These books present a most appealing version of Christianity.
Especially the ascetic version of this religion.
I never groked the appeal of monastic life.
Now I do.
It’s not an intellectual appeal.
It’s a “wow, that’s wild” appeal (YMMV).
Not something I want for myself.
But I can respect it.
Their harshness is reserved themselves, to quash sin in their own hearts.
Their own pride and their own failings.
It’s impressive to read stories of those who actually try to live up to the high demands of Christ.
Even to the point of selling one’s copy of the gospels so the money could be given to the poor.
To avoid judging others, brothers and outsiders.
Ward’s book is a translation of the Verba Seniorium, a categorized collection of stories about these monks.
The stories are well written and enjoyable and the chapters give it structure.
After a while, you feel familiar with the characters who reappear in each chapter.
However, some of the stories are touch awful (in both positive and negative senses) with their extreme pursuit of holiness.
Merton’s careful selection create a devotional for modern sensibilities.
His style is a touch more fluid and airy.
And he skips the stories that display their worst phobias of lust and women.
(There’s a reason he’s so popular.)
Ward presents a fuller picture of these mystics in the deserts.
Merton’s devotional might be bowdlerized version of their story, but I suspect I’ll return to this book whenever I need a mental readjustment.
Two overlapping collections.
Both worth reading.