⭐Advance Praise and Reviews⭐

“One of the most well-known and trusted contemporary spiritual authors.”—Publishers Weekly

“Our Benedictine Sister Joan has gifted us with a taste of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. As an elder herself, she serves us with thirty-five of the more than two thousand sayings from this tradition. Her commentary provokes and evokes us to do the same: Meditate on these sayings, listen, then take action. —Sister Meg Funk, O.S.B. Beech Grove Indiana

“This book raises a weighty question: whether spirituality really has anything to do with modern life in a pluralistic world. Joan Chittister—eminently qualified to do so—answers with a resounding “Yes!” Well reasoned and powerfully convincing.” —Brother David Steindl-Rast

“Sister Joan embodies the best of the Benedictine way of life: Christ-centered, earthy, and unpretentious. She offers us the wisdom she has gleaned from her life so dedicated to Justice and Joy. Her grappling with these early Church desert dwellers are hope-filled and yet challenging. Sister Joan calls each of us to a spiritual maturity that will transform the world.” —Laura Swan, O.S.B., author, The Forgotten Desert Mothers and The Wisdom of the Beguines

"In this short and beautifully written book, Joan Chittister explains in clear, simple terms how lay Christians can apply the lessons taught by fourth-century desert monastics to their everyday lives. … The spirituality she teaches is balanced, practical, and realistic, and I warmly recommend this to anyone seeking to know and love God more deeply."— Roland Clark, Catholic Library World

Short reflections on the wisdom of the desert fathers (Ammas and Abbas). They went into the desert to overcome their passions and draw close to Christ; but asceticism was just a means, not the goal, which was perfect love and freedom.

Joan Chittister is a Benedictine of the Erie Benedictine Monastery. She has been a leading spiritual writer, and a prophetic voice in the church. She has published many books with Orbis, including A Passion for Life, Illuminated Life, Awakenings: Prophetic Reflections, and Joan Chittister: Essential Writings.