THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN

You may not have heard about “The Desert Mothers,” but I have known of them for years. They are a group of remarkable women who lived in the early centuries of the Christian faith, perhaps no more than 100 years after Jesus’ crucifixion. They were wise, well educated, well read — usually voracious readers — and often came from wealthy families. They wanted to live spiritual lives but found that the distractions of the world were too much for them.

Some were expected to live a life that was inconsistent with their desire to spend their time in prayer and doing good deeds. To escape the endless demands placed upon them, they moved out into the quiet desert, where there were fewer distractions. As word of these women spread, other women wanted to study with them and followed them into the desert to be their disciples. Out of this network of women emerged early forms of convents. Here they could live in small communities, support each other, write, learn from one another, and pray the early form of divine office, from which we get our Morning Prayer, noontime prayers, Evening Prayer, and Compline. While most lived in these communities, many chose to live alone in caves, as they required more solitude to fulfill their spiritual needs.

You may remember that there were many women surrounding Jesus — not only his mother, of course — including Mary Magdalene, who was a huge supporter of Jesus and helped fund his ministry. There was also Priscilla, Lydia, Martha, Phoebe, Mary of Bethany, Mary of Clops — more than 50 women mentioned by name in the New Testament who held leadership roles. Eventually men took on the roles of leadership, and for many years women’s roles were greatly curtailed.

The Desert Mothers believed their greatest enemies were things that bother me as well. Crowds, noise and continuous rushing here and there do not draw one to God. These ascetic women craved silence, so living in the harsh deserts of Egypt kept them focused and allowed them to be quiet and to hear the still small voice of God.

They sought out remote areas, ones with hostile environments — strong winds, little water, and sparse foliage. Such environs were considered the realm of the demonic — a place of death. This difficult lifestyle forced the Desert Mothers to deepen their sense of self. Like Jesus, they were doing battle in the wilderness.

To further devote their lives to God, they also observed severe ascetical practices. They ate very little, some even starving to death. They practiced self-denial in small ways, such as choosing simpler and less appetizing foods, sleeping on uncomfortable beds and wearing hair shirts. But they were delighted to have the freedom and independence to work toward their goal, which was abiding in God’s unconditional love. Their asceticism did not seek to draw attention to itself; these women were quiet, unobtrusive people, and their humility deepened their sense of connectedness with God’s people. They were selfless and always ready to provide spiritual advice and help to those in need in their religious community and even in the non-religious community.