative, rich with lessons on compassion, repentance, and the power of communal support, serves as a mirror for our own struggles with sin and redemption. Host Jamie Baxter, with insights from Bishop Eric Varden, explores how the Desert Fathers’ wisdom applies to modern challenges when we step outside our familiar boundaries.

• Temptation in Unfamiliar Spaces: The Desert Fathers, living self-sufficiently, ventured into cities like Alexandria to sell their wares, facing temptations absent in their ascetic environment. This mirrors our own experiences in unfamiliar settings—business trips, urban wanderings, or unguarded moments online—where virtue is tested.
• Despair and Hopelessness: The brother who fell into lust succumbs to despair, believing his sin defines him and renders him unworthy of his monastic calling. This reflects the diabolical trap of thinking we are beyond redemption.
• Compassionate Solidarity: The faithful brother, displaying cardiognosis (charitable heart-reading), shares his companion’s burden by claiming to have sinned similarly. This act of compassion, akin to Christ’s redemptive love, restores hope and encourages repentance.
• Vicarious Penance: The faithful brother’s penance on behalf of the fallen one demonstrates the power of communal support. His love leads to the sinner’s forgiveness, illustrating the biblical call to “give one’s life for one’s brother” (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21).
• Balancing Justice and Charity: The story underscores that true redemption infuses justice with charity, allowing God’s grace to transform our failures into opportunities for spiritual growth.

Two brothers go to the market to sell their wares and part ways. One falls into lust and, overwhelmed by shame, refuses to return to their cell, feeling unworthy. His companion, sensing his despair, compassionately claims to have faced the same sin, urging repentance and return. They confess to the elders, who prescribe penance. The faithful brother performs penance as if he had sinned, and God, moved by this love, forgives the fallen brother. This story highlights:

• The danger of despair that isolates us from God and community.
• The healing power of compassionate solidarity, which restores hope and facilitates repentance.
• The Desert Fathers’ teaching that our burdens are shared within the mystical body of Christ.

The Desert Fathers remind us that sin does not define us, nor does it sever us from God’s mercy. In moments of failure, especially in unfamiliar or tempting environments, we are called to reject despair, seek confession, and rely on the love and support of our community. Like the faithful brother, we must bear one another’s burdens with compassion, trusting in God’s redemptive power to transform our weaknesses into opportunities for grace.

• Subscribe: Visit DesertFathers.com to join our email newsletter for updates and reflections.
• Submit Questions: Share your questions for Bishop Varden’s upcoming Q&A in early July at DesertFathers.com or email [email protected].
• Join Kings of Summer: Live your baptismal call to kingship in Christ with Kings of Summer on the Exodus 90 app. Meditate on King David and Christian kings to cultivate virtue. Download the app or visit exodus90.com.
• Prayer: Invoke Saint Makarios the Great and Saint Michael the Archangel for strength to overcome temptation and to live with compassion.

Saint Makarios the Great, pray for us!

In this bonus roundtable for Episode 25 of Desert Fathers in a Year with Bishop Erik Varden, host Jamie Baxter and guests Adam, Doyle, and Jared dive into the powerful story of Amma Sarah, the first Desert Mother featured in the series. For thirteen years, Amma Sarah battled the demon of lust, never praying for the temptation to leave but instead seeking God’s strength. Her witness—“Not I have vanquished you, but Christ, my Lord has”—offers timeless wisdom on embracing crosses for spiritual growth. Join us as we explore how her example challenges modern notions of Christianity and calls us to holiness through trial.

Key Topics Covered:

• Amma Sarah’s 13-year battle with lust and her reliance on Christ’s strength
• The revolutionary role of Desert Mothers in showcasing holiness for all
• Rejecting “crossless Christianity” and embracing temptation as a path to virtue
• Practical wisdom: Controlling the controllables to face life’s challenges
• The importance of small crosses in daily sanctification

Action Item: Be attentive to the “little crosses” given each hour. Embrace them as opportunities for transformation, seeing each as “a kiss from the Crucified.”

Why Listen?

This episode challenges modern misconceptions of faith, offering Amma Sarah’s example as a call to persevere in spiritual combat. Perfect for those seeking deeper Christian wisdom, spiritual growth, or insights from the Desert Fathers and Mothers.

Get Involved:

• Submit questions for our upcoming Q&A with Bishop Varden at desertfathers.com or email [email protected].
• Join Saint Michael’s Lent starting August 15 on the Exodus 90 app. Visit exodus90.com to learn more about this powerful devotion led by CFR priests Fr. Innocent and Fr. Angelus Montgomery.

Resources:

• Bishop Erik Varden’s book, Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses
• Exodus 90 app for daily spiritual exercises and Saint Michael’s Lent

Subscribe and share with a friend to journey deeper into the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers!

Join host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90 for Episode 25 of Desert Fathers in a Year, titled “Amma Sara and the Battle Against Temptation.” This episode dives into the fifth chapter of the Desert Fathers’ systematic collection on lust, featuring a powerful saying from desert mother Amma Sara. Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, the episode explores how to face demonic temptations with fortitude and reliance on Christ, situating Christian spirituality within the pursuit of truth and freedom. Recorded during the Kings of Summer initiative, this reflection offers timeless wisdom for men seeking to conquer vice through virtue.

• Amma Sara’s Saying: Amma Sara endured a 13-year battle with the demon of lust, never praying for the struggle to cease but simply asking, “My God, strengthen me.” When the demon, disguised as lust and later vanity, claimed defeat, she humbly replied, “Not I have vanquished you. Christ my Lord has,” showcasing reliance on Christ’s victory.
• Role of Desert Mothers: Women like Amma Sara were equals or superiors to male monks, correcting flawed perspectives (e.g., a nun’s quip to a monk avoiding women: “Had you been a perfect monk, you wouldn’t have noticed that we are women”). A pure heart sees God’s image in all, free from passion.
• Theology of Temptation: Temptations aren’t unfair disruptions but opportunities for growth, purifying and clarifying vulnerabilities. God allows them for salvation, not destruction, despite the devil’s suggestion of senselessness.
• Our Father Debate: Liturgical shifts (e.g., “let us not enter temptation” vs. “lead us not”) reflect modern discomfort, but the Greek text affirms God’s purposeful allowance of trials, balanced by human frailty and divine plan.
• Fortitude in Combat: Amma Sara’s ascesis and prayer model spiritual warfare, abiding in temptation as a crucible to emerge as “gold” through grace, rejecting both sensuality and vanity.
• Modern Misconceptions: Secular culture demands comfort, viewing temptation as unjust, but God prioritizes truth and freedom, using trials to mature believers.

• Galatians 3:28: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female,” reflected in the nun’s correction, emphasizing unity in Christ.
• Our Father (Matthew 6:13): “Lead us not into temptation” expresses diffidence, acknowledging human limits while trusting God’s salvific purpose.
• Athanasius’ Life of Anthony: Frames Anthony’s nuanced view of lust, setting the stage for Amma Sara’s similar reliance on Christ.
• Bishop Varden’s Writings: His reflections on peace as conquered, not passive, align with Amma Sara’s active combat (cf. Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses).
• Mary of Egypt’s Life: Her holiness humbled monk Zosima, paralleling Amma Sara’s exemplary virtue.

• Adopt Amma Sara’s Prayer: Pray “My God, strengthen me” when facing temptation to rely on Christ’s power.
• Reflect on Temptation’s Purpose: Journal how past trials have clarified weaknesses or spurred growth, fostering gratitude for God’s plan.
• Pursue Purity of Heart: Practice seeing others as God’s image, not threats, through daily acts of reverence (e.g., kind words, blessings).
• Engage with Kings of Summer: Join the Exodus 90 app’s challenge, meditating on King David and Christian kings to grow in virtue.
• Submit Q&A Questions: Email [email protected] with questions for Bishop Varden’s upcoming Q&A.
• Share the Podcast: Recommend Desert Fathers in a Year to a friend and leave a review to support its mission.

• Visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to the newsletter or submit questions for Bishop Varden’s Q&A (email: [email protected]).
• Share Desert Fathers in a Year with a friend and leave a review to grow the community.
• Download the Exodus 90 app to join Kings of Summer, exploring Christ’s kingship through 1 Samuel and historical Christian kings.
• Engage on social media with #DesertFathers to share insights on overcoming temptation.

• Amma Sara’s Fortitude: Her 13-year battle and humble reliance on Christ model spiritual warfare for modern Christians.
• Desert Mothers’ Equality: Stories of Amma Sara and others reveal women’s integral role in asceticism, challenging male monks to greater holiness.
• Temptation’s Role: Practical and theological insights reframe temptation as a path to truth and freedom, not mere disturbance.
• Liturgical Nuance: The “lead us not” debate underscores God’s purposeful allowance of trials, balanced by human trust.

Join us for a special bonus roundtable discussion in Desert Fathers in a Year with host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90, alongside Adam, Doyle, and Jared. In this episode, we dive into Abba Anthony’s profound teaching on the three bodily movements related to lust: natural, fueled by overindulgence, and demonic. The panel unpacks the Desert Fathers’ timeless wisdom, exploring how these distinctions reveal the battle for chastity, the role of technology in amplifying temptation, and the power of discernment in fatherhood and faith. Discover practical ways to guard your environment and live virtuously.

Key Topics Covered:

• Abba Anthony’s three bodily movements: natural, overindulgence-driven, and demonic
• The psychological and spiritual insights of the Desert Fathers on human sexuality
• How demons exploit disordered desires to break communion and fruitfulness
• The role of fasting and asceticism in combating addiction, backed by modern science
• Practical discernment for fathers to guide sons toward virtuous manhood
• Overcoming modern temptations by guarding your environment and media consumption

Why Listen?

This dynamic discussion offers deep insights into battling lust and living freely in Christ, perfect for men and women seeking spiritual growth, practical faith, or guidance from the Desert Fathers. Learn how to apply Anthony’s wisdom to modern challenges like technology and fatherhood.

Announcements:

• Submit your questions for Bishop Erik Varden’s upcoming Q&A in July at desertfathers.com or email [email protected].
• Join the Kings of Summer Challenge on the Exodus 90 app, meditating on King David and Christian kings to embrace your baptismal call.

Subscribe for weekly episodes and share this podcast to explore the Desert Fathers’ wisdom with Bishop Erik Varden!

Episode Overview

Join host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90 for Episode 24 of Desert Fathers in a Year, titled “On Discernment: Three Approaches.” This episode continues the exploration of the fifth chapter of the Desert Fathers’ systematic collection on lust, featuring a profound saying from Abba Anthony. Guided by Bishop Eric Varden, the episode situates Christian sexuality within human dignity and flourishing, distinguishing natural eros from destructive lust. Recorded during the Kings of Summer initiative, this reflection offers practical wisdom for men seeking to channel their desires toward Christ-like love.

Key Themes and Reflections

• Abba Anthony’s Saying: Abba Anthony identifies three types of bodily movement: (1) natural physical urges, neutral and good when guided by the soul; (2) lust fueled by overindulgence in food and drink, linked to gluttony; and (3) demonic impulses driven by spiritual malice, inducing sadness and despair. These distinctions provide a framework for discerning and combating lust.
• Chastity and Human Flourishing: Bishop Varden emphasizes that the Desert Fathers were not opposed to eros or sex within marriage but condemned porneia (lust as transaction, akin to prostitution). Chastity aligns body and soul, fostering love and happiness, not stifling desire.
• Reclaiming Anthony’s Wisdom: Contrary to Enlightenment views of Anthony as an unlettered ascetic, his letters reveal intellectual depth. His nuanced approach to lust—affirming natural urges while warning against imbalance and demonic influence—could prevent much pain if taught in seminaries and marriage preparation.
• Body and Soul in Harmony: Anthony’s teaching rejects the notion that bodily urges are inherently sinful. The pursuit of chastity seeks to restore the fruitful complementarity of body and soul, made in God’s image, through discerning reason and disciplined habits.
• Practical Discernment: To combat lust, Anthony advises moderating food and drink to equilibrate appetite, avoiding places of past sin, and limiting alcohol (e.g., “never take more than three cups”). Prayer and compunction drive out demonic impulses, elevating the mind toward God’s love.
• Cultural Misconceptions: The episode challenges the view of Christian sexuality as puritanical, highlighting how lust sabotages self and others. By understanding lust’s roots—natural, indulgent, or demonic—men can redirect passions toward life-giving love.

Scriptural and Literary Connections

• Ephesians 5:18: “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,” cited by Anthony to warn against lust fueled by excess.
• Luke 21:34: Jesus’ command, “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness,” underscores the need for vigilance.
• Athanasius’ Life of Anthony: Reveals Anthony’s rejection of pagan culture, not learning, affirming his intellectual depth.
• Bishop Varden’s Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses: Frames chastity as a path to flourishing, aligning with Anthony’s discernment of desire.

Action Items for Listeners

1. Discern Bodily Movements: Reflect on Anthony’s three types of lust. Are your urges natural, fueled by excess, or spiritually destructive? Journal your observations to grow in self-awareness.
2. Moderate Appetites: Limit food, drink, or alcohol this week (e.g., skip a second helping, cap drinks at three) to equilibrate physical passions and reduce lustful impulses.
3. Avoid Tempting Places: Identify and steer clear of environments (physical or digital) where you’ve struggled with lust, replacing them with virtuous activities like prayer or fraternity.
4. Pray Against Demonic Influence: When sadness or despair accompanies temptation, pray a St. Michael prayer or practice compunction to expel spiritual attacks.

Spiritual Context

This episode deepens the discussion on lust during the Kings of Summer initiative, inviting men to meditate on King David and Christian kings via the Exodus 90 app. The reflection emphasizes discernment as a tool for virtue in a culture prone to vice, aligning with the Desert Fathers’ pursuit of perfection.

Call to Action

• Visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to the newsletter or submit questions for Bishop Varden’s Q&A in early July (email: [email protected]).
• Share Desert Fathers in a Year with a friend and leave a review to support the podcast.
• Download the Exodus 90 app to join Kings of Summer, exploring Christ’s kingship through 1 Samuel and historical Christian kings.
• Engage on social media with #DesertFathers to share how you discern and combat lust.

Notable Quotes

• “The body’s movement, its erotic impulse, is fundamentally neutral, untouched by stains of immorality.” – Abba Anthony
• “The pursuit of chastity is about reconquering the fruitful complementarity of body and soul.” – Bishop Eric Varden
• “Lust is the death of love, reducing sexuality to mere transaction.” – Jamie Baxter

Episode Highlights

• Anthony’s Intellectual Depth: The episode corrects misconceptions of Abba Anthony as unlettered, highlighting his letters’ sophistication and relevance for modern chastity.
• Threefold Discernment: Anthony’s framework—natural, indulgent, and demonic lust—offers practical clarity for navigating sexual temptation.
• Practical Advice: Tips like limiting alcohol and avoiding sinful places provide actionable steps for men pursuing virtue.

Next Episode Preview

Join us next week for continued exploration of lust in the Desert Fathers’ collection. Submit questions for Bishop Varden at DesertFathers.com.

Do you have a question for Bishop Varden? Submit your questions here.

Episode Overview

Join host Jamie Baxter from Exodus 90 and guests Adam, Doyle, and Jared for the bonus roundtable discussion of Episode 23 of Desert Fathers in a Year, titled “Lust.” This episode marks the start of a new focus on the fifth chapter of the Desert Fathers’ systematic collection, exploring the timeless wisdom of Abba Poemen on combating lust and anger. With insights from Bishop Varden’s book Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses, the discussion reframes chastity as a path to human flourishing, not a restrictive rule. Recorded during the Kings of Summer initiative, this episode offers practical guidance for men seeking transformation in Christ amidst a culture wounded by the sexual revolution.

Key Themes and Reflections

• Abba Poemen’s Saying: A brother, struggling with lust and anger, seeks advice from Abba Poemen, who references David’s triumph over the lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36) to illustrate cutting off anger and squeezing out lust through labor. Poemen warns that lovers of pleasure and money cannot live according to God, emphasizing disciplined effort to redirect passions.
• Chastity as Flourishing: Jared highlights Bishop Varden’s reframe of chastity as thriving, not a killjoy rule. Drawing from Deus Caritas Est by Pope Benedict XVI, he distinguishes eros (legitimate longing for love) from lust (self-focused distortion), countering cultural misconceptions that equate all desire with lust.
• Cultural Crisis and Wounded Healers: The sexual revolution has wounded both society and the Church, creating timidity in teaching chastity due to scandals and cultural malaise. Jared notes that even Church leaders are “wounded healers,” yet the Church upholds human dignity through teachings like John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
• Lust vs. Fatherhood: Jared contrasts the vampire-like nature of lust—draining life for selfish pleasure—with fatherhood, which gives life through self-sacrifice. This aligns with Poemen’s call to redirect passions toward fruitful love, addressing the cultural confusion encapsulated in “love is love.”
• Historical Parallels: Doyle draws from Greek and Roman sexuality, citing Plato’s Symposium and Aristophanes’ works to show that modern sexual confusion is not new. Socrates’ view of love as a pursuit of reason (logos, fulfilled in Christ) prefigures Christian chastity, offering hope that ancient struggles found resolution in truth.
• Lust in Context: Adam shares a young man’s testimony that freedom from lust came not from fixating on it but by addressing deeper issues (e.g., anger, loneliness) through a holistic Christian life. Bishop Varden and Dorothy Sayers note the overemphasis on lust, neglecting other deadly sins like pride, which distorts virtue’s meaning.
• HALT Acronym: Adam introduces the HALT acronym (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) as a tool to identify underlying triggers for sin, including lust. Addressing these root causes—hunger, anger, loneliness, or fatigue—helps men make better choices and fosters human flourishing.

Scriptural and Literary Connections

• 1 Samuel 17:34-36: David’s victory over the lion and bear, referenced by Poemen, symbolizes overcoming anger and lust through disciplined effort.
• Deus Caritas Est by Pope Benedict XVI: Links eros and agape, affirming the legitimacy of human longing when ordered toward selfless love.
• Theology of the Body by St. John Paul II: Roots Catholic sexual morality in human dignity, freedom, and flourishing, not shame.
• After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre: Critiques modern morality’s reduction to feelings, highlighting the need to direct passions toward truth and goodness.
• Dracula by Bram Stoker: Illustrates lust as vampiric, draining life, contrasting with life-giving fatherhood.
• Inferno by Dante: Places lust early in hell’s circles, suggesting it’s less destructive than sins like wrath, offering hope for redemption.
• Plato’s Symposium: Socrates’ view of love as a pursuit of reason prefigures Christ as the logos, fulfilling all desire.

Action Items for Listeners

1. Apply HALT: When tempted by lust or other sins, pause and assess: Are you Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired? Address these root causes (e.g., eat, rest, connect) to make virtuous choices.
2. Read Chastity: Dive into Bishop Varden’s Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses to reframe chastity as equilibrium and flourishing. Links in show notes.
3. Holistic Virtue: Expand your focus beyond lust to all seven deadly sins, especially pride. Reflect on how deeper struggles (e.g., anger, loneliness) influence your temptations.
4. Seek Affirmation: Build affirming relationships through fraternity (e.g., Exodus 90) to heal emotional deprivation that fuels distorted desires.

Spiritual Context

This episode launches the discussion on lust during the Kings of Summer initiative, inviting men to meditate on King David and Christian kings via the Exodus 90 app. The hosts pray for listeners’ spiritual protection and invoke St. Michael, emphasizing the battle for virtue in a culture of vice.

Call to Action

• Visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to the newsletter or submit questions for Bishop Varden’s Q&A in early July (email: [email protected]).
• Share Desert Fathers in a Year with a friend and leave a review to support the podcast.
• Download the Exodus 90 app to join Kings of Summer, exploring Christ’s kingship through 1 Samuel and historical Christian kings.
• Engage on social media with #DesertFathers to share how you combat lust and pursue chastity.

Notable Quotes

• “The Christian condition is the art of striving to answer a call to perfection while plumbing the depth of our imperfection without despairing and without giving up on the ideal.” – Bishop Varden
• “Chastity is a coming home to yourself, an equilibrium within the tensions we all experience.” – Bishop Varden
• “Love is love? No. One love is destructive, another builds up and gives life.” – Jared

Episode Highlights

• Book Recommendation: Bishop Varden’s Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses is lauded as a modern spiritual classic, reframing chastity as flourishing.
• Testimony: A young man’s breakthrough from lust came by addressing deeper struggles within a holistic Christian life, not fixating on chastity alone.
• HALT Tool: Adam’s introduction of HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) provides a practical framework for identifying sin’s triggers.

Submit your questions to Bishop Erik Varden by emailing [email protected].

This episode delves into the Desert Fathers' insights on lust, drawing from Abba Poemen’s counsel to a brother wrestling with lust and anger. We explore how the Fathers understood lust (porneia) as distinct from eros, emphasizing its self-centered nature and its opposition to true freedom in Christ. The discussion challenges modern cultural myths about sexual liberation and situates Christian teachings on sexuality within a broader vision of virtue and human flourishing.

• Abba Poemen: “On account of this David said, ‘I smote the lion, I strangled the bear,’ which is to say, I cut off anger and by labours I squeezed the life out of lust.”
• Abba Poemen: “You cannot live according to God if you are a lover of pleasure and a lover of money.”
• Dorothy L. Sayers (1941, The Other Six Deadly Sins): “Perhaps the bitterest commentary on the way in which Christian doctrine has been taught in the last few centuries is the fact that to the majority of people the word ‘immorality’ has come to mean one thing and one thing only.”

1. Christian Teaching on Sexuality: Christian moral doctrine focuses on thriving, dignity, and freedom in Christ, not merely restriction. The Desert Fathers help reframe sexuality within this holistic vision.
2. Lust vs. Eros: The Fathers used porneia to describe lust, a self-focused desire akin to prostitution, contrasting it with eros, which seeks mutual connection. Lust isolates, while eros yearns for another.
3. Cultural Narratives: Modern culture often views lust as liberating, but the Fathers saw it as blinding, locking individuals in self-centeredness. Has “sexual liberation” truly freed us?
4. Lust’s Deeper Roots: Poemen links lust to anger, suggesting it may reflect deeper passions like rage or greed. This perspective sheds light on societal issues like sexual abuse and manipulation.
5. Transcendence and Meaning: In a secular age, sex is often a substitute for transcendence. The Fathers invite us to redirect desire toward God, fostering true freedom over fleeting pleasure.

• How do cultural views of lust as “freedom” shape our understanding of intimacy?
• What might underlying emotions like anger reveal about struggles with lust?
• How can the Desert Fathers’ wisdom help us live out a balanced Christian approach to sexuality?

• Bishop Erik Varden, Chastity: Reconciliation of the Senses
• Dorothy L. Sayers, The Other Six Deadly Sins (1941, Public Morality Council address).
• The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, focusing on Abba Poemen’s teachings.
• The Book of Job, for reflections on embodied desire for God.

Share your thoughts or questions by emailing Bishop Erik Varden at [email protected]. Join us for the next episode as we continue our journey with the Desert Fathers.

In this Bonus Roundtable for Episode 22 of Desert Fathers in a Year, host Jamie Baxter, joined by Adam Doyle and Jared, dives into the profound saying of Abba Makarios from the Systematic Collection of the Desert Fathers. The discussion explores the balance between personal austerity and communal charity, reflecting on how the Desert Fathers’ wisdom challenges modern tendencies toward vanity and self-centeredness. This episode concludes the series’ focus on self-mastery before transitioning to the topic of lust next month.

Abba Makarios’ Saying: Abba Makarios accepted wine from his brethren to honor their hospitality but compensated by abstaining from water for a day per cup consumed—a severe act of hidden austerity. His disciple intervened, urging the brethren to stop offering wine to prevent Makarios from over disciplining himself.

Reversing Vanity: Jamie highlights the human tendency to be indulgent at home while projecting austerity in public, driven by vanity. The Desert Fathers challenge this, urging hidden discipline and outward charity, aligning with Christ’s call to avoid performative piety (Matthew 6:16-18).

Charity as the Goal: Jared emphasizes that asceticism is not an end but a means to cultivate love for God and neighbor. The Fathers’ practices, like relaxing disciplines for others’ sake, reveal a deeper purpose: fostering communion over self-display.

Learning from the Body: Adam reflects on how the body’s natural longing for food mirrors the heart’s desire for God. Asceticism trains us to prioritize spiritual hunger, countering modern distractions that dull this longing.

Hospitality and Discernment: The panel discusses the importance of receiving others’ gifts with gratitude, even if they conflict with personal disciplines. Jamie shares Bishop Varden’s insight: “Principles are important, but more beneficial still is readiness to transcend one’s individual fixed ideas.”

Practical Challenges: Adam recounts personal anecdotes—offering a beer to a fasting Byzantine priest and a Benedictine monk eating unpalatable hot sauce out of courtesy—illustrating the need to prioritize others’ feelings over rigid rules. These stories echo the Fathers’ emphasis on joyful acceptance.

Avoiding Empty Practices: Jamie cites Bishop Varden’s warning that public displays of austerity can render practices meaningless, squandering spiritual rewards. He references a Newman sermon on St. John, who built his eternal inheritance through hidden sacrifices.

Receive with Gratitude: When offered food, drink, or hospitality, accept it with joy, even if it doesn’t align with your preferences or disciplines. Offer any discomfort as a small act of self-denial.

Practice Hidden Austerity: Follow the Fathers’ example by keeping your spiritual disciplines private, avoiding the temptation to showcase your piety.

Discern with Charity: When faced with conflicts between personal rules and communal needs, prioritize love for others, discerning when to relax or uphold your practices.

Reflect on Intentions: When offering hospitality, consider the recipient’s needs rather than your own desires. Ensure your actions build communion, not self-satisfaction.

“Principles are important, but more beneficial still is readiness to transcend one’s individual fixed ideas.” – Bishop Erik Varden

“A true ascetic will rejoice more in occasions to mortify self-will than in displaying the rigor of his or her observance.” – Bishop Erik Varden

“When we put on a show, we lose the reward. It loses its meaning.” – Jamie Baxter

Subscribe: Visit DesertFathers.com to join our email newsletter and submit questions for Bishop Varden’s upcoming Q&A in early July. Email questions to [email protected].

Share the Podcast: If this episode blessed you, share it with a friend and leave a comment or review to support the show.

Join Kings of Summer: Embrace your baptismal call to kingship in Christ with Kings of Summer on the Exodus 90 app. Meditate on King David and Christian kings to cultivate virtue. Download the app or visit exodus90.com.

Learn more about Desert Fathers in a Year at DesertFathers.com.

Explore Kings of Summer and other spiritual exercises at exodus90.com.

In Episode 22 of Desert Fathers in a Year, we continue our journey into the wisdom of the Desert Fathers, focusing on self-mastery through the lens of Abba Makarios’ life. This episode explores the delicate balance between personal asceticism and communal charity, drawing from a saying in the Systematic Collection of the Desert Fathers. Host Jamie Baxter and Bishop Erik Varden reflect on how the Fathers discreetly practiced austerity while prioritizing love and fellowship with others.

• Self-Mastery and Speech: The Desert Fathers emphasized controlling speech, as it reflects the heart’s state. Examples include Abba Anthony’s visitor likening careless speech to an unkept donkey, Abba Aqilas spitting out an evil word turned to blood, and Abba Sarapion’s transformative confession.
• Hidden Austerity: Inspired by Christ’s teaching in Matthew 6:16-18, the Fathers hid their ascetic practices to avoid vanity. Abba Makarios exemplifies this by accepting wine from his brethren but secretly compensating with extreme self-discipline.
• Charity Over Rigidity: The Fathers valued courtesy and fellowship over strict adherence to personal rules. Refusing hospitality, like declining food during Lent, could dishonor hosts and reflect self-satisfaction rather than humility.
• Balancing Love and Discipline: Abba Makarios’ story illustrates accepting others’ kindness (e.g., drinking wine) to honor their generosity while privately maintaining his spiritual purpose through acts of renunciation, like abstaining from water for a day.
• Discernment in Charity: The episode cautions against using charity as an excuse for indulgence. Abba Sissos advises seeking rational, love-driven answers when navigating social obligations, avoiding intemperance.

Abba Makarios, when offered wine by his brethren, accepted it joyfully to honor their fellowship, despite its potential to hinder his prayer. To maintain his ascetic commitment, he disciplined himself by forgoing water for a full day per cup of wine consumed—a radical act in the desert’s harsh climate. His disciple, noticing the toll, urged the brethren to stop offering wine, revealing Makarios’ hidden austerity. This story underscores:

• The importance of accepting hospitality to build community.
• The need for personal discipline to remain true to one’s spiritual goals.
• The value of discerning higher goods, prioritizing others’ honor over self-display.

• Hospitality and Intent: The episode challenges listeners to consider whether their acts of kindness are truly for others or for personal gratification.
• Humility in Action: A story of Abbot John highlights choosing humility over correction, as he endured a night lost in the desert to avoid shaming his guide.
• Practical Application: Listeners are encouraged to practice tactful acceptance of others’ offerings and to discern when to relax or uphold personal disciplines for the sake of love.

The Desert Fathers teach us to balance personal austerity with communal charity. True asceticism lies not in rigid rule-following but in discerning when to set aside practices for love’s sake and when to take them up again in pursuit of self-mastery. As we approach Easter’s fifty-day season, let us emulate Abba Makarios’ example of hidden discipline and outward charity.

In this bonus roundtable discussion for Episode 21 of Desert Fathers in a Year, host Jamie Baxter and guests Adam, Doyle, and Jared dive into the fourth chapter of the systematic collection of the Desert Fathers, focusing on self-mastery. The episode explores a powerful saying attributed to Abba Serapion, highlighting the liberating power of confession, the importance of vulnerability, and the role of spiritual fathers in overcoming sin. The discussion emphasizes the timeless wisdom of the Desert Fathers and its relevance for modern Christian life, encouraging listeners to embrace truth, communion, and accountability.

• Saying Summary: Abba Serapion, as a young monk, secretly stole rusks (hard bread) after meals, unable to resist the urge due to shame and silence. When visitors prompted his elder, Abba Theanas, to speak about hiding thoughts and self-control, Serapion was convicted, confessed his sin, and experienced a dramatic spiritual liberation, symbolized by a fiery lamp and sulfurous stink leaving his chest.
• Liberating Truth: The panel reflects on the transformative power of confessing sins, which breaks the isolation and despair fostered by hidden habits. Serapion’s confession not only freed him but became a testimony passed down through generations (from Abba Theanas to Abba Moses to Abba Cassian).
• Modern Relevance: In an individualistic culture valuing privacy, the saying challenges listeners to reject the “demonic” tendency to withhold weaknesses, emphasizing vulnerability as a path to communion with God and others.

• Relational Healing: Jared highlights Bishop Varden’s insight that Serapion’s sin created a relational wedge between him and his spiritual father. Confession restored this communion, underscoring the necessity of spiritual fathers to guide and reflect God’s fatherly love.
• Communal Beings: As bodily and social beings, humans need earthly mentors to embody divine accountability and love. The panel contrasts this with modern dualism, where one might rely solely on a distant “heavenly Father” without earthly guidance.
• Father Wound: The absence or rejection of spiritual fathers can hinder spiritual growth, mirroring the impact of a biological father wound.

• Legacy of Names: Doyle notes the saying’s chain of attribution (Cassian, Moses, Serapion, Theanas), reflecting the Desert Fathers’ humility and unity. They sought no personal fame, blending into a cohesive tradition rooted in St. Anthony, as Bishop Varden emphasized.
• Timeless Words: The careful preservation of these names and words, despite the “tsunami” of modern information, underscores their spiritual power, memorized and transmitted for 1,700 years.

• Confession as Icebreaker: Doyle shares a personal experience from an Exodus 90 Freedom Summit, where men’s vulnerable confessions of struggles (anger, alcohol, lust) united 200 participants, proving that shared accountability fosters communion and healing.
• Reciprocal Vulnerability: In small groups, leading with openness (e.g., Doyle’s sharing of past struggles with drugs and alcohol) sets a tone for authentic sharing, countering surface-level conversations.
• Bishop Varden’s Warning: Hidden habits and half-truths give the “hater of good” (the devil) an opportunity. Bringing sins to light through confession is the path to freedom.

• God’s Disposition: Adam reflects on Serapion’s realization that God orchestrated the visitors’ conversation, prompting his confession. This “disposition of God who loves mankind” reveals divine providence in painful circumstances.
• Courageous Response: Serapion’s choice to confess, seeing God’s hand in the moment, models the courage needed to respond to grace, leading to his liberation and potential sainthood.
• Application Today: The panel encourages listeners to trust God’s providence in their struggles, responding with perseverance and faith for transformation.

• Adam’s Exercise: Form a group text with trusted friends to confess sins (e.g., pornography, gluttony) by texting “I failed.” Within 24 hours, group members fast from a meal for the person’s good. This practice:
• Facilitates self-examination by tracking habitual sins.
• Fosters communion through reciprocal love and support, as St. Thomas Aquinas defines it).
• Brings light to hidden struggles, breaking the devil’s strategy of isolation.
• Habit Formation: Small, consistent acts of confession and fasting can lead to profound spiritual growth, echoing the Desert Fathers’ emphasis on daily discipline.

• Jared’s Reflection: Both good and bad habits, done daily, shape one’s life. Unchecked sins, dismissed as “just one time,” can lead further astray, while consistent virtues draw one closer to God, offering hope for transformation.

• “Beware if you find yourself developing clandestine habits… You may be giving the hater of good an opportunity that he does not deserve.” – Bishop Varden

• Join the Kings of Summer Challenge: Download the Exodus 90 app or visit Exodus90.com to participate in a summer challenge reading 1 Samuel, focusing on the virtues of King David and Saul to overcome spiritual malaise.
• Engage with the Podcast: Visit desertfathers.com to subscribe to the newsletter, submit questions for Bishop Varden’s Q&A, or share the podcast with a friend. Leave a comment or review to support the show.
• Practice Accountability: As Adam suggested, form a trusted group to confess sins and fast together, growing in holiness through communal support.