Hanging Out in the Desert

The Desert Fathers were monks during the centuries following the birth of the church, who removed themselves from society in order to better hear God and better follow Christ. I would imagine that living in the Egyptian desert did give one more time to contemplate God than in our busy lives today. Here is a quote handed down from Abbot Pastor as he lived this life apart.

"If you have a chest full of clothing, and leave it for a long time, the clothing will rot inside it. It is the same with the thoughts in our heart. If we do not carry them out by physical action, after a long while they will spoil and turn bad."
~Abbot Pastor, one of the Desert Fathers

Abbot Pastor speaks the truth. If our religious thoughts remain thoughts only they do not fully embody the power of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. At Trinity we have many places for you to live out and live into your faith. If you are young, you might be an acolyte or visit a member who is homebound. If you are a teenager, you might visit the nursing home or clean out the garage of someone who cannot get around as well as they used to. If you are an adult, you might deliver Meals on Wheels, cook for Feeding Jesus, or help glean in a field with the Society of St. Andrew. The choices are many. In our busy lives, we just have to make the time to do such things. Errands and deadlines seem more pressing at times than acts of kindness and acts of service. However, it is in those times of giving of ourselves that we grow closer to God and to our fellow human beings.

Where can you live out your faith today? What acts of service are waiting for you to accomplish this week?