Starting from third century up to the fifth century, many Christian monks used to live in the deserts of Egypt. Among most religious orders, monks live in simple, austere rooms. Medieval monastic life consisted of prayer, reading, meditation and manual labor. Prayer was a monk’s priority. Our Lord Jesus Christ also observed fast for 40 days in wilderness before He could begin His earthly ministry.
During the fifth century (500 AD) – there lived a Christian monk named John the Dwarf who was of a short stature -he became a disciple of Saint Pambo and a good friend of Saint Pishoy. He lived a life of austerity and taught several other monks his way of life.
Obedience of John the Dwarf:
John the Dwarf is best known for his obedience. The most famous story about his obedience is that one day Saint Pambo gave John the Dwarf a piece of dry wood and ordered him to plant and water it. John obeyed and went on watering it twice a day even though the water was about 12 miles (approximately 20 kilometers) from where they lived. After three years, the piece of wood sprouted and grew into a fruitful tree. Pambo took some of this tree’s fruits and went around to all the elder monks, saying “take, eat from the fruit of obedience”
He was so happy that he obeyed his master and received a good fruit as a result.
John, understood that, he should not just sit in a small room, without doing any work in the wilderness. Sometimes he used to make mats. Some of them used to criticize him and use harsh words but he would never mind about any words and instead acted with calmness and polite.
One day a wicked man blocked his way while going to church and mocked him as “you have a poisonous heart”. He answered politely him that, yes, it is true, I am a sinner in the eyes of God, and I am more poisonous in my heart than you think.
John the Dwarf did not have any worldly attachments. He avoided conversations about worldly things. Once a saint talked with full of fun in a saint gathering, John didn’t like that. John the Dwarfrebuked the other saint and reminded him that, they had gathered to pray for the nation and to grow by knowing more about God.
Some people met John and asked him to meet Felicia, who was going in a wrong path. He prayed to God and went to Felicia’s house. At first, she refused to open the door and then she opened the door and asked him to come inside.
Once John entered her house, he started to cry and said, “What did Jesus do to you for you to betray Him and cause you to move away from him?” She was astonished and asked him politely, why he was crying upon seeing her. He answered her, “What can I do without crying on seeing your situation?” that Satan refused to go away from you. She got crushed in her heart on hearing his words and his holy face, and asked him that, will heavenly gates open for me? He answered that, there is no limit for God’s love and mercy. She at once left her lifestyle and all her belongings and followed the saint and asked him to take her to God then itself. She joined as a Christian monk and served Lord.
During his last days John told his followers, “I have not done anything what I wished and moreover my wish is to serve the Lord. I have taught you from my experience. I never taught you that what you cannot do, May God be with you”. John the Dwarf received a call from God and attained Glory during 5th Century.
