Online Lecture “From Victim to Witness: The Graced Ordeal of Afflictive Thoughts” given by Martin Laird, O.S.A., on Sept. 28th

Martin Laird, O.S.A., Gives Online Lecture at Mepkin:

From Victim to Witness: The Graced Ordeal of Afflictive Thoughts

Monday, Sept. 28, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm Eastern Time

The Mepkin Abbey St. Francis ‘Virtual Retreat Center’ is pleased to share the online lecture, “From Victim to Witness: The Graced Ordeal of Afflictive Thoughts,” with Martin Laird. This long-awaited talk is part of our Mepkin Speaker Series, online lectures on a wide variety of topics from many respected and notable speakers. Here is a description of the lecture:

As we try to sit silently before God we often experience anything but the silence we seek. Instead we can feel pummeled by afflictive thoughts. In this talk, Fr. Martin Laird, O.S.A., will look at the teachings of Evagrius, the great contemplative master of the 4th century Egyptian desert. Far from teaching us how to get rid of the thoughts that seem so defeating, Evagrius wants us to learn everything about these afflictive thoughts. As a result, our relationship with affliction changes as we shift from being victim to witness. This gradually declutters the mind and allows the silence of God to emerge as the simple and simplifying ground of our being.

For more information or to register, click here:

If you have questions or need help registering for this or any of our programs, please email mepkinguestmaster@gmail.com.

Martin Laird, O.S.A., is Professor of Early Christian Studies at Villanova University. Laird is the author of several books on early Christian thought and Christian contemplative life including Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation, A Sunlit Absence: Silence, Awareness, and Contemplation, and An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation. He lectures widely through the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland.