Episode 28: Lacerated Body

Episode 28: Lacerated Body

Author: Exodus 90 July 8, 2025 Duration: 14:11

Join Bishop Erik Varden, a Trappist monk and Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, in this episode of Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden, where he unpacks the timeless wisdom of the Desert Fathers through the lens of Abba Antony’s striking lesson. In this episode, titled "Lacerated Body," Bishop Varden reflects on a story from the sayings of the Desert Fathers, where a brother seeking to become a monk is instructed by Antony to place meat on his naked body, only to be torn apart by dogs and birds. This vivid metaphor reveals the spiritual danger of clinging to worldly riches while professing total commitment to God, a lesson that echoes the early Church’s struggles in Acts with Ananias and Sapphira.

Bishop Varden draws parallels between the brother’s divided heart and the “crooked generation” described in Acts, which stumbles in its self-sufficiency and aimless pursuits. He explores how the early Christians’ radical commitment to communal living—sharing all possessions with glad and generous hearts—challenges us to examine our own attachments. With his deep theological insight and pastoral warmth, Bishop Varden invites us to consider: Are we truly giving our all to God, or are we holding back, risking a “lacerated” spiritual life?

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Key Themes:

- The cost of true discipleship: Why half-hearted commitment tears us apart.

- Lessons from Acts: The early Church’s vision of unity and generosity.

- The Desert Fathers’ wisdom: Abba Antony’s call to radical integrity.

- Applying ancient teachings to modern life: Overcoming the temptation to hedge our bets with God.

Men - join us for St. Michael's Lent starting August 15, 2025 on the Exodus 90 app.

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We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden is...

• 🦉...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, coramfratribus.com.


• 🎥 ...produced by EWTN


• 🎙️ ...edited and supported by Saint Kolbe Studios


• 🧡...and brought to you by Exodus 90, download the Exodus 90 app today


There’s a particular kind of stillness that feels almost impossible to find now, a quiet where you might actually hear something other than the next notification. Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden is built around that search for quiet, drawing direct lines between our fragmented modern experience and the ancient, radical journey of the early Christian monastics. This isn’t a history lesson, though you’ll certainly learn. Instead, Bishop Varden, with the Exodus 90 community, acts as a guide through a year-long exploration, starting at the new year. Each episode becomes a point of reflection, using the stark wisdom of those who went into the literal desert to find God as a mirror for our own crowded lives. You’ll hear their stories and sayings unpacked not as relics, but as surprisingly urgent counsel for anyone feeling parched by the pace and pressure of today’s culture. The rhythm of this podcast is intentional-meant to be absorbed slowly, creating space to consider how their pursuit of essential truth challenges our own attachments and distractions. It’s an invitation to see your own daily landscape, with all its demands and digital noise, as a place where that same transformative silence can be cultivated.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden
Podcast Episodes
Episode 43: Detraction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:11
Bishop Erik Varden explores the theme of detraction and judgment through the lens of a hermit's vision. The conversation covers the consequences of gossip, the importance of conversion, and the efficacy of sacraments, em…
Episode 42: Scope of Judgement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:15
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden explores the theme of judgment through the lens of the Desert Fathers' teachings, particularly focusing on the story of Abba Isaac. He discusses the dangers of judgin…
Episode 41: Rejection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:10
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden reflects on the teachings of the Desert Fathers, focusing on the themes of forgiveness, community, and the transformative power of God's mercy. Through the story of A…
Episode 40: Q&A w/ Bishop Varden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:43
In this Q&A session with Bishop Erik Varden, Jamie Baxter and Bishop Varden explore:The nature of love and self-forgetfulnessPhilosophical perspectives on progressThe relevance of Stoicism The implications of artificial…
Episode 39: A Low Profile [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:35
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden explores the theme of humility through the teachings of the Desert Fathers, particularly focusing on Abba Moses and Abba Simon. He discusses how these figures exempli…
Episode 38: Professions of Humility [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:12
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden explores the themes of humility and vainglory through the teachings of Abba Serapion. He discusses the importance of aligning one's words with actions and the dangers…
Episode 37: At the Baker's [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:06
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden explores the teachings of the Desert Fathers, focusing on the themes of humility, the dangers of vanity, and the importance of genuine spiritual practices. Bishop Var…
Episode 36: A Fall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:49
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden reflects on the teachings of the Desert Fathers, particularly focusing on the importance of humility and the dangers of pride. Through the story of a young monk who p…
Episode 35: On Hunting Dogs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:51
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden explores the theme of fortitude through the lens of monastic life, using the analogy of a hound pursuing a hare to illustrate the importance of unwavering focus on Ch…
Episode 34: Living with Infirmity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:22
In this episode of Desert Fathers, Bishop Erik Varden and Jamie Baxter explore the theme of fortitude in the face of suffering, particularly through the lens of illness. They reflect on the teachings of Amma Syncletica,…