Recluses, Hermits and Anchorites (Part one)

Introduction

In the gospels, most especially in the gospel of Luke (which is
filled with many themes on prayer), we find Jesus sometimes
withdrawing from the crowd, and going out "to the mountain to
pray, spending the night in communion with God" (Luke 6:12). The
reasons for His doing so are varied: sometimes so that He can make
a very important decision; or to commune totally with the Father;
to restore His energies after a hectic ministry to the sick; and
so forth. This spirit of withdrawing from activity, and going
into a state of solitude and prayer, is a Christian tradition,
whose source and example is the person of the Lord Himself. In
the history of our Christian faith, there were times when this
became a strong movement and tradition - especially during the
early centuries when we find many great men and women going out
into the desert for a solitary life of prayer and quiet. The
leader who is commonly known to have influenced this movement to
the desert, was St. Anthony the Hermit. St. Anthony lived a
solitary life for about twenty years. Then, he emerged from
solitude and formed a community who wanted to follow his way of
prayer and life. He died (as tradition tells us) at the very
ripe age of 105 years.

A stage in the Christian life of some saints

There were very few in our Church history who really lived a
totally solitary life. The majority who sought God in seclusion
usually enter into such a state of life after a conversion
experience, or to deepen their relationship with God. St.
Athanasius made retreats in the desert. St. Jerome did the same.
And so did St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. Gregory of
Nazianzen. St. Benedict of Nursia led a solitary life or prayer
and penance in a cave in Mt. Subiaco, before establishing the
much-famed Benedictine monasteries. St. Ignatius of Loyola spent
a year in retreat at Manresa, where he experienced a spiritual
vision that led to the formulation of his Spiritual Exercises and
the eventual foundation of the Jesuit Order. Prayer, but more
particularly, prayer in solitude, is one tradition in the life
of Christians, which others who are more active and socially-
oriented downplay its value. Jesus however, taught us a way
(besides the communal prayer of the Our Father) to pray: "Whenever
you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your
Father in private" (Matthew 6:6).

Contemporary Christian life

For the majority of us who are engaged in the world, either thru
a job, building a family, growing a business, fulfilling a mission
or apostolate, there are times that we feel the need to get away
from the public and the political noise we are surrounded with.
We discover at one time or another, a deep need to seek the God
of peace in solitary prayer. Depending on our state of life or
our way of being Christian in today's contemporary times, we know
that by such movement into solitude, we are spiritually
regenerated and are, so to speak, recharged with God's life-
energy, so that we can continue to fulfill His will in our
Christian life and vocation.

Getting to know recluses, hermits and anchorites

In our desire to seek God in solitude, we can learn also from the
wisdom of those who have gone before us in this regard. These
series of blog posts will mention a few recluses, hermits, and
anchorites, whose example can inspire us (though not in terms of
imitation) to be sincere in our desire to discover God's presence
more in solitary prayer. The blog posts will mention: St. Conrad
of Piacenza, St. Nicholas of Flue, St. John of Egypt, Sts
Gundleus and Gwladys, St. Francis of Paola, St. Fiacre, Blessed
Julian of Norwich, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Simeon Stylites, and
St. Martinian the Hermit.

To be continued.