Anchor-hold

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (New American Standard Bible, Philippians 4:1,8)

            I read Pray. Think. Act.: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers, by J. Augustine Wetta, and was intrigued that, “monks take a vow of stability.”  According to Wetta, Saint Antony taught, “that wherever he is, a monk should stay put…if you want to keep your thoughts trained on the Almighty, it is best not to keep moving around, because novelty is the enemy of concentration.” (Wetta, 55) I’m not a monk, but recognize the simple wisdom of the monastery way of life.

            John 15:9-17 (The New American Bible), reinforces this idea of stability: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  Remain in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”  The Lord tells us to stay put in my love.

            How can a writer remain in God’s love?  How can I keep my mind stable if I’m reading new literature?  Good writers are first good readers.  Books, articles, and poems can take my attention away from God.  To develop my writing I must read the works of skilled authors in our literary tradition.

             In the podcast, “Publishing Catholic Voices,” (Rachel Sherlock | Risking Enchantment Podcast) Mary Finnegan talks about the value of literary criticism.  She inspired me to join Well-Read Mom, www.wellreadmom.com, whose members not only monthly read classical books, but learn to think critically about them.  I realized I wasn’t reading any classical books, and I had a desire to read them with the help of other critical readers.  I like to be challenged, and joining this book club motivates me to read!

            Last year, the Well-Read Moms read the poem, The Four Quartets, by T. S. Elliot, which was a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.  I have never read this poem, but I’m excited to read it with the help of their critical commentary.  I plan to make this poem the subject of my next post.  Another book recommended by Well-Read Mom is, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard, which was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize.  Annie writes, “An anchorite’s hermitage is called an anchor-hold…I think of this house clamped to the side of Tinker Creek as an anchor-hold.” (Dillard, 4)  From there, Annie goes exploring nature along the creek each day, and comes back with her fascinating finds.  I like the thought of God’s love as my anchor-hold.  I can go exploring in the literary tradition still anchored to God’s love in my heart.

            At Eucharistic Adoration this week I was struck by the thought that I had been putting myself down for not having already read a library full of past literary works.  The pressure I was putting upon myself was not from the Lord.  I need to focus on the present, and appreciate the works that I am reading now, for the first time.  I realized I was putting this same pressure and overly high expectations on my spiritual life, too.  This isn’t of God, either.  It’s better for me to rely upon the Lord for just the right amount of nudging to read and write what I can read and write today, to live a simple life, to pray often, and allow Him to direct my spiritual life—one day at a time.

            Even though I’m not planning to move any time soon, I’m comforted that it’s OK to stay put in my Christian perspective. “Someone asked Father Antony, ‘What should I do in order to please God?’  The old man replied, ‘Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it.  Keep these three precepts and you will be saved.” (Wetta, 55) Whether I’m reading or writing, to stay put in God’s love, I need to pray for the gift of wisdom.  The oldest “Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts,” https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-to-the-holy-spirit-for-the-seven-gifts-309 says, on Day Eight, that the gift of wisdom, “strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity (love)…enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine…”  Before I read and write, I will pray the following prayer from this novena: “Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty.  Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth.”  I resolve to stay put in my Catholic faith, “so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (The New American Bible, 1 Peter 1:7)  I will also stay put in God’s love, and in my hope that there will be something edifying to read in our literary tradition that will bring me closer to God.

Works Cited

Dillard, Annie. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2013.

Eliot, T.S. Four Quartets – A Poem. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1971.

New American Standard Bible: Lockman, 2020. Philippians 4 NASB - Think of Excellence - Therefore, my – Bible Gateway.

The New American Bible: World Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan: National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1991.

Wetta O.S.B., Augustine. Pray. Think. Act.: Make Better Decisions with the Desert Fathers. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2023. Kindle File.