February 22, 1998
One
Must Work in Order to Eat
This week's selection is from the life of Abba Silvanus, a
Palestinian by birth, who headed a community with twelve disciples. Around 380, they moved
from Scetis to Syria, settling in the region of Gaza. There they lived in a
"lavra" with scattered cells and a central church where the community gathered
each Saturday and Sunday for worship. Abba Silvanus died around 414.
BEGIN: A brother went to see Abba Silvanus on the mountain of Sinai. When he saw the
brothers working hard, he said to the old man, "Do not labor for the food which
perishes (John 6:27). Mary has chosen the good portion (Luke 10:42)."
The old man said to his disciple, "Zacharias, give the brother a book and put him in
a cell without anything else." So, when the ninth hour came the visitor watched the
door expecting someone would be sent to call him to the meal.
When no one called him he got up, went to find the old man and said to him, "Have the
brothers not eaten today?" The old man replied that they had. Then he said, "Why
did you not call me?" The old man said to him, "Because you are a spiritual man
and do not need that kind of food. We, being carnal, want to eat, and that is why we work.
But you have chosen the good portion and read the whole day long and you do not want to
eat carnal food."
When he heard these words the brother made a prostration saying, "Forgive me,
Abba." The old man said to him, "Mary needs Martha. It is really thanks to
Martha that Mary is praised." END
from "The Desert Christian," by Benedicta Ward, (New York: MacMillan,
1975), p. 223
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