Charles. A. Contemplative.

Most people think.

What I mean is that most people have a lot of thoughts about what they want their lives to mean, where they want to end up, or what they want to pass on to their children. Materialism or generational wealth usually dominate a lot of these thoughts because from a physical point of view we want our children to have better lives than we did. We want them to have greater successes, and more significant achievements than prior generations. 

That is our natural response… right? Isn’t that normal? Or, has something been perverted along the way? Are we trapped in a generational cycle of disintegrating inheritances? 

Antony had no material or physical possessions besides his tattered cloak and the sheepskin that he wore. He arrived at his death and departed from this world at a rich 105 years old. Athinasus records that ,“He never changed his clothes or washed his feet. Nor did he request more delicate food. On account of his goodness, he retained his sharp eyesight and all his teeth, as well as his ability to walk. Contrary to the laws of nature, he kept the strength of his entire body. In fact, his body looked healthier than those glistening bodies that are pampered by baths and luxurious living.” (93) Antony knew the blessing of a life lived simply, with God as his companion he gained wisdom as his earthly commodity that he would decidedly pass on to his spiritual children. 

In the end, it was revealed to Antony by the Holy Spirit that the end of his mortal days were drawing near. He traveled away from his mountainside of solitude and met briefly with the monastic brothers. He told them that his days were drawing to an end, and they embraced him with tears. “He said, ‘true faith in Christ and the religious traditions of the fathers must be protected; this is what you have learned from your reading of the scriptures and what I have often reminded you of.” (90) Later to his closest companions he said, “You must think that it is only today that you have started on your life of religious endeavor, and you must allow the strength of your commitment to grow as if it had just begun.” (91) Complete was his life fully devoted to the way of Jesus, so Antony passed on his most precious possessions to his spiritual children. He reminded them that life is struggle, struggle with the physical world around us; struggle with the enemies of Christ, and struggle with the demonic powers of this present age. As the followers of Jesus know very well, the first days of discovering life in Him is one that is filled with unsealable joy and jubilant praise because your life has been redeemed from the pit of sin and death. It is in that joy that Antony reminds his fellow ascetics to live, knowing that the struggles of this world will come, but the joys of our first steps with our savior will carry them, and us, through the struggle that is life.