Abandoning Society 

   When I look around our nation today I can easily understand why the early Desert Fathers left the society in which they lived seeking God in solitude away from the overwhelming evil.

   In our nation today I see reports of people shoving people, even little children, into the path of subway trains; for no apparent reason a person is hit with a baseball bat while walking down the street, homeless people are beaten and stabbed to death by gangs of teenagers.  Children are killing children; millions of babies are being slaughtered in their mother’s womb.  Hatred and violence is everywhere and grows worse by the day.

   Even in the churches many religious leaders are failing in their mission to teach and spread the gospel of the Lord.  They are far too willing to bend to the whims of a sinful society rather than call out the evil pervading the nation and the world.  Many would fit right in with the Scribes and Pharisees who demanded our Lord’s crucifixion in order to save their own comfortable position in society.

   Is there an urge within me to follow the example of early Desert Fathers and just go away?  I suppose, but where could I go to get away from the evil that is everywhere?  I’ll just stay where I am, live my life for the Lord and pray for a revival of Christian faith and morality.  I sometimes think that I will be disappointed in that hope, but prayer is a powerful weapon against evil.  I am comforted by the fact that Christ has overcome the world.  Amen, come soon Lord.