🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year, Episode 18: Q&A - Ask Bishop VardenEpisode OverviewIn this special episode of Desert Fathers in a Year, we mark the one-third milestone of our series with a listener Q&A featuring Bishop Erik Varden. Bishop Varden answers questions submitted by listeners, covering topics from the organization of the systematic collection to practical spiritual advice inspired by the Desert Fathers. The episode also touches on the recent passing of Pope Francis and how the Fathers might guide us during this time of papal transition.Key Topics DiscussedGeneral Questions on the Desert FathersOrganization of the Systematic Collection: A listener asks if the chapters (e.g., perfection, peace, compunction) are stages to follow. Bishop Varden compares the collection to an encyclopedia or medical manual, designed for practical reference rather than sequential mastery. He advises using it to address specific spiritual needs as prompted by the Holy Spirit.Translation and Desert Mothers: Bishop Varden confirms he translates the sayings himself from the Greek text in the Sources Chrétiennes edition. He also teases upcoming episodes featuring Desert Mothers, responding to listener interest, particularly from women.Thematic QuestionsEschatology and the Second Coming: Listener Alexander asks about the Desert Fathers’ perspective on awaiting Christ’s return. Bishop Varden notes the strong eschatological thrust in the sayings, balancing hope for Christ’s return with personal preparation for judgment. He shares a story of Arsenius waiting for the sunrise as a symbol of awaiting Christ.Perfection and Slowing Down: Addressing a question on Anthony’s advice to “not move in a hurry,” Bishop Varden suggests practical steps like disconnecting from technology, practicing slow tasks mindfully, and embracing moments of stillness to counter modern freneticism.Peace and Discernment: A listener struggles with Moses’ advice to “stay in your cell” while feeling called to action. Bishop Varden emphasizes discernment, suggesting the cell represents a commitment to a task, not just a physical space. Another listener, Richard, asks about maintaining peace amid worldly storms. Bishop Varden reframes peace as dynamic, rooted in Christ’s presence, not a static possession.Compunction and Holy Grief: Bishop Varden explains the fear of God as reverence and trust, not dread, using the image of God’s “everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy). He advises cultivating truth spoken in love by practicing silence when motivated by bitterness, citing Dorotheus of Gaza. He distinguishes holy grief, which opens one to repentance, from unhealthy guilt, which fosters self-pity.Listener Struggles and Seeking a WordEuthanasia and Peace: A Canadian listener laments Catholic support for euthanasia. Bishop Varden encourages clinging to Christ as peace, even in a culture of death, and walking step-by-step with Him, as the disciples did.Persistent Sin: A listener who lived in sin for years before conversion asks if lingering temptations are permanent. Bishop Varden shares the story of St. Mary of Egypt, affirming that healing is possible but takes time, encouraging persistent struggle and trust in God’s healing.Preferential Love in Community: A religious sister asks about managing particular friendships without harming the community. Bishop Varden warns against self-sufficient friendships that compromise celibate solitude, advising focus on consecrated purpose over seeking emotional consolations.Papal Transition and the Church’s...
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Bonus Roundtable: The Fear of God (Desert Fathers in a Year)
What is the Fear of God?Jamie, Doyle, Adam, and Jared from the Exodus 90 team meet to discuss Bishop Varden's reflection on Episode 17: The Fear of God.Want to follow along? The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks (Penguin Classics)Each week, we'll meet to discuss Bishop Varden's reflection and what practical takeaways we can glean from it and apply to our lives. New Roundtable Discussions will be published every Thursday. We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers in a Year is...• ...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com.• ...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network• ...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and get ready to start the Exodus 90 Challenge beginning on January 20, 2025.You can listen to Desert Fathers in a Year on the Hallow app, YouTube, X (fka Twitter), Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Episode 17: The Fear of God
Do you have a question for Bishop Varden?Submit your question to Bishop Varden for our upcoming Q&A episode. You can submit your question here.🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year, Episode 17: The Fear of God.In this episode of Desert Fathers in a Year, we explore the profound teaching of Abba Peter on the "fear of God." Far from nervous anxiety, this fear is a reverent awe of God’s divine majesty, as Abba Isaiah’s wisdom explains that true fear of God arises from trusting Him alone. Drawing from Isaiah’s vision of God’s glory and the refining fire of faith, we unpack how trusting God in hardship—illness, loss, or betrayal—leads to redemptive purity. Discover how the Desert Fathers guide us to balance childlike trust with worshipful reverence.Key Topics Covered:Abba Peter’s definition of the fear of God as trust in God aloneIsaiah’s vision of divine glory and its transformative impactThe refining fire of faith: Trusting God amidst life’s trialsBalancing reverence and trust in the Christian spiritual journeyLessons from the Desert Fathers on awe and worshipWhy Listen? This episode offers deep insights into the fear of God as reverent trust, perfect for those seeking spiritual growth, Christian wisdom, or understanding early Church teachings. Join us to explore how faith transforms fear into awe.Keywords: Fear of God, Abba Peter, Desert Fathers, Christian spirituality, trust in God, reverence, Isaiah’s vision, faith in hardship, early Christianity, worshipAvailable On: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google PodcastsPlease visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to our email newsletter and to download a free PDF of Athanasius's Life of Antony. We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers in a Year is...• 🦉...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog.• 🎥 ...produced by EWTN• 🧡...and brought to you by Exodus 90, download the Exodus 90 app today
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Bonus Roundtable: The Monk and the Actress (Desert Fathers in a Year)
Do you have a question for Bishop Varden?Submit your question to Bishop Varden for our upcoming Q&A episode. You can submit your question here.Jamie, Doyle, Adam, and Jared from the Exodus 90 team meet to discuss Bishop Varden's reflection on Episode 16: The Monk and the Actress.Each week, we'll meet to discuss Bishop Varden's reflection and what practical takeaways we can glean from it and apply to our lives. New Roundtable Discussions will be published every Thursday. We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers in a Year is...• ...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com.• ...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network• ...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and get ready to start the Exodus 90 Challenge beginning on January 20, 2025.You can listen to Desert Fathers in a Year on the Hallow app, YouTube, X (fka Twitter), Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Episode 16: The Monk and the Actress
🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year, Episode 16: The Monk and the Actress.Discover the profound story of Abba Pambo, a Desert Father, whose encounter with an actress in Alexandria reveals deep Christian compassion and humility. In this episode of Desert Fathers in a Year, we explore Pambo’s tears, sparked by the tragic loss of a soul and his own reflection on spiritual zeal. Learn how his relationship with St. Athanasius bridges the institutional and charismatic Church, and why his response to a "public sinner" offers a timeless pastoral model. We delve into themes of compunction, intercession, and speaking truth in love, inspired by the Desert Fathers’ wisdom.The blessed Athanasius entreated Abba Pambo to come down from the desert to Alexandria. Coming down, he saw an actress there, and began to weep. When those who were with him asked why he was weeping, he said: ‘Two things moved me. First, the loss of this woman. Secondly, the fact that I do not have such zeal to please God as she has to please shameless men’.Key Topics Covered:Pambo’s emotional response to an actress and its spiritual significanceThe bond between Athanasius and the Desert FathersWhy compassion, not condemnation, defines Christian correctionLessons in humility: Learning from those unlike usThe Desert Fathers’ view on redirecting longing toward GodWhy Listen? This episode unpacks how Pambo’s story challenges us to embrace empathy and self-reflection in our faith. Perfect for listeners interested in Christian spirituality, Desert Fathers, compassion, humility, and early Church history. Join us for insights that resonate today.Keywords: Desert Fathers, Abba Pambo, Christian compassion, humility, Athanasius, compunction, spiritual zeal, early Christianity, pastoral care, speaking truth in loveAvailable On: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google PodcastsPlease visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to our email newsletter and to download a free PDF of Athanasius's Life of Antony. We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers in a Year is...• 🦉...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog.• 🎥 ...produced by EWTN• 🧡...and brought to you by Exodus 90, download the Exodus 90 app today
O Desert Fathers in a Year (with Bishop Erik Varden)
Modern life is like a desert—a parched and barren expanse where the soul thirsts for the living water Jesus promised at the well. Amid the ceaseless distractions and allurements of materialism, God can seem absent. As the Desert Fathers of old fled the noise of the world to seek God in silence, we too have been been called into the desert.
Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, this year-long series—beginning January 1, 2025—invites listeners to encounter the profound wisdom of the Desert Fathers. Drawing from their timeless Sayings, Bishop Varden illuminates the lives of figures like St. Anthony of Egypt, exploring themes such as purity, humility, self-mastery, and repentance. Through their struggles in the wilderness, these early Christians uncovered the transformative power of God’s grace—lessons as relevant today as they were in their time.
Though few of us are called to the monastic life, the spiritual combat of the Desert Fathers resonates with all who seek to follow Christ. As Jesus Himself entered the desert to confront temptation, their wisdom offers guidance for our own battles with distraction and despair, helping us find strength in prayer and discipline.
Bishop Erik Varden, a Cistercian monk and Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, is one of today’s leading Catholic voices. A convert to Catholicism during his studies at Cambridge, he was drawn to the monastic life, ultimately joining Mount St. Bernard Abbey in England, where he eventually became abbot. Through his writing and teaching, Bishop Varden speaks compellingly to a secular world, using the language of beauty to reveal the centrality of our search for God—even when we wander astray.
Join us as we step into the desert together, guided by the wisdom of the ancients, to rediscover the love of Christ that conquers all obstacles. Visit DesertFathers.com to learn more.
We owe a special thanks to our partners. The Desert Fathers in a Year is...
...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com
...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network
...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and get ready to start the Exodus 90 Challenge beginning on January 20, 2025.
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