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.