How Can We Practice Charity Like the Desert Fathers?
The Desert Fathers and Mothers sought to renounce the world in order to focus on putting the Gospels into practice and living them out. For them, even though they lived in seclusion in small communities, charity was essential. But what is charity, and how do they practice it? Charity is one of the three theological virtues, alongside faith and hope. Charity is synonymous with love, for according to Christian theology, it means loving one’s neighbor as a creature of God. “That charity is synonymous with love—you had forgotten it, if you ever knew it at all!” wrote Mauriac in 1932. Charity is defined as a spiritual and moral principle that inspires selfless love. In a secular sense, the term “charity” often refers to aid provided to the most disadvantaged.
What is charity according to the Desert Fathers?
For the Desert Fathers, charity is not an empty concept, nor is it merely a collection of good intentions! It is lived out in the flesh, here and now.
First and foremost, they invite us to see with fresh eyes, to be attentive to our neighbor: those who feel uncomfortable, who have worries, who are sick, who don’t dare speak up, who feel powerless compared to others, and so on. Charity invites us to shift our focus away from ourselves and our own concerns and open ourselves to the world around us. Indeed, serving and caring for others contributes greatly to inner balance. According to Jean-Guilhem Xerri, “Navel-gazing is an obstacle to all inner growth. Conversely, concrete concern for others helps me grow in my humanity.” Moreover, for the Fathers, charity is a natural disposition of human beings; when this disposition is hindered or obstructed, it leads to an imbalance of the soul. Saint Anthony himself speaks of an “original goodness that is part of human nature.” And performing acts of kindness means developing this natural disposition. Doing good to others—and not doing to others what we would not want done to us—is also an expression of charity.
Furthermore, praying for others and interceding are other forms of charity toward one’s neighbor. Invoking God’s blessing upon everyone is a form of charity. “Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. Be a friend to all,” Dorothea of Gaza told us in the 6th century.
Finally, charity consists in giving: giving one’s time, giving a smile, giving one’s possessions, giving one’s prayers. Any form of giving, as long as it is selfless, is an act of charity. “The compassionate heart burns for all of Creation—for people, for birds, for beasts, for demons, and for every creature,” Isaac of Nineveh tells us in the 7th century.
But what is even more surprising is that the Fathers invite us to self-knowledge as an act of charity. Indeed, when a brother asked, “Why am I so often inclined to judge my brothers?”, an elder replied: “Because you do not yet know yourself. For whoever knows himself well does not see the faults of his brothers.” Indeed, knowing oneself amounts to recognizing one’s sins and flaws; this makes it easier to love one’s neighbor, whom one recognizes as being just as sinful as oneself.
How can we practice charity today?
Here are a few ways to practice charity today, to be followed according to our abilities:
- Do not do to others what you would not want done to you (and, indeed, do for them what you would like done for you)
- Learn to know yourself; become aware of your sins and flaws
- Be mindful of your surroundings and others (typically, always having your nose buried in your phone doesn’t really help)
- Avoid feeling sorry for yourself
- Serve others, volunteer, give of your time or energy, and be generous
- Pray, intercede, for others
By cultivating charity, we nurture the seed of goodness inherent within us, and in doing so, we develop our inner peace and balance.
