Walking with the Saints Podcast | Feast of Saint Arsenius, the Great, Patron Saints of Jesuits and Franciscan | July 19        I have always something to repent after having talked, but have never been sorry for having been silent.” These words came from St. Arsenius of Rome, who was known to be always quiet and prayerful. He was a Roman tutor who became a hermit in Egypt and his teachings influenced greatly the development of asceticism and the contemplative life. Arsenius was born in Rome to a noble family in 350. After the death of his parents, his sister entered the cloister and he, after distributing all their property to the poor, was recommended by the pope to be the tutor of the two sons of Emperor Theodosius I, of Constantinople since he knew Greek literature, was wise, and righteous. Arriving at the Emperor’s palace, he was introduced to a life of extravagance and luxury, but he was never happy about it. While praying one day, he said: “O God, teach me how to be saved.” And God’s answer was in the Gospel he was then reading. Seeking for eternal salvation, he left Constantinople and went to the desert to become a monk. When he presented himself to the father of the monks, he was put under the care of St. John the Dwarf. St. John treated him with indifference and seeming aversion, to test him, but he did not react negatively. Instead he remained humble and quiet, so he was accepted at once. Arsenius desired for greater solitude. St. John allowed him to live in a hidden cave in the desert. He never visited his friends nor was available to receive visitors. He requested his disciples to entertain whoever wanted to see him. He only met other people when he attended spiritual conferences. Asked why he avoided company, he answered: “God knows how dearly I love you all; but I cannot be both with God and with men at the same time; nor can I think of leaving God to converse with men.” In 434 the tribesmen from Libya raided the monasteries and hermitages and Arsenius was forced to go to Troe and spent some time in the island of Canopus. He spent the next fifteen years wandering in the wilderness. He was always prayerful and did not allow his work to diminish his time for prayer. When his former pupil became the Roman Emperor, he wanted to employ Arsenius, but they could not find him.  After a long search, they found him, but he refused to return to the court and did not accept any work, not even to distribute the alms for the poor and the neighboring monasteries. Arsenius loved poverty. He refused the rich legacy his relative gave to him. He was also inclined to shed tears in reparation for the life he had before becoming a monk so that when he was already old his eyelashes were worn out. As he was dying he was also in great tears but he died in great peace, full of faith in the year 445 at the age of 95. Today, two of his important writings are still extant: a guideline for monastic life, and a commentary on the Gospel of Luke. There is also a compilation of many spiritual sayings attributed to him. His contemporaries admired him greatly and surnamed him THE GREAT.       Virtue: piety, humility, detachment, temperance, charity, commitment, perseverance and patience. Prayer: “St. Arsenius, help us to shun the riches of the world and love God above al things.”