The Value Of The Desert

Moyses cum egisset pecus ad interiora deserti tunc resplendentem eminus Deum igne vidit innocuo; nec solum vidit, verum etiam audivit loquentem. Nempe tunc Dominus cum abjici pedum vincula commoneret, sanctam eremi terram pronuntiavit, dicens: Locus in quo tu stas, terra sancta est; manifesto tunc judicio meritum occulti honoris expressit. Confirmata quippe est a Deo sanctitas loci, sanctitate testimonii in quo (ut reor) etiam illud pariter et latenter enuntiat, ut accedens ad eremum pristinis curarum obligationibus vitae se absolvet, et anterioribus vinculis expeditus incedat, ne locum polluat. Ibi primum Moyses divini colloquii familiaris adhibetur interpres; accipit verba, ac vicissim refert; dicenda agendave et percunctatur pariter et docetur, ac mutuo confabulationis usitatoque commercio cum coeli Domino sermocinatur. Ibi virgam resumit in opera signorum potentem, ingressusque eremum pastor ovium, pastor ab eremo revertitur populorum. Sanctus Eucherius Lugdonensis, De Laude Eremi Source: Migne PL 50.703c-d

When Moses had taken his flock into the interior of the desert, then from afar he saw the splendor of God in harmless fire, and not only did he see, but he even heard speech. Clearly then the Lord when he would remind us to rid our feet of our chains, tells us of the sacred land of the desert, saying, 'The place in which you stand is holy earth.' 1 With manifest judgement, then, He announces the value of this hidden glory. It is confirmed by God to be a place of sanctity, by which sacred testimony, I think, He also secretly announces that coming to the desert one should rid oneself of the old obligations of the cares of life, and advance free of one's prior chains lest one pollute the place. There Moses was first admitted to familiarity with Divine converse, there he received the words and in his turn he answered, speaking and doing and questioning and learning, and in mutual communion and common commerce speaking with The Lord of Heaven. There he took up the staff that was powerful for the working of signs, and having gone into the desert a pastor of sheep, he came out a shepherd of people. Saint Eucherius of Lyon, In Praise of the Desert 1 Exod 3.5