The Irish Catholic Hermit

St. Anthony visits St. Paul the Hermit The solitary life The purpose of solitary life is, if you will, contemplation. But not contemplation in the pagan sense, of an intellectual, esoteric enlightenment, achieved through an ascetic technique. The contemplation of the solitary Christian is to have our eyes wide open on the divine mercy that transforms and elevates its emptiness and converts it into the concreteness of a perfect love, of a perfect fullness. The call to perfect solitude is a call to suffering, darkness and annihilation. Yet, when a man is called there, he prefers it to any other earthly paradise. The hermit remains there to demonstrate, with his lack of practical usefulness and the apparent sterility of his vocation, that the monks themselves should have little or no importance in the world. His poverty is spiritual. He pervades his soul and body entirely, so that in the end all his heritage is insecurity. Experience the pain and spiritual and intellectual destitution of

The Brief Rule of St. Romuald “Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms — never leave it. If you have just come to the monastery, and in spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want, take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with your mind. And if your mind wanders as you read, do not give up; hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more. Realize above all that you are in God’s presence, and stand there with the attitude of one who stands before the emperor. Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God, like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him.” Summary of the Rule: In summary, Saint Romuald ’s seven-step Brief Rule for novice-hermits comprises a surprisingly rich set of exercises for training in contemplation w

T he Priest is the common father, as it were, of all the world; it is proper therefore that he should care for all, even as  God , whom he serves. F or this reason, he says ,  I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.   F rom this, two advantages result. F irst,  hatred  towards those who are without is done away; for no one can feel  hatred  towards those for whom he  prays : and they again are made better by the  prayers  that are offered for them, and by losing their ferocious disposition towards us. F or nothing is so apt to draw men under teaching, as to  love , and be loved. T hink what it was for those who  persecuted , scourged, banished, and slaughtered the  Christians , to hear that those whom they treated so barbarously offered fervent  prayers  to God for them. O bserve how he wishes a  Christian  to be superior to all ill-treatment. A s a father who was struck on the face by a little child whic

                                   A  hermit is to be dead to the world, for by his very vocation he is called to be set apart, living a life in imitation of the angels.  W hether he be praised or offended, a hermit must react as though he were a dead man.  H e must not be disturbed by insults, nor prideful when people praise him.  I n his humility, he finds beauty in a hidden life.

  Life’s lessons: Beatitudes  B lessed is he who is ever filled with spiritual joy and untiringly carries the Lord's good yoke, for he shall be crowned with glory.  B lessed is he who has cleansed himself of all sinful corruption, for boldly can he receive the King of glory, our Lord Jesus Christ, into his house.  B lessed is he who reverently approaches the most pure mysteries of the Savior with fear and trembling, knowing that he receives into his body indestructible life.  B lessed is he who hourly contemplates death and has rendered ineffectual in himself the shameful passions that nest in the hearts of the careless, for such a man will be comforted at the time of his repose.  B lessed is he who ceaselessly recalls the torments of Gehenna and hastens with tears and sighs to repent sincerely before the Lord, for he will be delivered from all sorrow.  B lessed is he who always humbles himself willingly, for he will be crowned by the One Who willingly humbled Himself for us

Grant tears that I might wash myself and be freed from passions  O Lover of mankind, Jesus Christ our God: hoping steadfastly in Thy mercy I beseech Thee, set me not at Thy left hand with the goats, who have given Thee much grief; say not to me: Amen, amen, I tell you, I know you not.  B ut according to Thy kindness, give me endless tears, give my heart contrition and humility and cleanse it with fear of Thee, that it may become a temple of Thy grace.   A lthough I am most sinful and unworthy, I ceaselessly knock at Thy door. Although I am apathetic and slothful and take no care about my salvation, I wish to follow Thy path. Save me for the sake of Thy mercy, for in every way Thou art good, O Lord, and Thy compassion is in all Thy works.  H elp me, O Master of all, defend the infirmity of my soul, that I might be delivered from sinful corruption and freed from the bonds of the passions.  M ay malice not torment me and may the hostile demon not take me captive, but may the kin

To the Theotokos—about good intention... O most holy Mother of God, O only Lady who art utterly pure in both soul and body, look upon me, abominable and unclean, who have blackened soul and body with the stains of my passionate and gluttonous life. Cleanse my passionate mind, set aright my blind and wandering thoughts and make them incorrupt; bring my senses to order and guide them; free me from my evil and repulsive addiction to unclean prejudices and passions which torment me; stop every sin that works in me; grant my clouded and wretched mind the sobriety and discernment to correct my intentions and failings that, freed from the darkness of sin, I might be worthy to boldly glorify and praise thee, O only true Mother of the true Light, Christ our god; for all creation, visible and invisible, blesses and glorifies thee, both with Him and in Him. Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian