St. Antony of the Desert was born in 251 AD of wealthy parents, he abandoned his inheritance at the age of thirty- four and after hearing the story of the Rich Young Man read at Mass and, providing for his sisters, began his long life in the desert as an "anchorite", a hermit who periodically came together with other hermits to celebrate Eucharist. He died in 356 at the age of 104 after inspiring thousands to follow his way of life.
The desert holds a special place in spirituality...its barreness forces a person to find resouces within to face the rigors of even physical survival, but above all, it forces one to depend totally on God. Without the usual distractions, anchorites dealt with the same temptations we face, but learned through prayer how to handle them. We all need a "desert experience" from time to time, not literally, but a time set apart from the usual routine to face ourselves and God in stark barreness. We might take a day or part of a day for recollection away from our homes, and with Lent coming up next month, begin now by looking at the calendar to see if we can find time for such a Desert Day. We can ask St. Antony ( also Anthony) to help us find what he found in our regular daily routine and lives. It's not impossible. God is there always and wants to help us find him, no matter where we are or how busy we are.
Bro. Rene
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