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Today’s story is about humility, and allowing the good to come out of even bad situations. It also might be the inspiration for the famous story of Jean Val Jean from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. This event took place over a thousand years before Hugo wrote his book.

 

The brothers said that Gelasius had a parchment book worth 18 shillings, containing the whole of the Old and New Testament. The book was put in the church, so that any monk who wanted to could read it. But a travelling monk came to visit the hermit and when he saw the book, he coveted it, stole it, and took it away. The hermit knew who the thief was, but he did not give chase or try to catch him. The thief went to a city and looked for a buyer. He found a man who wanted it, and began by asking 16 shillings for it. The man, who wished to beat him down, said, “Let me have it first to show someone and get advice, then I will pay whatever is the right price.” So, the monk gave him the book for this purpose. He took the book to Gelasius to discover whether it was a good bargain and worth this high price. He told Gelasius the price the seller was asking. The hermit said, “Buy it. It is a good bargain, and worth that much.” 

 

So he went back to the seller, but instead of doing as the hermit had told him, he said, “I showed this book to Gelasius and he told me it was too highly priced and not worth what you said.” The thief said, “Did the hermit tell you anything else?” He answered: “Nothing.” Then the thief said, “I don’t want to sell it.” Stricken to the heart he went to the hermit, did penance, and asked him to take the book back, but he did not want to take it. Then the monk said “Unless you take it back, I shall not have peace of mind.” Then the hermit said, “if you can’t have peace of mind unless I take it back, I will do so.” The brother remained with the hermit until he died, and made progress by learning from his patience.

 

It would be tempting to read this story as a lesson in the power of compassion, but there is more to it than that. Gelasius is the hero of the story by not revealing the theft, and allowing the thief to get his price. But the book seller’s lie is where the story turns, and results in the redemption of the thief. The book seller is just looking to make a buck, but God’s will works through his actions, since he quotes Gelasius to justify the lower price. To the monks, this would be proof that God is trying to get at us, to help us, through everyone, the good and the bad. This is why they saw evil, often personified by demons, as ultimately foolish. The temptations they bring can strengthen the monk’s resolve to be with God. In this case, a hustler serves to help a thief become a monk.  Peace.

 

-Rev. Stephen Milton, Lawrence Park Community Church, Toronto

 

Quotation source: The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks, Translated by Benedict Ward, ( London, 2003),p. 171. 

 

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