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Welcome to St Cuthbert’s House, home of a canonical hermit: diocese of Hallam, UK.

Posted on by Hm Rachel

The hermit is simply a pioneer … in the way of the desert which the whole of humanity must follow of necessity one day, each one according to their own measure and desire. This eremitical vocation, at least embryonically, is to be found in every Christian vocation …  it is necessary that the Church and society do something so that this may be realizable,  so that each may at least touch it, be it only with the tip of their little finger.

 (Benedictine Raphael  Vernay: On the Desert Place of the Inner Sanctuary, 1974).   

Cell:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Cell: Bede’s Life of St Cuthbert: Chapter XVII

Finally! After much experience of solitude and silence within the community of the monastery, Cuthbert, with the support and authority of all of his brethren, is let go onto the seas to travel to Farne to establish a hermitage there.

I imagine the relief, and excitement and deep peace which he must have felt.  I love that there is a spade-wielding angel waiting there for him, to help him dig the foundations. If you visit Lindesfarne and the Farne Islands in Northumberland you will find the Isle of Hobthrush (St Cuthbert’s Isle – a tidal island near the monastery on Lindesfarne and accessible at low tide), and the Inner Farne. Cuthbert’s cell on the Farne (despite his extensive building works!) is no longer visible, but a short boat ride out there will give you a sense of his isolation when he was living there.

Similarly there is no remains of his cell on Hobthrush, but a Norman tower was built over the spot, and the dip of the foundation for that is still visible, marked by a cross. It gives a sense of how Cuthbert might have spent time there, gazing through the roof to the Northumbrian sky.


OF THE HABITATION WHICH HE MADE FOR HIMSELF IN THE ISLAND OF FARNE, WHEN HE HAD EXPELLED THE DEVILS

WHEN he had remained some years in the monastery, he was rejoiced to be able at length, with the blessing of the abbot and brethren accompanying him, to retire to the secrecy of solitude which he had so long coveted. He rejoiced that from the long conversation with the world he was now thought worthy to be promoted to retirement and Divine contemplation: he rejoiced that he now could reach to the condition of those of whom it is sung by the Psalmist: ” The holy shall walk from virtue to virtue; the God of Gods shall be seen in Zion. ”

At his first entrance upon the solitary life, he sought out the most retired spot in the outskirts of the monastery. But when he had for some time contended with the invisible adversary with prayer and fasting in this solitude, he then, aiming at higher things, sought out a more distant field for conflict, and more remote from the eyes of men. There is a certain island called Farne, in the middle of the sea, not made an island, like Lindisfarne, by the flow of the tide, which the Greeks call rheuma, and then restored to the mainland at its ebb, but lying off several miles to the East, and, consequently, surrounded on all sides by the deep and boundless ocean. No one, before God’s servant Cuthbert, had ever dared to inhabit this island alone, on account of the evil spirits which reside there: but when this servant of Christ came, armed with the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, all the fiery darts of the wicked were extinguished, and that wicked enemy, with all his followers, were put to flight.

Christ’s soldier, therefore, having thus, by the expulsion of the tyrants, become the lawful monarch of the land, built a city fit for his empire, and houses therein suitable to his city. The building is almost of a round form, from wall to wall about four or five poles in extent: the wall on the outside is higher than a man, but within, by excavating the rock, he made it much deeper, to prevent the eyes and the thoughts from wandering, that the mind might be wholly bent on heavenly things, and the pious inhabitant might behold nothing from his residence but the heavens above him. The wall was constructed, not of hewn stones or of brick and mortar, but of rough stones and turf, which had been taken out from the ground within. Some of them were so large that four men could hardly have lifted them, but Cuthbert himself, with angels helping him, had raised them up and placed them on the wall. There were two chambers in the house, one an oratory, the other for domestic purposes. He finished the walls of them by digging round and cutting away the natural soil within and without, and formed the roof out of rough poles and straw. Moreover, at the landing-place of the island he built a large house, in which the brethren who visited him might be received and rest themselves, and not far from it there was a fountain of water or their use.

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The life of the hermitage is solitary, but it is a solitude which is deeply embedded in the life of Creation – in the heart of Creation.  This is true of any hermit (and indeed of any person – the hermit is merely an outward sign of an inward grace which is active in the hearts of all the faithful). The hermit is there in the spaciousness of the Body of Christ – in love for the whole Body, in solidarity, in identity.  She inhabits the hermitage as in a tabernacle of the whole of Creation. 

But when a hermit is invited to the profession of Canon 603, and publicly consecrated by the Church in that charism, there is a profound, one might say ontological change.  As a liturgical sacrament is “an outward sign of an inner grace” so, by profession and consecration, the  hermit enjoins a covenant with the Church, and becomes a sacrament of the Church. An outward sign of an inner grace already received at the heart of the Church. She no longer identifies with the Church, she becomes, “in persona”, the Church, and is recognised by the Church as such. 

“She manifests to everyone the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church, that is, personal intimacy with Christ.”  cf Catechism 1992    nn 920-921.

In the context of Canon 603, this quotation recognises that the life of hermitage is not a solitary adventure – it is an endeavour of the whole Church.  The hermit is hidden – both physically in the figuration of their living arrangements, but spiritually and socially too.  They are unlikely to become a public advocate, or a preacher, or given a role in Church leadership. To fully inhabit the charism of c603 that the hermit is called to, they are not seeking personal holiness, nor excellence in study, nor spiritual fame.  They are there as the Church themselves. 

The desert fathers had a profound – and very practical – understanding of this moment of conversion from God-seeking-individual, to “persona Ecclesia”.  As ever the genius of their teaching is to express the spiritual truths they have discovered, in very simple actions.  They speak (at some length!) of “dying to your neighbour”

This sounds unnecessarily drastic, and takes a bit of unpicking to retrieve a contemporary meaning. 

The monk must die to their neighbour and never judge them at all, in any way whatever.  (Abba Moses to Abba Poeman 1)

“To die to one’s neighbour is this: to bear your own faults and not to pay attention to anyone else wondering if they are good or bad. do no harm to anyone, do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone, do not scorn the man who does evil … this is what dying to one’s neighbour means. do not rail against anyone, but rather say, ‘God knows each one'” (Abba Moses to Abba Poeman 7)

To die to one’s neighbour is to recognise your neighbour in yourself. When you notice a fault in your neighbour, you can recognise the fault in yourself and deal with it there. When your brother is redeemed, then you rejoice to share their redemption.

In his introduction to the Synod on synodality, Pope Francis made an invitation, “Let everyone enter…. Allow yourselves to go out to meet people and to be questioned by people. Let their questions become your questions; allow yourselves to walk together. The Spirit will lead you.”

“Let their questions become your questions”.  This is such a rich and poignant and reasonable way of being Church.  Pondering the questions and joys and griefs of others, and somehow melding them into the experience of God-with-us in the hermit-tabernacle of our world. 

What is redeemed in each, is redeemed in all

Perseverance:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Perseverance: Bede’s Life of St Cuthbert: Chapter XVI

This is another of my favourite stories/images – it is so very human – Cuthbert faced with a community of disgruntled men, and learning how best to guide and encourage them. The faces on them all! You can almost hear Cuthbert counting to ten under his breath with exasperation, and the monks muttering stolidly in protest. And I enjoy the detail in this story of monastic life – the inheritance of previous generations of monks, the insistence on tradition, the petulance of the monks who clearly don’t like being disturbed in their sleep; Cuthbert’s methods of keeping awake, “making something with his hands, thus beguiling his sleepiness by labour; or, perhaps, he walked round the island, diligently examining every thing therein, and by this exercise relieved the tediousness of psalmody and watching.” and the acknowledgement that psalms can sometimes be tedious! And finally, the little hint that Cuthbert might not have been the most melodic of psalmsters … “it was the spirit which groaned within him rather than the note of singing“. It seems Bede was a perceptive – and trying-to-be-diplomatic – writer!




HOW HE LIVED AND TAUGHT IN THE MONASTERY OF LINDISFARNE

WHILST this venerable servant of the Lord was thus during many years, distinguishing himself by such signs of spiritual excellence in the monastery of Melrose, its reverend abbot, Eata, transferred him to the monastery in the island of Lindisfarne, that there also he might teach the rules of monastic perfection with the authority of its governor, and illustrate it by the example of his virtue; for the same reverend abbot had both monasteries under his jurisdiction. And no one should wonder that, though the island of Lindisfarne is small, we have above made mention of a bishop, and now of an abbot and monks; for the case is really so. For the same island, inhabited by servants of the Lord, contains both, and all are monks. For Aidan, who was the first bishop of that place, was a monk, and with all his followers lived according to the monastic rule. Wherefore all the principals of that place from him to the present time exercise the episcopal office; so that, whilst the monastery is governed by the abbot, whom they, with the consent of the brethren, have elected, all the priests, deacons, singers, readers, and other ecclesiastical officers of different ranks, observe the monastic rule in every respect, as well as the bishop himself.

The blessed pope Gregory showed that he approved this mode of life, when in answer to Augustine, his first missionary to Britain, who asked him how bishops ought to converse with their clerks, among other remarks he replied, ” Because, my brother, having been educated in the monastic rule, you ought not to keep aloof from your clerks: in the English Church, which, thanks be to God, has lately been converted to the faith, you should institute the same system, which has existed from the first beginning of our Church among our ancestors, none of whom said that the things which he possessed were his own, but they had all things common.” When Cuthbert, therefore, came to the church or monastery of Lindisfarne, he taught the brethren monastic rules both by his life and doctrines, and often going round, as was his custom, among the neighbouring people, he kindled them up to seek after and work out a heavenly reward. Moreover, by his miracles he became more and more celebrated, and by the earnestness of his prayers restored to their former health many that were afflicted with various infirmities and sufferings; some that were vexed with unclean spirits, he not only cured whilst present by touching them, praying over them, or even by commanding or exorcising the devils to go out of them; but even when absent he restored them by his prayers, or by foretelling that they should be restored; amongst whom also was the wife of the prefect above mentioned.

There were some brethren in the monastery who preferred their ancient customs to the new regular discipline. But he got the better of these by his patience and modest virtues, and by daily practice at length brought them to the better system which he had in view. Moreover, in his discussions with the brethren, when he was fatigued by the bitter taunts of those who opposed him, he would rise from his seat with a placid look, and dismiss the meeting until the following day, when, as if he had suffered no repulse, he would use the same exhortations as before, until he converted them, as I have said before, to his own views. For his patience was most exemplary, and in enduring the opposition which was heaped equally upon his mind and body he was most resolute, and, amid the asperities which he encountered, he always exhibited such placidity of countenance, as made it evident to all that his outward vexations were compensated for by the internal consolations of the Holy Spirit.

But he was so zealous in watching and praying, that he is believed to have sometimes passed three or four nights together therein, during which time he neither went to his own bed, nor had any accommodation from the brethren for reposing himself. For he either passed the time alone, praying in some retired spot, or singing and making something with his hands, thus beguiling his sleepiness by labour; or, perhaps, he walked round the island, diligently examining every thing therein, and by this exercise relieved the tediousness of psalmody and watching. Lastly, he would reprove the faintheartedness of the brethren, who took it amiss if any one came and unseasonably importuned them to awake at night or during their afternoon naps. “No one,” said he, “can displease me by waking me out of my sleep, but, on the contrary, give me pleasure; for, by rousing me from inactivity, he enables me to do or think of something useful.” So devout and zealous was he in his desire after heavenly things, that, whilst officiating in the solemnity of the mass, he never could come to the conclusion thereof without a plentiful shedding of tears. But whilst he duly discharged the mysteries of our Lord’s passion, he would, in himself, illustrate that in which he was officiating; in contrition of heart he would sacrifice himself to the Lord; and whilst he exhorted the standers-by to lift up their hearts and to give thanks unto the Lord, his own heart was lifted up rather than his voice, and it was the spirit which groaned within him rather than the note of singing. In his zeal for righteousness he was fervid to correct sinners, he was gentle in the spirit of mildness to forgive the penitent, so that he would often shed tears over those who confessed their sins, pitying their weaknesses, and would himself point out by his own righteous example what course the sinner should pursue. He used vestments of the ordinary description, neither noticeable for their too great neatness, nor yet too slovenly. Wherefore, even to this day, it is not customary in that monastery for any one to wear vestments of a rich or valuable colour, but they are content with that appearance which the natural wool of the sheep presents.

By these and such like spiritual exercises, this venerable man both excited the good to follow his example, and recalled the wicked and perverse from their errors to regularity of life.

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So this story, charming as it is, is about doing ordinary stuff as well as you are able. Whether you are trying to teach and persuade a community of habit-bound monks (I can imagine the supressed sigh when Cuthbert turned up each morning and began again on the same sermon …), or keeping yourself awake at night to make time for prayer, or encouraging the local people in the practice of their faith, or praying the psalmody on their behalf – these are the day to day tasks of the monastery, and as long as Cuthbert was still living with the community, he focussed on doing these things to the best of his ability. There is no record here of him day-dreaming his days away with romantic visions of hermitage.

“Abba Poemen said, ‘Life in the monastery demands three things; the first is humility, the next is obedience, and the third which sets them in motion and is like a goad, is the work of the monastery.'” AC Poemen 103

There is sometimes a requirement “to have some experience of community living before embarking on hermitage. “The experience matured over the course of the history of the vocation suggests that those who feel the inclination, be asked for a time of discernment and formation in a monastery or another community of consecrated life under the guidance of an experienced person …” HLPC 31

This might remind us of that earlier story of St Anthony, who, when he began to question his life in hermitage, and to wander around looking for a different answer, was advised by an angel to go back to his hermitage and get on with his work! Perseverance in the mundane and everyday is a much treasured grace of the hermitage. Complaints about the inevitable days of accidie (frustration, boredom, meaninglessness, doubt) are met with a rather short response:

“An old man had a disciple who for many years had obeyed him in everything. Now one day when he was attacked by the devil, he made a prostration before the old man saying, ‘Let me become a monk on my own.’ The old man replied, ‘Survey the district and we will build a cell for you.’ So they found a place a mile away. They went there and built the cell. The old man said to the brother, ‘What I tell you to do, do it. Each time you are afflicted, eat, drink, sleep, only do not come out of your cell until Saturday; then come to see me.’ The brother spent two days according to these orders, but the third day, a prey to accidie, he said to himself, ‘Why did the old man arrange that for me?’ Standing outside his door he sang many psalms, and after sunset he ate, then went to lie down on his mat to sleep. But he saw an Ethiopian lying there who gnashed his teeth at him. Driven by great fear, he ran to the old man, knocked on his door and said, ‘Abba, have pity on me, open the door.’ The old man, seeing he had not obeyed his instructions did not open it till morning, very early; then he opened it, and found him outside imploring him to help him. Then, full of pity, he made him come inside. The other said, ‘Father, I need you; on my bed I saw a black Ethiopian as I was going to sleep.’ The old man replied, ‘You suffered that because you did not keep to my instructions.’ Then, according to his capacity, he taught him the discipline of the solitary life, and in a short time he became a good monk.” AC Heraclides 1

Emmaus:

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Emmaus: Bede’s Life of St Cuthbert: Chapter XV

There is something very comforting about this healing-on-the-road sort of conversation. How often do we confide our anxieties and troubles to another when we are walking together. How often does this relieve or even resolve our situation, and we can return to whatever was bothering us with new courage and perspective and heart?



HOW HE CAST OUT A DEV1L FROM THB PREFECT’S WIFE, EVEN BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL

BUT, as we have above related how this venerable man prevailed against the false stratagems of the devil, now let us show in what way he displayed his power against his open and undisguised enmity. There was a certain prefect of King Egfrid, Hildemer by name, a man devoted with all his house to good works, and therefore especially beloved by Saint Cuthbert, and often visited by him whenever he was journeying that way. This man’s wife, who was devoted to almsgiving and other fruits of virtue, was suddenly so afflicted by a devil, that she gnashed her teeth, uttered the most pitiable cries, and, throwing about her arms and limbs, caused great terror to all who saw or heard her. Whilst she was lying in this state, and expected to die, her husband mounted his horse, and, coming to the man of God, besought his help, saying,

“My wife is ill, and at the point of death: I entreat you to send a priest to visit her before she dies, and minister to her the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ; and, also, that when she is dead, she may be buried in this holy place.” He was ashamed to say that she was out of her senses, because the man of God had always seen her in her right mind. Whilst the holy man was going to find out a priest to send to her, he reflected in his mind that it was no ordinary infirmity, but a visitation of the devil; and so, returning to the man who had come to entreat him in his wife’s behalf, he said, ” I will not send any one, but I will go myself to visit her.”
Whilst they were going, the man began to cry, and the tears ran down his cheeks, for he was afraid lest Cuthbert, finding her afflicted with a devil, should think that she had been a false servant of the Lord, and that her faith was not real. The man of God consoled him: ” Do not weep because I am likely to find your wife otherwise than I could wish; for I know that she is vexed with a devil, though you are afraid to name it: and I know, moreover, that, before we arrive, she will be freed, and come to meet us, and will herself take the reins, as sound in mind as ever, and will invite us in and minister to us as before; for not only the wicked but the innocent are sometimes permitted by God to be afflicted in body, and are even taken captive in spirit by the devil.”

Whilst he thus consoled the man, they approached the house, and the evil spirit fled, not able to meet the coming of the holy man. The woman, freed from her suffering, rose up immediately, as if from sleep, and, meeting the man of God with joy, held the bridle of his horse, and, having entirely recovered her strength, both of mind and body, begged him to dismount and to bestow his blessing upon her house; and ministering sedulously to him, testified openly that, at the first touch of the rein, she had felt herself relieved from all the pain of her former suffering.

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Canon 603 does not make much provision for this sort of pastoral work – if anything, the guidance is quite discouraging “The hermit undertakes to affirm the absoluteness of God in their own existence, to renounce their own projects, such as transforming the hermitage into a centre of spirituality or hospitality, or to take pastoral initiatives not consistent with their status in life.” HLPC 21.

“The hermit provides for their needs by work compatible with the demands of hermit life, in particular solitude and prayer … the pastoral exercise of … ministry must be occasional and not prevalent.” HLPC 40

The Desert dwellers were similarly short-sentenced towards each other when invited to conversation,

“Another time the archbishop, intending to come to see him, sent someone to see if the old man would receive him. Arsenius told him, ‘If you come, I shall receive you; but if I receive you, I receive everyone and therefore I shall no longer live here.’ Hearing that, the archbishop said, ‘If I drive him away by going to him, I shall not go anymore.'”.’” AC Arsenius 8

So how to accompany others, when the guidance clearly discourages it? In the first place, the mutuality we described in chapter XII answers a lot of this question. The prayers and joys and sorrows of the world, of friends and family, are the prayers and joys and sorrows of the hermit. In Scripture – especially the psalms – the hermit shares in toil and celebration. Your presence is held in the tabernacle of the hermitage.

Many hermits will respond – briefly – to particular requests or questions. Perhaps they are not really in a position to walk the way with you, but a quiet sit down on a bench at the side of the road might offer some comfort or support.

Cuthbert was clearly adept at this “accompanying” thing, and appears to be comfortable with it. This is the period in his life when he was still prior of the monastery, and with pastoral duties for the local folk. If you remember the story of the night praying in the sea (chapter X), his days were so busy with his work for the monastery, the night time was his only opportunity for prayer.

But when (as we shall read shortly) he finally gets permission to move to the Farne Islands and live there alone as a hermit, he does not hesitate. The role of accompanier passes on. It is a role that many of us will fulfil, and pass on.

Tabernacle:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Tabernacle: Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: Chapter XIV

I love that Cuthbert “was careful to visit very frequently” his childhood home with Kenswith – his foster-mother. It suggests a real affection for his adopted family. And I am happy to read of him responding so readily to his family’s call for help when their home was in danger.

My Rule of Life states that I will “live in solitude and silence, staying and returning there insofar as duties permit“, so the stability of my hermitage is very important to me and I stay here as much as I am able. But when I was needed, I too was able to support my parents with regular visits during their last few years. And I continue to join occasionally with friends and family to support them in important events, whilst always being alert to quickly returning to the hermitage.



HOW, WHEN A HOUSE WAS REALLY SET ON FIRE, HE PUT OUT THE FLAMES BY PRAYER

BUT it was not only in the case of an apparition of a fire that his power was shown; for he extinguished a real fire by the fervency of his tears, when many had failed in putting it out with all the water they could get. For, as he was travelling about, preaching salvation, like the apostles of old, he one day entered the house of a pious woman, whom he was in the habit of often visiting, and whom, from having been nursed by her in his infancy, he was accustomed on that account to call his mother.

The house was at the west end of the village, and Cuthbert had no sooner entered it to preach the word of God, than a house at the other end of the place caught fire and began to blaze most dreadfully. For the wind was from the same quarter, so that the sparks from the kindled thatch flew over the whole village. Those who were present tried to extinguish it with water, but were driven back by the heat. Then the aforesaid handmaid of the Lord, running to the house where Cuthbert was, besought him to help them, before her own house and the others in the village should be destroyed. ” Do not fear, mother,” said he; ” be of good cheer; this devouring flame will not hurt either you or yours.” He then went out and threw himself prostrate on the ground before the door. Whilst he was praying, the wind changed, and beginning to blow from the west, removed all danger of the fire assailing the house, into which the man of God had entered.

And thus in two miracles he imitated the virtues of two of the fathers. For in the case of the apparition of fire above mentioned, he imitated the reverend and holy father Saint Benedict, who by his prayers drove away the apparition of a fire like a burning kitchen, which the old enemy had presented before the eyes of his disciples: and, in the case of the real fire which he thus extinguished, he imitated that venerable priest Marcellinus of Ancona, who, when his native town was on fire, placed himself in front of the flames, and put them out by his prayers, though all the exertions of his fellow-countrymen had failed to extinguish them with water. Nor is it wonderful that such perfect and pious servants of God should receive power against the force of fire, considering that by their daily piety they enable themselves to conquer the desires of the flesh, and to extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked one: and to them is applicable the saying of the prophet, [Is. 43:2] ” When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the fire kindle upon thee.” But I, and those who are, like me, conscious of our own weakness and inertness, are sure that we can do nothing in that way against material fire, and, indeed, are by no means sure that we shall be able to escape unhurt from that fire of future punishment, which never shall be extinguished. But the love of our Saviour is strong and abundant, and will bestow the grace of its protection upon us, though we are unworthy and unable in this world to extinguish the fires of vicious passions and of punishment in the world which is to come.

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I often think of my home – my hermitage – as a tabernacle. When I was consecrated as a canonical hermit, I was offered the privilege of having the Blessed Sacrament reserved within my hermitage.  I gave the invitation much prayerful consideration, but eventually decided against it. My understanding and experience of hermitage is that the whole of the hermitage is sacred space; the whole of the hermitage is tabernacle, the place where the hermit meets Christ.  Hermitage is, for the hermit, the sacred space of God-with-us. This understanding and experience is a step beyond the foothills of the God-is-everywhere theme of childhood lessons.  This is the confidence that, by God’s grace, simply to embrace and live out my humanity in the place and circumstance I find myself, is the fullest possible expression of my relationship with God during my life on this earth.  

So how does that work in practice?  The heartbeat of my hermitage is its sacred ordinariness.  It is an experience, in silence and solitude, of total immersion in the humdrum of daily life. A hermit is one who has, perhaps, become so overwhelmed by the immensity of the privilege of sharing Jesus’ humanity that she chooses to spend her whole life contemplating the mystery and manifestation of that gift in the most simple and ordinary and domestic form of living.   A hermit lives out the mystery of the Incarnation in her own body, her own blood.  A hermit says, “Christ, from the beginning of time, and in the fullness of time, chose being Jesus, being human, as the best way of expressing the love of the Trinity. Living in Christ, under the action of the Holy Spirit, and totally dedicated to God who is supremely loved 3,  I will now do likewise”.  

Because of the relentless ordinariness of her life, there is very little of worth that can be written about a hermit and her hermitage which cannot be written about every individual and community on the earth. That participation in the mystery of Christ’s humanity in Jesus is the focused privilege of the hermitage, but it is the lodestone of every human life.  The hermit inhabits the tabernacle of her hermitage, but all people wait and attend in the tabernacle of the world. Christ is close to us when we are kneeling directly in front of the Blessed Sacrament in a church, but just as close when we are sitting in the pews at the back, or standing at the boundary wall outside locked doors, or at any moment in any place when we attend inwardly to the presence of God.

Fighting demons:

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Fighting demons: Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: Chapter XIII

Both Cuthbert and the Desert dwellers seem to have similar ideas about “demons”. They are illusory – but even the illusion of them is enough to entangle, frustrate, frighten or even defeat us. C603 acknowledges these as “spiritual struggles”. The common-sense advice of all three is heartening.


HOW HE FORESAW A VISION OF A FIRE COMING FROM THE DEVIL WHILST HE WAS PREACHING, AND HOW HE PUT OUT THE SAME

ABOUT the same time, as he was preaching the word of life to a number of persons assembled in a certain village, he suddenly saw in the spirit our old enemy coming to retard the work of salvation, and forthwith began by admonitions to prevent the snares and devices which he saw were coming. “Dearest brethren,” said he, “as often as you hear the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom preached to you, you should listen with attentive heart and with watchful feelings, lest the devil, who has a thousand ways of harming you, prevent you by superfluous cares from hearing the word of salvation.” As he said these words, he resumed the thread of his discourse, and immediately that wicked enemy, bringing supernatural fire, set light to a neighbouring house, so that flakes of fire seemed to fly through the air, and a storm of wind and thunder shook the sky.

Nearly the whole multitude rushed forward, to extinguish the fire, (for he restrained a few of them himself,) but yet with all their real water they could not put out the false flames, until, at Cuthbert’s prayer, the author of the deceit was put to flight, and his fictitious fires dispersed along with him. The multitude, seeing this, were suffused with ingenuous blushes, and, falling on their knees before him, prayed to be forgiven for their fickleness of mind, acknowledging their conviction that the devil never rests even for an hour from impeding the work of man’s salvation. But he, encouraging them under their infirmity, again began to preach to them the words of everlasting life.

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...The vocation of the hermit is to remain with God alone, the Unum necessarium, through paths of liberation, of evangelical conversion, in which the fatigue of the spiritual struggle is experienced to reach the purification of the heart. HLPC 11

The fact of remaining on the margin recalls the imagery of the desert. understood by the ancient desert-dwellers as an emblematic place above all to express the separation from the world and the harshness of spiritual combat, which hermits often experience. HLPC 25

… life in solitude, while providing advantages from the point of view of meditation and inner concentration, can be the occasion of trials, discomforts, unforeseen events, which require to be approached with balance and responsibility. HLPC 30

One of the earliest tropes of ancient hermitage as they headed off into the desert, was the desire “to fight demons”. In contemporary parlance “demons” would probably indicate our personal shortcomings, foibles, frustrations, obsessions, preoccupations and passions (also a word frequently wielded by the desert dwellers). Although the imagery in the desert stories around the “demons” was quite vivid – and, indeed, presented itself as fire in the story about Cuthbert’s preaching, it is these (often minor, but insidious and persistent) personal temptations and infractions that they were primarily concerned with. How to stay focussed on Unam necessarium (the one thing necessary – God!) when beset by all these distractions and unhelpful proclivities?

The answers it seems are straight forward and forthright. Here is St Anthony despairing of getting-it-right, and being taught by an angel:

When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by accidie and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, ‘Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my afflictions? How can I be saved?’ A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an Angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him. He heard the Angel saying to him, ‘Do this and you will be saved.’ At these words Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this and he was saved. AC Anthony 1

And very similar advice to Abba Arsenius:

“Someone said to Abba Arsenius, ‘My thoughts trouble me, saying, ‘You can neither fast nor work; at least go and visit the sick, for that is also charity.’ ‘  But the old man, recognising the suggestions of the demons said to him, ‘Go, eat, drink, sleep, do no work, only do not leave your cell.’  For he knew that steadfastness in the cell keeps a monk in the right way.” AC Arsenius 11

The desert dwellers had learnt that the only way to deal with these obstacles was to stay where you are, and focus on what-you-are-doing. There is a lovely story of the old man who engaged with his distractions, running after them, trying to control them. It is a thankless task and will overwhelm us:

“Abba Elias said, “An old man was living in a temple and the demons came to say to him. ‘Leave this place which belongs to us’, and the old man said ‘No place belongs to you.’  Then they began to scatter his palm leaves about, one by one, and the old man went on gathering them with perseverance.  A little later the devil took his hand and pulled him to the door.  When the old man reached the door, he seized the lintel with the other hand crying out, ‘Jesus, save me!’  Immediately the devil fled.  Then the old man began to weep.  Then the Lord said to him, ‘Why are you weeping?’ and the old man said, ‘Because the devils have dared to seize a man and treat him like this.’  The Lord said to him,  ‘You had been careless.  As soon as you turned to me again, you see I was beside you.’  I say this because it is necessary to take great pains, and anyone who does not do so cannot come to his God.  For he himself was crucified for our sake.” AC Elias 7

Ultimately, what-you-are-doing is being in the presence of God. If your body and mind are occupied with your tasks, then your heart is present with God. This doesn’t mean sitting in rapt ecstasy for days on end – that is the fire that Cuthbert points out to the villagers – and extinguishes. Doing ordinary things, in the place given to you, without seeking novelty, and with focus. This is how to be present with God.

Mutuality:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Mutuality: Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: Chapter XII

The capacity to commune and cooperate with the animals – eagles, otters, horses, ravens (soon!) is a common trope amongst the hagiographies of the Celtic saints.  It reflects a sense of mutuality between ourselves and the rest of creation.  Perhaps an ecological mutuality which needs to be nurtured in these days of growing concern for the wellbeing of our planet.

I love the final image of this story – Cuthbert and his companion, with the householders of the village, frying fish around an open fire, and the eagle still with her own portion of fish to feed her young.  All contributing, all partaking.  Is that not the essence of mutuality?

HOW HE FORETOLD THAT, ON A JOURNEY, AN EAGLE WOULD BRING HIM FOOD, AND HOW THIS TOOK PLACE ACCORDINGLY

IT happened, also, that on a certain day he was going forth from the monastery to preach, with one attendant only, and when they became tired with walking, though a great part of their journey still lay before them ere they could reach the village to which they were going, Cuthbert said to his follower, “Where shall we stop to take refreshment? or do you know any one on the road to whom we may turn in ? “-” I was myself thinking on the same subject,” said the boy; “for we have brought no provisions with us. and I know no one on the road who will entertain us, and we have a long journey still before us, which we cannot well accomplish without eating. ” The man of God replied, ” My son, learn to have faith, and trust in God, who will never suffer to perish with hunger those who trust in Him.” Then looking up, and seeing an eagle flying in the air, he said, ” Do you perceive that eagle yonder? It is possible for God to feed us even by means of that eagle.” As they were thus discoursing, they came near a river, and behold the eagle was standing on its bank. “Look,” said the man of God, “there is our handmaid, the eagle, that I spoke to you about. Run, and see what provision God hath sent us, and come again and tell me.”

The boy ran, and found a good-sized fish, which the eagle had just caught. But the man of God reproved him, ” What have you done, my son? Why have you not given part to God’s handmaid? Cut the fish in two pieces, and give her one, as her service well deserves.” He did as he was bidden, and carried the other part with him on his journey. When the time for eating was come, they turned aside to a certain village, and having given the fish to be cooked, made an excellent repast, and gave also to their entertainers, whilst Cuthbert preached to them the word of God, and blessed Him for his mercies; for happy is the man whose hope is in the name of the Lord, and who has not looked upon vanity and foolish deceit. After this, they resumed their journey, to preach to those among whom they were going.

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Canon 603 makes this rather cryptic statement about the purpose of the hermit’s separation from the world being the salvation of the world. “The Church recognises the life of hermits or anchorites, in which Christ’s faithful withdraw further from the world and devote their lives to … the salvation of the world.” This takes a little unpacking. and is perhaps best explained by the principle of mutuality.

“The hermit who distances themselves from the world does not flee out of fear or contempt.  They lived in the world, and were called, Christianly, to seek to love it and to look at it with the eyes and the love that God revealed to us in Jesus, who loved the world until the end.  Without the world, one cannot conceive of an exit from the world: one separates oneself from the world to save it, one moves away to integrate it, The exterior thus become interior, the distant becomes near, the excluded is desired included.  This is why separating does not mean fleeing. HLPC 24

Mutuality is a bit like solidarity – but more so! Solidarity generally involves standing alongside others; mutuality goes one step further to identify with the other. We will discuss in a later post how this is formalised in the covenant of solemn profession and consecration. At this point though we are considering something less formal, but just as intimate and world-changing. I have mentioned before the words of Pope Francis with respect to the Synodal processes of the Church. They are very useful words “No one is to be left out; let them all in; let them ask questions. Let their questions become your questions”

How is this translated specifically into the language and spirituality of the hermitage?

I am going to go off-piste a little here by considering, the “ecclesiological model” of hermitage, using the teachings of St Peter Damien.

Peter was an 11th century Benedictine hermit/bishop.  (ref image attached).  One of the great debates occupying the minds of the hermits of the day, was the question of praying on your own.  When a hermit was praying in solitude, could they legitimately pray the call/response “The Lord be with you” “And also with you”?  Peter wrote a whole book about it, and his answer was a resounding “YES!”.

“Indeed the Church of Christ is united in all her parts by such a bond of love that her several members form a single body and in each one the whole Church is mystically present, so that the whole Church Universal may rightly be called the one Bride of Christ, and on the other hand every single soul can, because of the mystical effect of the Sacrament, be regarded as the whole Church”. 
from The Book of “The Lord be with you”  (Dominus Vobiscum) a treatise by St Peter Damien, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. (1007-1072).

His teaching was that as each hermit is created in the image of Christ – confirmed by baptism – so each hold within them the fullness of Christ – the fullness of Church.  Peter went so far as to say that each hermit is Church unto themself. 

It took me a long while to get a sense of what hermitage was for.  I knew it was “home”, the place I was meant to be, but what was I supposed to be doing here?  The answer perhaps lies in this theology of ecclesiology.  If the hermit is the fullness of Church in themself, then whatever is redeemed in the solitary hermit, is also redeemed in the whole of the Church.  And, (ref multiple posts)  whatever is true of a hermit is also true of everyone else – so, whatever is redeemed in each and every member of Christ, is redeemed in the whole Church too. This is surely the ultimate in mutuality?

Grace:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Grace: Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: Chapter XI

This is another iconic image of Cuthbert as he sails away on his many voyages around the Northumberland coastline. On this occasion he is not sailing to his solitude, but as part of his ministry as Prior.

This image also reminds me of another northern saint – further north – Magnus of Orkney. He was a martyr to the cause of peace in the fierce Viking wars of the time. He had himself tied to the mast of one of the fighting ships, and sang psalms of praise to God throughout the battle! I imagine a little boat like Cuthbert’s here. He survived that bout, and eventually became an Earl in his own right, but was later slain by his feuding cousin. This is a great account of the legends around him: Who was St Magnus of Orkney? – St. Magnus The Martyr



HOW, WHEN THE SAILORS WERE PREVENTED FROM SAILING BY BAD WEATHER, HE PREDICTED THAT IT WOULD BE FINE ON A CERTAIN DAY, AND HOW HE OBTAINED FOOD BY PRAYER

MEANWHILE the man of God began to wax strong in the spirit of prophecy, to foretell future events, and to describe to those he was with what things were going on elsewhere. Once upon a time he left the monastery for some necessary reason, and went by sea to the land of the Picts, which is called Niduari. Two of the brethren accompanied him; and one of these, who afterwards discharged the priest’s office, made known to several the miracle which the man of God there performed.

They arrived there the day after Christmas-day, hoping, because the weather and sea were both tranquil, that they should soon return; and for this reason they took no food with them. They were, however, deceived in their expectations; for no sooner were they come to land, than a tempest arose, and prevented them from returning. After stopping there several days, suffering from cold and hunger, the day of the holy Epiphany was at hand, and the man of God, who had spent the night in prayer and watching, not in idleness or sloth, addressed them with cheerful and soothing language, as he was accustomed: “Why do we remain here idle? Let us do the best we can to save ourselves. The ground is covered with snow, and the heaven with clouds; the currents of both winds and waves are right against us: we are famished with hunger, and there is no one to relieve us. Let us importune the Lord with our prayers, that, as He opened to his people a path through the Red Sea, and miraculously fed them in the wilderness, He may take pity on us also in our present distress. If our faith does not waver, I do not think He will suffer us to remain all this day fasting-a day which He formerly made so bright with his heavenly majesty.

I pray you, therefore, to come with me and see what provision He has made for us, that we may ourselves rejoice in his joy.” Saying these words, he led them to the shore where he himself had been accustomed to pray at night. On their arrival, they found there three pieces of dolphin’s flesh, looking as if some one had cut them and prepared them to be cooked. They fell on their knees and gave thanks to God. “You see, my beloved brethren,” said Cuthbert, “how great is the grace of God to him who hopes and trusts in the Lord. Behold, He has prepared food for his servants; and by the number three points out to us how long we must remain here. Take, therefore, the gifts which Christ has sent us; let us go and refresh ourselves, and abide here without fear, for after three days there will most assuredly be a calm, both of the heavens and of the sea.” All this was so as he had said: three days the storm lasted most violently; on the fourth day the promised calm followed, and they returned with a fair wind home.

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Grace is usually defined as the gratuitous gift from God to the undeserving. Though I don’t find God’s grace to make any sort of distinction between the deserving or the undeserving – Grace is the gratuity, the generosity, the pouring forth, the self-giving of God, because God chooses to give. Our response to grace is not one of self-justification, but of gratitude.

So many of the stories of Cuthbert (like this one) are a constant to-ing and fro-ing in this relationship of grace. Cuthbert, or his friends, are in need; God gives; Cuthbert thanks and praises. Sometimes Cuthbert is not in need, and God gives anyway (remember the gift of bread which we read about in chapter 7?); and Cuthbert thanks and praises. If (as our Scripture and teachings suggests) we are to be in imitation of God, then we too need to give of ourselves gratuitously. One of the ways we can practise this might be in giving ourselves freely to the adoration and praise of God.

“The hermit’s prayer is an assiduous path between adoration and praise. She realises, in a special way, “the confessio Trinitas which characterises all Christian life, recognising with admiration the sublime beauty of God [Mother]Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and joyfully witnessing to God’s loving condescension for every human being”. Adoration is the first attitude of one who recognises themself as a creature before their Creator. It exalts the greatness of the God who created us and the omnipotence of the Saviour who frees us from evil. It is the prostration of the spirit before the “God of glory” and the respectful silence in the presence of God, always greater than us”. HLPC 18

An assiduous prayer of gratitude might come naturally to a hermit – she has a lot to be grateful for! But how is it achieved? Through the liturgies of the Office and the psalms; through spiritual reading and through study – yes – all of those. But mostly (for this hermit anyway) through a constant companionship throughout the day.

The encyclical Dei Verbum (1965) further explains: “Grace is God’s communication to us of Godself. God’s love for us is such that God became human, incarnate as a man in a specific time and a specific place. This Word made flesh is the culmination, the manifestation, the fullest Revelation of God to humanity in Creation.”

I am always a bit intrigued by that ”became” (God became human). If our humanity, from the beginning of our history (Genesis), is formed in the image of GOD  – the image of GOD’s humanity  –  then how could GOD ever be not-human?  How could we be made in the image of something that GOD once was not? 

So, “by the grace of GOD” – by God’s free gift – I share in GOD’s humanity – the humanity of Christ – and shared with the whole of the human race, And this grace of humanity – this gift of Godself – is freely given.

As is the meal of dolphin flesh found on the seashore.

I like to use this prayer shared by Cuthbert with his companions before they began their dolphin meal, as a grace or blessing, a moment of acknowledgement of dependence, of gratitude, of wonder and of adoration.

How good is the grace of God, to those who hope and trust
in God, who behold has prepared this place for us.
Let us take therefore these gifts which Christ has sent
Let us refresh ourselves and abide here without fear. Amen.

Attentiveness:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Attentiveness: Bede Life of Cuthbert: Chapter X

This story of Cuthbert praying through the night, standing in the North Sea, and being warmed and comforted afterwards by the sea-otters is one of the most feted stories of Cuthbert. It is often presented as a story of his legendary capacity for assiduous penance!  Which might well be the case.  But I like to interpret it differently:

I would suggest that it is night time.  Cuthbert has spent a long and arduous day doing his work in the monastery.  So much of his prayer time must take place at night.  If you have ever tried to keep vigil in a church overnight, then you will know quite how difficult it is to remain awake and alert.  I believe that Cuthbert stood in the sea simply in order to stay awake!


HOW CUTHBERT PASSED THE NIGHT IN THE SEA, PRAYING; AND WHEN HE WAS COME OUT, TWO ANIMALS OF THE SEA DID HIM REVERENCE; AND HOW THE BROTHER, WHO SAW THOSE THINGS, BEING IN FEAR, WAS ENCOURAGED BY CUTHBERT

WHEN this holy man was thus acquiring renown by his virtues and miracles, Ebbe, a pious woman and handmaid of Christ, was the head of a monastery at a place called the city of Coludi, remarkable both for piety and noble birth, for she was half-sister of King Oswy. She sent messengers to the man of God, entreating him to come and visit her monastery. This loving message from the handmaid of his Lord he could not treat with neglect, but, coming to the place and stopping several days there, he confirmed, by his life and conversation, the way of truth which he taught.

Here also, as elsewhere, he would go forth, when others were asleep, and having spent the night in watchfulness return home at the hour of morning-prayer. Now one night, a brother of the monastery, seeing him go out alone followed him privately to see what he should do. But he when he left the monastery, went down to the sea, which flows beneath, and going into it, until the water reached his neck and arms, spent the night in praising God. When the dawn of day approached, he came out of the water, and, falling on his knees, began to pray again. Whilst he was doing this, two quadrupeds, called otters, came up from the sea, and, lying down before him on the sand, breathed upon his feet, and wiped them with their hair after which, having received his blessing, they returned to their native element.
Cuthbert himself returned home in time to join in the accustomed hymns with the other brethren. The brother, who waited for him on the heights, was so terrified that he could hardly reach home; and early in the morning he came and fell at his feet, asking his pardon, for he did not doubt that Cuthbert was fully acquainted with all that had taken place.

To whom Cuthbert replied, ” What is the matter, my brother ? What have you done? Did you follow me to see what I was about to do? I forgive you for it on one condition,-that you tell it to nobody before my death.” In this he followed the example of our Lord, who, when He showed his glory to his disciples on the mountain, said, ” See that you tell no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead.” When the brother had assented to this condition, he give him his blessing, and released him from all his trouble. The man concealed this miracle during St. Cuthbert’s life; but, after his death, took care to tell it to as many persons as he was able.

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I am moved by these three images of attentiveness: Cuthbert giving all his attention to God in his prayer, the chill waters of the North Sea keeping him awake;  the otters eagerly attentive to Cuthbert’s needs – I like to think of them playing around him to comfort him even whilst he is standing in the water, and then, alert to his needs, drying and warming him up on the dry land. Finally the attentiveness of the spying monk.  It is difficult to know why he was so alarmed at what he had seen.  Perhaps it was the realisation that he had been an inappropriate witness to moments of great intimacy. 

There is a further example of attentiveness when Cuthbert discerns the discomfort in the voyeur monk – and when the monk discovers this in himself. 

C603 requires attentiveness in its living.  The silence is not a passive silence but an attentive silence.  We try to stay awake and alert to the voice of God.  The guidance to C603 says “The expression solitudinis silentio (the solitude of silence) … emphasises that the hermit’s own silence is not reduced to the absence of voices or noises deriving from physical isolation, and can no longer be an imposed condition of the outside:  it is the attitude fundamental which expresses a radical availability to listen to God.  HLPC 14

This same “radical availability” to God is also required by the Desert dwellers. St Anthony of the Desert offered, “Whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it.” I find it interesting that this is so closely aligned to the mindfulness teaching of contemporary mental health training. His advice to Abba Pambo’s question of “What must I do?” is even more specific, “Do not trust in your own righteousness, do not worry about the past, but control your tongue and your stomach.”

I do not know if there is a link between the silence which Cuthbert requires of the watching monk, and that which Anthony requires of Abba Pambo. But the trope of “watch your tongue and your stomach” seems an eminently sensible and practicable way to begin to grow in attentiveness!

Penance:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Penance: Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: Chapter VIII

I wrote this piece on penance for the Redemptorist Sunday publications a few years ago. I don’t think I could write anything better today. I particularly like the phrase “turning to face the headwind of truth with courage” in my Redemptorist piece, and the phrase “fruits worthy of repentance” in the Life of St Cuthbert. (I have highlighted them in the text). Both encourage the commitment to reformation, to change, within the context of the reality of our particular circumstance.

HOW CUTHBERT WAS ZEALOUS IN THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

AFTER the death of Boisil, the priest beloved of God, Cuthbert took upon himself the duties of the office of prior before mentioned; and for many years he was busy with spiritual works, as befitted a holy man; for he not only furnished both precept and example to his brethren of the monastery, but sought to lead the minds of the neighbouring people to the love of heavenly things. Many of them, indeed, profaned the faith which they professed, by unholy deeds; and some of them, in the time of plague, forgetting the sacred mystery of the faith into which they had been initiated, had recourse to idolatrous remedies, as if by charms or amulets, or any other mysteries of the magical art, they were able to avert a stroke inflicted upon them by the Lord. To correct these errors, he often went out from the monastery, sometimes on horseback, but more often on foot, and preached the way of truth to the neighbouring villages, as Boisil, his predecessor, had done before him.

It was at this time customary for the English people to flock together when a clerk or priest entered a village, gladly listening to what was said, and still more gladly following up by their deeds what they could hear and understand. So great was Cuthbert’s skill in teaching, so great his love of driving home what he had begun to teach, so bright the light of his angelic countenance, that none of those present would presume to hide from him the secrets of their heart, but they all made open confession of what they had done, because they thought that these things could certainly never be hidden from him; and they cleansed themselves from the sins they had confessed by “fruits worthy of repentance” as he commanded. He was mostly accustomed to travel to those villages which lay in out of the way places among the mountains, which by their poverty and natural horrors deterred other visitors. Yet even here did his devoted mind find exercise for his powers of teaching, insomuch that he often remained a week, sometimes two or three, nay, even a whole month, without returning home; but dwelling among the mountains, taught the poor people, both by the words of his preaching, and also by his own holy conduct.

Cuthbert preaching

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Canon 603 states, amongst other things, that life in the hermitage is to be a life of “assiduous prayer and penance”.  Assiduous prayer is probably a familiar, if challenging concept for most people, but assiduous penance?  The dictionary definition of penance is self-inflicted punishment.  Assiduous self-punishment sounds frankly terrifying!  And neither healthy nor sensible in the context of a lifelong commitment.

So how to live out “assiduous penance” safely and with integrity?  The life of the hermitage is a simple life – much of the flummery and dissemblance of social living is withdrawn, so that what is most fundamental and foundational to our being human can emerge.  When we shed some of those artifices, it can be a very joyful and freeing experience, but it can also be challenging and uncomfortable.  The willingness to engage with that experience of reality, is penance lived assiduously.

The original Greek for the Latin “repentance” (from which penance is derived) is metanoia, which means turning around.  Penance is the intentional act of turning around – not glancing back fearfully over the shoulder, but turning to face the headwind of truth with courage.  Penance is to try to live without a barrier between ourselves and the truth. 

I think the natural world sets an excellent example of this sort of penance.  The penance in nature is necessarily constant and assiduous – a tree has no contrived defence against the elements, but must bend as the wind blows, flourish with the sun and strain its roots deep for the source of water, responding to drought, sunlight, coldness and heat as they present themselves.  A tree grows in its place, in the conditions in which it finds itself. It abides in the stark reality of its circumstance.

So how might this penance, this “engaging with reality” manifest itself in practice? How might it change our behaviour towards our world and each other? Perhaps the growing awareness of those issues which degrade the balance of the ecosystems of our planet might make a good and simple example to begin with.

There is an increasing awareness that some of the perks of modern living are delusional: the excessive fuel we burn, the unnecessary food we waste, the undegradable plastics we pollute with; all of these are distortions of the ecological balance which underpins our world.  The truth is that living in this way is not sustainable.  There is “fruit worthy of repentance” to be found here. Our penance – our “turning, to face the headwinds of truth” – is to live within the bounds of what is sustainable.  What is a practicable, fruitful, assiduous change that could repent us? What could align us closer to the reality of our created humanity?

Friendship:

Posted on by Hm Rachel

Friendship:  Bede’s Life of Cuthbert: VIII

I think this is my favourite of all the illustrations.  It shows Cuthbert sitting on Boisil’s sick bed, perhaps warming his feet to comfort him.  They are clearly engrossed in conversation, intent on the Gospel they are discussing, Boisil gesticulating with his hands.  It is relaxed and homely and full of attention and affection.


HOW CUTHBERT WAS RECOVERED FROM SICKNESS, AND BOISIL, ON HIS DEATH-BED, FORETOLD TO HIM HIS FUTURE FORTUNES

MEANWHILE, as every thing in this world is frail and fluctuating, like the sea when a storm comes on, the above-named Abbot Eata, with Cuthbert and the other brethren, were expelled from their residence, and the monastery given to others. But our worthy champion of Christ did not by reason of his change of place relax his zeal in carrying on the spiritual conflict which he had undertaken; but he attended, as he had ever done, to the precepts and example of the blessed Boisil. About this time, according to his friend Herefrid the priest, who was formerly abbot of the monastery of Lindisfarne, he was seized with a pestilential disease, of which many inhabitants of Britain were at that time sick. The brethren of the monastery passed the whole night in prayer for his life and health; for they thought it essential to them that so pious a man should be present with them in the flesh. They did this without his knowing it; and when they told him of it in the morning, he exclaimed, ” Then why am I lying here ? I did not think it possible that God should have neglected your prayers: give me my stick and shoes.”

Cuthbert talking to Boisil

Accordingly, he got out of bed, and tried to walk, leaning on his stick; and finding his strength gradually return, he was speedily restored to health: but because the swelling on his thigh, though it died away to all outward appearances, struck into his inwards, he felt a little pain in his inside all his life afterwards; so that, as we find it expressed in the Apostles, ” his strength was perfected in weakness.
”When that servant of the Lord, Boisil, saw that Cuthbert was restored, he said, ” You see, my brother, how you have recovered from your disease, and I assure you it will give you no further trouble, nor are you likely to die at present. I advise you, inasmuch as death is waiting for me, to learn from me all you can whilst I am able to teach you; for I have only seven days longer to enjoy my health of body, or to exercise the powers of my tongue.” Cuthbert, implicitly believing what he heard, asked him what he would advise him to begin to read, so as to be able to finish it in seven days. “John the Evangelist,” said Boisil. “I have a copy containing seven quarto sheets: we can, with God’s help, read one every day, and meditate thereon as far as we are able. ” They did so accordingly, and speedily accomplished the task; for they sought therein only that simple faith which operates by love, and did not trouble themselves with minute and subtle questions. After their seven days’ study was completed, Boisil died of the above-named complaint; and after death entered into the joys of eternal life.
They say that, during these seven days, he foretold to Cuthbert every thing which should happen to him: for, as I have said before, he was a prophet and a man of remarkable piety. And, moreover, he had three years ago foretold to Abbot Eata, that this pestilence would come, and that he himself would die of it; but that the abbot should die of another disease, which the physicians call dysentery; and in this also he was a true prophet, as the event proved. Among others, he told Cuthbert that he should be ordained bishop. When Cuthbert became an anchorite, he would not communicate this prophecy to any one, but with much sorrow assured the brethren who came to visit him, that if he had a humble residence on a rock, where the waves of the ocean shut him out from all the world, he should not even then consider himself safe from its snares, but should be afraid that on some occasion or other he might fall victim to the love of riches.

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The Church recognises the life hermits or anchorites, in which Christ’s faithful withdraw further from the world … through the silence of solitude … . Canon 603

There are not many opportunities to make new friends when you are a hermit. When they do occur they are wonderfully surprising – a gift of God’s bounty!  Which makes the friendships I already value, extra precious. Although I am rarely found perched on the end of a friend’s bed, there is nonetheless a peculiar intensity to friendships that exist almost exclusively outside of the run-of-the-mill of daily life.  We seldom do the washing up together!  But because our meetings  are infrequent, and pointedly intentional, there is some urgency to the time we spend together – very little preamble or small talk, as our intention is simply to be with each other, to share “where we are at”.  Through words, or through shared silence.

If a particular friendship also exists within a shared spirituality, then that is often where we spend our time and energy.  In another forum it might be described as spiritual accompaniment.  In friendship it is simply our expressing our love and care and respect for each other, and our wonder at the life of the Spirit breathing through the other. 

Most consecrated persons (not just hermits) will have formal experience of spiritual accompaniment as a required part of their discernment and formation programme, and quite possibly ongoing into their consecrated life.  A spiritual accompanier (they used to be called spiritual directors) can provide a platform to enable you to reflect on your ideas, a mirror to see yourself more clearly, a whiteboard for your doubts and questions, the challenge of a different perspective, a theatre where you can stand back and observe the play-out of your work.   Of course there are many professionals who offer this sort of accompanying service in a secular arena, but in the church-world, you might reasonably expect a  “spiritual” accompanier to particularly invite you to explore your relationship with God, and to make this the prism through which you view every other aspect of your life.

My friendship group – small as it is – allows – invites – encourages me to do all of the above, albeit informally.  The wisdom of familiarity, the ease of our confidence in each other, and of course the affection of our love.  An anchor point to keep me rooted in my community, to enable me to straiten my course, to dwell briefly and joyfully in our shared moments of spiritual intimacy. To listen together to the Spirit. I am so grateful.

Which isn’t about always agreeing!  We hear so very many different tones of the Spirit’s song in our sharing, and learn to burrow and worry our way through them all, not always to any sort of resolution! I love this little story from the Desert dwellers.  Arsensius was generally considered a stickler for a rigorous way of life, Moses was perhaps a little more approachable.  Yet these two were able to live alongside each other in fraternity and friendship – It is such an endearing image of the two boats floating past each other, acknowledging maybe with a nod, or a raised eyebrow or a twitch of the oar.  The best of friends.

“It was said that a brother came to see Abba Arsenius at Scetis. When he came to the church, he asked the clergy if he could visit Abba Arsenius. They said to him, ‘Brother, have a little refreshment and then go and see him.’ ‘I shall not eat anything,’ he replied, ‘until I have met him.’ So, because Arsenius’ cell was far away, they sent a brother with him. Having knocked on the door, they entered, greeted the elder and sat down without saying anything. Then the brother from the church said, ‘I will leave you. Pray for me.’ Now the visiting brother, not feeling at ease with the elder, said, ‘I will come with you,’ and they went away together.

Then the visitor asked, ‘Take me to Abba Moses, who used to be a robber.’ When they arrived the Abba welcomed them joyfully and then took leave of them with delight. The brother who had brought the other one said to his companion, ‘See, I have taken you to the foreigner and to the Egyptian, which of the two do you prefer?’ ‘As for me,’ he replied, ‘I prefer the Egyptian.’ Now a Father who heard this prayed to God saying, ‘Lord, explain this matter to me: for Thy name’s sake the one flees from men, and the other, for Thy name’s sake, receives them with open arms.’ Then two large boats were shown to him on a river and he saw Abba Arsenius and the Spirit of God sailing in the one, in perfect peace; and in the other was Abba Moses with the angels of God, and they were all eating honey cakes. (AC Arsenius 38)

You see, I like it so much I have pasted it again!