She lived for more than forty years in a cell attached to the church of St Julian and
St Edward at Conisford in Norwich, here in England. UK.
And thus I saw full surely that it is ready to us, and more easy to come to the knowing of God than to know our own soul. For our soul is so deep-grounded in God, and so endlessly treasured, that we may not come to the knowing thereof, till we have first knowing of God; who is the maker to whom it is owed. But not withstanding, I saw that we have of our natural fullness, the desire wisely and truly to know our own soul, whereby we be learned to seek it where it is, and that is into God. And thus by the gracious leading of the Holy Ghost we shall know them both in one. Whether we be stirred to know God or our soul, both stirrings are good and true. God is more near to us than our own soul; for he is ground in whom our soul standeth, and he is the mean that keepeth the substance and sensuality rest, and our soul standeth in God in sure strength: and our soul is kindly rooted in God in endless love. And therefore if we will have knowing of our soul, and communing and dalliance therwith, it behoveth us to seek into our Lord God, in whom it is inclosed.
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Above is a picture I took last night of some of the crows coming home to roast in the trees last night. They make an almighty racket. Perhaps to remind us that the Almighty made them as well as us and that we should love all things that God has made.
Its coming up to 6.15 am and so I shall leave you with these sayings of the Desert Fathers.
I saw all the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, what can get through from such snares?
Then I heard a voice saying to me. `Humility.`
He also said, `some have afflicted their bodies by asceticism, but they lack discernment, and so the are for from God.
He said also, `Just as fish die if they stay too long out of water, so the monks who loiter outside their cells or pass time with men of the world lose the intensity of inner peace. So like a fish going towards the sea, we must hurry to reach our cell, for fear that if we delay outside we will lose our interior watchfulness.
He said also, `He who wishes to live in solitude in the desert is delivered from three conflicts: hearing, speech and sight; ther is only one conflict for him and that is fornication`.
Abba Anthony said, `A time is coming when men will go mad, and when you see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, `You are mad, you are not like us.`
Abba Anthony said, `I no longer fear God, but I love Him. For love casts out fear. (John 4. 18)
Someone questioned Abba Biare in these words, `What shall I do to be saved?` He replied, `Go, reduce your appetite and your manual work, dwell without care in your cell and you will be saved.`
There are mystics of old and mystics of today, who would not concern themselves much with worldly things for this life is but fleeting. When I look on the internet or in the spiritual shelf of a bookshop, I see much proclaiming to be the answer to peoples discontent with life. How many of these self-proclaimed gurus would be able to follow Master Jesus advice of the way to enlightenment? Sell all you have, give the money to the poor and follow me. Alas many are still bondsmen and bondswomen to this material world.
We must pray for ourselves and others to see the light, walk in the light and be on guard against the enemy.
May the Love that passes all understanding be with us all now and always. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Brother Peter
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