Thoughtful worship

The "Desert" fathers and mothers were early monks who fled the corrupt Roman world of Alexandria, Egypt to live the "ascetetic" life of solitary prayer and total devotion to God.

One of the Desert Mothers, Amma Syncletica, was unable to complete the "Our Father" prayer because as she started, she would become overwhelmed by the thought of God as her "Father" and could not go further.

Father Wetta tells of the Monk Serapion who was given a maniscript of the Gospel. He read only until he found the words, "Sell what you have agnd give to the poor," as he sold the book and gave the money to the poor.