Oct 17 John the Dwarf

John,
Good morning
I love you

October 17. St. John the Dwarf [John Kolobos, John the Little , Robin’s friend?] b. 339 d. 405

Politically correct is not the way of the Church  especially our early Church – calling a spade a spade, or a giant of a man a dwarf! [I for a brief interlude in jr hi was called “Piggy” by a few of my new seventh grade classmates and football team mates. Imagine that!? I still twinge at the recollection. I also relish the resolution of this moniker – at the bottom of a pile up at practice, I being the defensive tackle and my primary tormentor a star halfback; the pain for me was unbearable; what I inflicted on him was excruciating. Not only did he stop, he also persuaded his boys to stop too.]
John the Dwarf was noted for being short of stature, short of temper, and conceited by nature; he did not grow in height, but as his faith increased, so did his gentleness and humility.
John the Dwarf’s name was more endearing to him – and that’s all that matters, right? OR is Isaiah Thomas wrong when he says it’s ok for a black guy to call a black woman a ‘ho’ but not ok for a white guy to? But I digress….

John the Dwarf was a native of Basta in Lower Egypt. He retired to the desert of Skeet at 18. You know what life is like at 18! Remember that far back? Unfortunately, your 18 was at best half an experience, insufficient, cut off from half of God’s giving to you. Bethatasitmay, what were you committing to at 18? How did you discern the correctness of your commitment?
John the Dwarf lived in an underground cave he dug in the desert of Skete.
I was 17 when I entered the novitiate. If only I had an understanding of what I was doing – following a vocation? A calling? The voice in the desert? John the Dwarf went into the real desert to find, not himself, but God, to hone his relationship with God.

John the Dwarf became a disciple of St. Poemen. John lived a life of obedience, humility, and austerity the rest of his days. To whom are you a disciple – it matters! You are the Son of … and then you get to add The Student of … and seek also to become a disciple of….
On his arrival, he was assigned to St. Poemen, an old, experienced hermit. The St Poemen straightway gave John a walking stick. "Plant this in the ground," he ordered, "and water it every day." The command was a test as well as a task. John obeyed at once, without question or delay. Even though the river from which he fetched the water was at a distance, he watered the stick dutifully every day. In the third year the walking stick put forth buds and flowers and fruit. John had passed the test. St Poemen collected the fruit and distributed it among his companions. "Take," he told them, "and eat the fruit of obedience."
Obedience. The first act of love!? Love, Honor, and obey. Love from and for God. Honor from and for Father and Mother [preferably pater materque; but at least pater et mater]. Obey is your reciprocity, your giving back what is due as much because of who you are as who the person is who rightly expects and receives your obedience - - if your vocation is marriage, obey is at the core --- obey is at the core of every love.

John the Dwarf left Skeet to escape marauder Berbers and settled on Mount Quolzum, near the current city of Suez, where he died. In later life he was known for absentmindedness, his thoughts being on the spiritual life. Once, for instance, a man on a camel came to his cell to pick up John's basket making tools and transfer them elsewhere, according to an agreement. But, between the door and his bench, John forgot his messenger and his message. This happened three times. Finally he hammered the caller's purpose into his mind be repeating to himself: "The camel; my tools."

When they saw that his death was imminent, St. John's disciples asked him to give them one final spiritual lesson.

Still too humble to want to be thought an expert, he simply said, "I have never followed my own will; nor did I ever teach another what I had not practiced myself."


Name Meaning
God is gracious; gift of God (John)…. Deo Gratias.


So there.
I love you, my Gift of God!
dad