On July 23rd the Episcopal Church commemorates St. John Cassian, a figure from the late 4th century whose writings and life had a profound influence on the shape of Christian monasticism and spirituality. You can read more about his life and work here (July 23rd is about halfway through) or here to get an idea of who he was. Cassian was shaped by communities in Bethlehem and the desert monasteries in Egypt and eventually founded a complex of monasteries in France before writing two major works about the logistical organization of communities of prayer (Institutes), and the inner disposition and life of the Christian (Conferences). But his thought and approach to the Christian life were remembered and carried forward into future generations because St. Benedict compiled his own monastic rule based on Cassian’s ideas, and then made the reading of Cassian a regular occurrence in future Benedictine communities.
There are two aspects of Cassian’s thought that I found myself reflecting on this week. The first is his belief that one of the best aids an aspiring monk has for drawing near to God at all times is a simple prayer from the beginning of Psalm 70. “Come to my help, O God; Lord hurry to my rescue.” Cassian sees this mantra as one of the best ways to combat temptation, deal with ambiguity, and maintain a grace and God-centered orientation while facing the various challenges of life. Episcopalians who are familiar with the Daily Office, the cycle of prayers in our prayerbook that arise from monastic practice, will know that this portion of the Psalm appears in the service for Noonday, Evening Prayer, and Compline as the call and response: “O God make speed to save us—O Lord, make haste to help us.” I find it amazing and wonderful that the prayers we offer today are so intimately linked with the prayers of Cassian, and the prayers of our Jewish forebears. And if you have not tried to make this short cry of help and reliance a part of your regular prayer life, I encourage you to sink into the practice this week and see what doors of wisdom open to you as a result.
The second aspect of Cassian’s instruction has to do with the balance between personal practice and intimacy with God and the need for communal prayer and connections. Cassian walks the via media between those who would argue that the purest form of prayer can only come in isolation as a hermit and those who would lobby for the sufficiency of communal prayer alone to experience the fullness of salvation. Left untethered to a community of accountability and support, most would be monks will spiral into delusion about their spiritual “progress” and be tempted to replace the God they purport to serve with an idol of their own machinations and making. But likewise, those who shy away from the inherently individual aspect of prayer and the contemplative knowing that arises through regular communion with God beyond officially sanctioned sacraments run the risk of diminishing returns from corporate worship as the words become rote recitation and the connections with others skew superficial. In my own experience, Cassian is right to insist that the two must inform one another if both the individual and the church are to be in life-giving, right relationship with God.
In our current ecclesial context, where so many are fretting about church decline, and in a world where so many make the claim of “being spiritual, but not religious,” I think we may still benefit from Cassian’s advice today. While tech has made us more connected than ever, there is still a great longing for communities of meaning due to the loneliness and isolation that characterize too many Western lives. As we remember the saint this week, may we endeavor once more to bring the private and the communal aspects of our faith journey into better harmony. Not only will they reinforce one another and empower us to face challenges both small and large, but doing so may be the way our churches can become the centers of transformation, community, and meaning that our world most clearly needs.
O, God make speed to save us—O Lord, make haste to help us.
Austin
Farewell Ferran-Moore Family!
This Sunday is our last Sunday with Gautier, Amanda, Gwenelle, and Oliver before they move to Congo 🇨🇩. We are so grateful for their presence for the last couple of years where Amanda served as Senior Warden and led Sunday School, and Gautier served as a lay person. May God’s blessings and love be with them as they start a new journey of life!
Missed last Sunday? Watch the sermon here! July 16th: Spiritual Composting Sermon by The Rev. Austin K. Rios
Read the text version here.
Live & Give
What is it about St. Paul’s that feeds and nourishes you?
Is it our beautiful building, or the wonderful choir and organ music that accompanies the Sunday Eucharist? Is it the joy of sharing in prayer and quiet contemplation with people from all over the world, or how we embrace cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity? Is it the warmth of our invitations to shared meals, the rich nightly concert programs, or our daily offerings of safety and resources for refugees and migrants?
Whatever your response, we invite you to share with us in keeping alive those things you value at St. Paul’s.
During this season of Epiphany, we want to make sure you have the opportunity to participate no matter how large or small your gift is. There is still time to fill out your giving estimate! Cards are in the church and can be filled in and placed in the offering plate, or you can use the online form!
