![]() To Sarah, the only ascent was through the death of what would hinder each step of advancement. In considering death before each step, she highlights the need to allow that which would hinder spiritual progress towards God to die. ‘I put out my foot to ascend the ladder, and I place death before my eyes before going up it.’Ĭonsidering climbing the rungs of a ladder as a metaphor for the ascent of the prayer life to God is a common image in Christian spirituality. The ladder of growth in Christ required continual death to self. These great men, thinking they were going to chastise Sarah, were corrected by her instead. The deeply spiritual Christian would see all as one in Christ. They may have looked down on her for her gender, but that showed their lack of true depth. What more orthodox doctrinal approach could there be? When they arrived one said to the other, ‘Let us humiliate this old woman.’ (Humility was the most coveted virtue, in doing this they thought they were doing her a service.) So they said to her, ‘Be careful not to become conceited thinking to yourself: “Look how anchorites are coming to see me, a mere woman.” ’ But Amma Sarah said to them, ‘According to nature I am a woman, but not according to my thoughts.’ She refused to be denigrated because she was a woman.Īnother time, two old men, great anchorites (monks practicing solitude), came to the district of Pelusia to visit her. For if, in the beginning, our charity rises from the desire to please men, there will afterwards come that moment when it will become true charity, since it will be pleasing to God.” "It is good for us to do charity, even if to have the glory of men. She encouraged acts of charity, even if they were done with the wrong motive. “ So you think you have conquered me, Sarah?” To which she replied, “I have not conquered you, but the Master Christ.” She never asked for reprieve from the attack, but her continual prayer was, “O my God, strengthen me.” We could take a lesson in perseverance from this saintly woman.Īt end of her thirteen year resistance to the temptation of the Devil, a demonic figure appeared to her in her room and said, It was said of Amma Sarah that for thirteen years in the desert she struggled with lustful thoughts. If she sought the acceptance of God, she would find purity of heart. If she tried to find acceptance in the eyes of everyone, she would spend all of her time placating people. Though little is written of Amma Sarah, the reverence shown for preserving the few words attributed to her betray the respect held for the women of the desert and their place in the Desert movement. “Hold on a second! Women have held significant leadership in our churches before, what can we do to restore that place today?” These women ought to be our inspiration to stand up and say today, ![]() There are countless others, such as Dame Gertrude More, Amma Synkletika, or contemporaries like Agnes Sandford and Ruth Carter Stapleton.Īny critique of the approach of the church towards women does a disservice to itself if it does not recognize the likes of these women who influenced Christianity and church life so deeply. Julian of Norwich and her series of encounters with Christ or Hildegard Von Bingen and the prophetic visions she was sought for provide ample evidence of strong Christian leadership. Teresa of Avila and her books on the interior life and her autobiography commissioned by her superior were the outgrowth of years spent mentoring men and women in the deeper things of God. ![]() We should consider Madame Guyon whose influence was felt in her insightful writings on prayer and in her incredible influence over men such as Francis Fenelon and Michael Molinos. This is generally true, if your Christian history is only about 50-100 years old.Ĭhristianity need look no further than its own history, at different ages in the church, to find strong and Godly women respected for their leadership. But what is mainly emphasized has been the marginalization of women throughout Christian history. This is a good thing and needed in our current cultural climate. Presently in Christianity, there is a movement to legitimize women and their leadership qualities. What has been handed down is that she was a hermit, she spent 60 years in solitude in the desert, she was a contemporary of Abba Paphnutius (this puts her life somewhere in the 4th century, though this has been contested), and she lived near a river. Nothing is known about her history, where or when she was born, when she died, or what brought her to the desert. The few quotes that have been preserved show a woman that is humble, insightful, and quick-witted. ![]() Amma Sarah is one of the many elusive mothers and fathers of which little is written, but what is recorded is tantalizing.
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