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"Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God." (Romans 5:2)
Those of you who already know what Mar Saba is already appreciate the hope that is necessary for visiting this place.
Mar Saba, a monastery in the desert. Named for its founder, Saint Saba (feast day December 5). Mar Saba was a hermit living in the desert. One day, when he had no water, he prayed to God for water. He then saw a donkey hitting the ground in a spot in the valley. Saba began to dig and found some drinking water. This is where he founded his first monastery, which is probably the oldest operating monastery in the world today. He lived in this area in the desert until he died.
As other visitors to this remote site know, it is a difficult road to travel (even by van), and after making the trip, you are left at the mercy of the Orthodox monks to allow you in, which is not very common.
We were let in. And more....
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After waiting for the liturgy to be over, the monks allowed us in. Shortly after we were led to the doors of the monastic church, a monk named Father Lazarus met us.
Father Lazarus was originally from San Francisco, born a Russian Orthodox. He was quite talkative with us, perhaps because he lived with 12 other monks, all from Greece, Bulgaria, and elsewhere in Eastern Europe and the middle east. I don't think he had the privilege of speaking in English for a while.
Father Lazarus told us about the history of the monastery, its founding by Mar Saba (the Aramaic form of Saint Sabas), how difficult life was for the monks who came here to give up the world so as to live entirely for Christ, and especially about the history of the monastery. Let's just say, I don't think I have a vocation to be a monk here.
The cell of Saint Saba
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Mar Saba monastery was often a place which defended against heresies throughout the centuries, including defending the church of Rome against the Orthodox Patriarch when he fell into monotheletism and iconoclasm (the false belief that we cannot depict Christ or the Saints). Mar Saba was home for a time to Saint John Damascene (feast December 4), a saint and doctor for both Orthodox and Catholics.
Father Lazarus was also quite interested in us Catholic seminarians and in what we were learning and experiencing in the seminary. One of the things that has served to divide Orthodox and Catholics through the centuries are our theologies of the Holy Spirit. Orthodox have always had more of a experiential, emotional, and charismatic approach to theology, whereas Catholics have been more academic and systematic. Consequently, our Christology continued to develop while their theology of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) developed. Even today, ask most Catholics about the Holy Spirit, and they can't really say they know much.
What did this conversation mean?
With hope and prayer, we went to the monastery, just hoping to get in even if our visit must be brief. We not only got in, learned about the monastery, but we were able to venerate the remains of Saint Saba, plus we possibly made a new friend in the Orthodox monastery.
We were in the monastery for over an hour, talking to Father Lazarus. It was our own schedule that forced us to leave - many of us could have stayed all day!
My first hope after this is for greater Christian unity, especially if we begin to understand one another. However, on a smaller scale, I hope that the relationship between Mundelein and Mar Saba can develop, and perhaps it will blossom into more chances for our men to visit, as well as continuing to build up one another in faith and love!
