"Is it any use asking questions when I gain nothing by it?"

Categories: orthodox-life, spiritual-writings

Date: 08 March 2012 00:43:35

A brother asked a hermit, 'Abba, look here, I ask my elders questions, and they talk to me for the good of my soul, and I remember nothing that they say. Is it any use asking questions when I gain nothing by it? I am deeply sinful.' There were two empty vessels nearby. The hermit said, 'Take one of those vessels and put oil in it, rinse it, pour out the oil, and bring the vessel back.' He did so. He said, 'Do it again.' He did so. After he had done it several times, the hermit said: 'Now, take both vessels and see which is the cleaner.' He answered: 'The one into which I put oil.' The hermit said: 'It's the same for the one who asks questions. Although you remember nothing that you have heard, your soul will be cleaner than that of someone who never asks even asks questions.' from The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks, tr. Benedicta Ward, Penguin Books, 2003, pp. 111-112

Yesterday I wrote "I am not sure how much I am spiritually digesting" from the books I am reading this Great Lent. But this saying of the Desert Fathers gives me hope that despite my memory failings, much as the hermit said that asking questions and receiving answers cleans and purifies the soul even if one forgets the answers, I can but pray that reading the Scriptures and some spiritual writings, even if I forget much, is helping to cleanse and purify my soul, and transform me, with my own efforts as well which are needed, more and more to the likeness of Christ, the perfect man. On my Scripture readings, I am attempting to read along with the set Orthodox Bible readings for Grent Lent -- Isaiah, Genesis and Proverbs on weekdays; Hebrews and a Gospel reading on weekends -- as well as reading through the Gospel of St Luke with the help of Blessed Theophylact's commentary (he lived from around 1055–1107), having read his commentaries on the Gospels of Mark and John and being informed, illumined and challenged by them; thanks be to God for Chrysostom Press' printing of these works.