Journey Back to Eden.pdf - St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Chicago

28 OCTOBERdramatic effect of my hearing his word, which seemed to breakyears of monastic silence—“Our Faith is easy and simple, as simpleas the alphabet.”Startled, I let go of his ankle. He re-entered the cave and Iwalked back to Deir el Baramous, contemplating this strange wordI had received. I stayed there that night.The Alphabet of FaithOCTOBER 13, MONDAYAfter returning to Deir St. Bishoi the next day, I continued toponder the old monk’s words. I decided that I hadn’t fully understoodhis message, so I walked back to the cave again today andcalled in to the old man. “I don’t understand what you said, Abuna.What do you mean, ‘Our Faith is as easy, as simple as the alphabet’?”Coming out of the cave, the old monk said, “In the ancienttongue, alpha means ‘eagle.’ It is the bird of heaven, that whichrepresents God—transcendent, over all. Beta is the Hebrew word;we hear it in the name ‘Bethel.’ It means ‘house, home,’ the placein which we are familiar, comfortable, in control, the place wherewe live out our lives day to day. But these two words, so opposite,have been conjoined: ‘alpha’ and ‘beta,’ because in Christ Jesus,heaven is wedded to earth. Christ is the Word made flesh to dwellamong us, to pitch his tent in our midst. We are not estranged anylonger. This is easy; this is simple,” the old monk said. “Every childknows the alphabet, and so can any heart accept our Faith.”Back at St. Bishoi, Abuna Sidrak told me a similar account aboutthe “alphabet” when I asked him about it, so this idea is widely circulatedhere! I much enjoy this manner of life in which I may hikeabout, seeking good words, and then return “home” to dialoguewith the monks about what they mean. But this is exactly what theDesert Fathers did, as recorded in the literature I read long ago.OCTOBER 16, THURSDAYO Great and Silent God,You spoke once and it came to be. You speak now and allthings perdure; they arise and proceed toward their goal. Once