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The Grace of Disappearing
On the Difference Between the Loss of Self and the Loss of Illusion “I sat alone because Thou hadst filled me with indignation.” — Book of Jeremiah 15:17 There is a way of speaking about “disappearing” that is dangerous, because it easily collapses into something else entirely. One imagines silence, withdrawal, the refusal to assert oneself, and assumes this is the same as vanishing. But the Fathers, and even the deeper currents of psychoanalytic thought, would resist such a
Father Charbel Abernethy
4 days ago3 min read
Sixty and the Sound of the Rooster, Part III
When the Fire Becomes One “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32 The rooster does not crow forever. At some point the sound either hardens a man — or breaks him. I have stood between fires long enough. There is the fire of recognition. The fire of usefulness. The fire of conversation, teaching, output, being needed. And then there is the other fire. The one that burned before Moses and did not consume the bush. The one that descended at Pentecost and d
Father Charbel Abernethy
Feb 202 min read
A Dialogue in the Late Hour
St. Paul of Thebes and a Disciple “There comes a time when the servant of God no longer lives by what he does, but by what he is willing to lose.” — saying attributed to the desert tradition surrounding Paul of Thebes (Feast Jan.15) Disciple: Father Paul, the years feel heavy in my bones. What once burned with clarity now feels stripped bare. I have served at the altar for decades, yet I feel as though my name is being taken from me. Not through scandal. Not through failure.
Father Charbel Abernethy
Jan 153 min read
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