Dialogue between Orthodox monk and a layman, about monasticism. (From St. Ignatius Brianchaninov)
- The monk : May God bless your desire! All that is good indeed born of a fair and accurate understanding. A misunderstanding or false attracts misfortune. It besides that preaches the Gospel, which offers the Truth as a primary cause of salvation, and lies as the primary cause of perdition (Jn.8, 32.44). But why do you that our conversation today is precisely on monasticism?
- In the middle I frequent, it is often a question of monasticism. Today, different opinions are issued in this regard. My friends ask me almost always on my point of view, because they know that I frequent clerics. I wish I could answer them accurately, so I am speaking to you.
- I do not know how I can help you, nevertheless I will speak with sincerity, trying to expose what I know through my readings of Scripture and Fathers, in my conversations with monks whose lives are worthy of respect and trust, and my own experience. As the basis of this interview, as the cornerstone of the building, I would say that the introduction of monasticism is that of God , and never men.
- Imagine that I have ever heard in society that monasticism has been established by God!
- I know. That is why in conversations about worldly monasticism one says "I think ... "And another replies" me and it seems to me rather than ... "And another" me, I would do so ... ". Thousand conflicting opinions from persons who have no idea what monasticism, but would nevertheless be ready to compose monastic rules as their own wisdom. There are even some people to peddle the blasphemies of atheists on the subject. The heart is overwhelmed by sadness and fear when ignorance crowd with his big hooves the most precious pearls of a tradition established by God.
- Correct! Ignorance, as you say, father, is the reason for all this!
- Do not think that ignorance is an evil insignificant! The Holy Fathers say it is the root of all evil. St. Mark the Ascetic says she is the main source of wickedness. Another father said that the ignorant and unaware of his ignorance is satisfied with his knowledge. Ignorance is able to do much harm without knowing it. I say this out of compassion for all those people who do not know what the dignity of man, and for all those Christians who do not know what is Christianity and hurt themselves through ignorance. Do not think however that I intend to combine abuse and human weakness with divine teachings! Indicate abuse and dissociate divine institutions is a sign of reverence towards the past and a way to keep them in holiness required and granted by God.
- Your last sentence is also a novelty for me. I had never seen this angle monasticism, and had not met either and in the ideas of others.
- What I said is not just about monasticism, but also the whole Church of the New Testament as the Old. The Lord has shown Himself in the parable of the vine (Mt.21) that the Church of the Old Testament was founded by God and sent by Him to the Jewish people. In addition, according to the Gospel and Holy Scripture (0.22 to 29 Eph.1 & 2:10-11) that the New Testament Church was founded by the God-Man and transmitted to other people formed in fact all people: the people of the Christians. Formerly, Jews were to make accountable to God for the gift that had been made, management of this gift; has proven criminal conduct, they were dismissed and punished as soon as they swerved in mind. Similarly, accounts will be requested to Christians on how they use the general divine institution is the Church of the New Testament, and specific institutions such as monasticism.
- Is there any possibility to find in the Scriptures is what on earth the ultimate fate of the New Testament Church?
- The Scriptures testify to the fact that Christians, like Jews, will cool gradually towards teaching revealed by God. They begin to not pay attention to the regeneration of human nature made by the God-Man, forget it forever, and direct all their attention on terrestrial life. They take charge of their situation down here as if it were eternal. They heal the development of their fallen nature and will satisfy all the desires and requirements of their souls and their bodies depraved. Of course the Redeemer who came to redeem man to eternal bliss, is alien to such a trend away from Christianity. The removal may take place according to the Scriptures (1Thes.2, 3). Monasticism also participate in the weakening of Christianity, as a member of the body can not but feel the weakness that affects the entire body. The Holy Spirit revealed this to moreover holy monks of ancient times, when Christianity will be limited to a handful, then life on this earth will cease.
- What is the importance of monasticism in the Church of Christ?
- The monks are Christians who give up as much as possible, all land occupation, to devote himself to prayer, the queen of virtues. Through prayer, they seek to unite with God to be one with Him, in the words of the Apostle: one that attaches to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1Cor.6 17). As the prayer draws its strength from the other virtues and Christ's teaching, the monks are showing particular zeal to fulfill the commandments of the Gospel. Adding to the fulfillment of the commandments, which is mandatory for all Christians, the practice of two councils, that of poverty and celibacy, they strive to live a life similar to the earthly life of God-Man: for this reason that qualifies holy monks very lifelike.
- Where do the monks do they name them?
- Words monk, monastery and monasticism comes from the Greek word monos , which means a . The monk is a person who lives alone, or in solitude. The monastery is a home lonely, isolated. Monasticism, that's life alone. This life is different from ordinary life, common, therefore the Russian language uses the word for it inotchestvo , who just Inoi , other. The monk is also called Inoki. Words community life, skite , hesychia , hermit, imprisonment, life in the desert correspond to various forms of monastic life. Community life means living together in a more or less important to monks who share the divine services, meals, the same type of clothing, and depend the same level. The hermitage means the coexistence of two or three monks in a particular cell, living on advice from each other or asking advice from older, share meals and clothing, are five days per week in their offices cell, and come Saturday and Sunday at the Community Office at the church. The hermit is a monk who lives in solitude. The reclusive hermit is one who stays in his cell at the monastery without leave. The hermit is a hermit who lives in a depopulated desert.
- monasticism When did it start?
- From St. John Cassian, from the time of the Apostles. Saint John Cassian (monk, Father of the Church of the fourth century e) visited the monasteries of Egypt at the time of their full potential. Having lived long enough among the monks of the desert Scete, he transmitted to posterity in writing the rules and teachings of the monks. He said that in Egypt, they were the followers of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, the first Bishop of Alexandria, who first received the name of monks. These monks lived in isolated places, close to the metropolis Egypt, to lead a life of higher according to the rules provided by the Evangelist. The lifetime of the holy martyr Eugenia, under the Emperor Commodus (ind. 180), and Philippe dignitary, governor of Egypt, there was a monastery on the outskirts of Alexandria in which the Bishop of the time The holy hierarch Elijah took the coat from his youth. The Jewish historian Philo, a contemporary of the Apostles and a citizen of Alexandria, describes the life of the "therapists" who had moved away from the city to lead in a mansion called monasteries life similar to that of monks described by St. John Cassian. But the description of Philo does not say that these therapists were Christians, because secular knowledge was very superficial at this time, there were many who did not differentiate between Christians and Jews, and took the first as a sect of the latter. In the life of Saint Anthony the Great, written by his contemporary Saint Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, it is said that when, at the age of twenty years, St. Anthony became a monk, monks led the Egyptian solitary life near cities or villages. St. Anthony died in 356, at the age of one hundred five years. Monasticism is also attested in Syria in the time of the Apostles. Eudocia the holy martyr, who lived in Heliopolis in Syria during the reign of Trajan (98-113) was converted to Christianity by Saint Germain, superior of a monastery of men seventy monks after his conversion, she entered a thirty convent nuns. In the last years of the third century, St. Anthony the Great introduced life to the desert. At the end of the fourth century, St. Pachomius the Great founded Tabennêsis community life in the desert of Thebes, and Saint Macarius Grand hesychast life in the wilderness of Scete near Alexandria. This place is the origin of the word hermitage, and monasteries organized for this kind of life, also called sketes. St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who lived in the second half of the fourth century, studied the monastic life in Egypt before returning to his homeland to live as a monk until his debut in the service of the Church. He wrote the rules that were used as models throughout the Eastern Church. And monasticism, hiding first in the vicinity of towns and villages, moved to the fourth century to the uninhabited deserts. However, the monasteries still existed in the cities. Saint John Cassian suggests that those who would like more details on the subject to delve into the history books of the Church. Unfortunately, these books do not succeed until we, as do almost all the documents drafted in Egypt because they were destroyed by Muslims in the seventh century e . It was the same in other Christian countries submitted by the Muslims, but to a lesser degree.
- What is the reason for this emigration monasticism to places far from towns and villages?
- This emigration took place when stopped the exploits of the martyrs. At this time, as Christianity spread and was protected by the state, all men adhered to the Christian faith, not just those elected determined to withstand very great misfortune and even death. Christianity did not keep the denial of previous centuries. In towns and villages, Christians began to worry about anything that concerns the life of this world, luxury, enjoyment carnal, the popular festivities, and all activities which the first confessors of the faith were foreigners, seeing the denial of Christ in spirit. The desert thus became a natural refuge, a shelter against the temptations for those who wish to retain full power to Christianity. "The desert," says St. Isaac the Syrian, is useful as the weak to the strong. It allows first, for the removal of material, not to see their passions ignite and multiply, and the latter to engage in combat against evil spirits. " St. Basil the Great and St. Dimitri of Rostov and describe the reasons for flight in the desert of San Gordius " Gordius fled the city noise, the shouts of the market, the praise of princes, the judgments of those that show, sell, buy, swear, lie, say shameful things. He fled the games, laughter and jeers of the city to keep its eyes and ears clean, and especially his heart purified and able to see God. It was worthy of divine revelations, and learned a very great mysteries, not men, but his Lord in truth, the Spirit. " From their transfer to the desert, the monks adopted a particular dress to distinguish definitively lay. At the time of persecution on the contrary, the clergy and the monks were the most common clothing to avoid attracting the attention of the persecutors.
- Teaching high which was deemed worthy Saint Gordius was the preserve of a small minority. But now, the Christian faith is taught in detail and satisfactory in seminaries and theological academies.
- Between teaching theological institutions and the monasteries, there is a huge difference, even if the topic is the same: Christianity. The Saviour of world, sending the Holy Apostles to preach throughout the world, commanded them to spread among the nations faith in the true God, and teach life according to the commandments: "Go and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you "(Mt.28 0.19 to 20). The teaching of faith must precede baptism and the teaching of life according to the commandments must be followed. The first lesson is theoretical, the second practice. First, the Holy Apostle Paul said: "I have nothing hidden that is helpful, I am not afraid to preach and to teach you, publicly and in homes, announcing to the Jews and Greeks repentance before God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ "(Act.20 0.20 to 21). The second, he said: "Christ in us the hope of glory, unto Him we preach, warning and teaching every man in all wisdom, to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col.1 0.27 to 28). God provided two lessons about himself: instruction in speech, received by faith, and teaching about life, received by an activity complies with the commandments of the Gospel. We can compare the first teaching foundations of the building, and the second to the building itself. It is impossible to build without foundations, and foundation without a building are of no use. "Faith without works is dead" (Jac.2, 26). The Holy Apostle Paul insists on the absolute necessity of the first lesson: "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe one they have not heard? And how can they hear if no one preaches? (Rom.10, 17.14) Here the beginning of catechesis. To those who engaged in Christianity, the Apostles and their successors exposed basic education (God, the God-man, man and its importance in time and eternity, the sacraments, the bliss of Paradise, the suffering of hell (Hb.6 0.1 to 2), and the rest), which is the dogmatic Christianity, plus the theoretical life according to the commandments of the Gospel (Hb . XI, XII, and XIII), the foundation of moral dogmatic theology, the science of the highest. Since apostolic times began to appear around the Church of Christ judgments heretics, that is to say, judgments about the revelation from human intelligence distorted. In teaching revealed by God, there is no place for human reasoning: from Alpha to Omega, everything is from God. The Holy Church has endeavored to keep carefully priceless spiritual treasure entrusted to it: the Education of God revealed. She denoted her overt enemies, the pagans and philosophers, and Jews, repelling their attacks. She has denoted its internal enemies, heretics, denying them education, rejecting her breast, bringing her children guard against them. It is for this reason that theology has spread increasingly with time. He soon had schools to teach it. The oldest and the largest was that of Alexandria, which flourished especially in the second and third centuries. The doctrines hostile to the divine teaching is constantly multiplying, the need to hold theological establishment became increasingly apparent. The West deviated from the East and fell into heresy, absorbing the instructions and pagan customs. Therefore, the doctrines hostile to the Orthodox Church, monstrous and blasphemous doctrines built with malignancy and boldness, multiplied to infinity. Theological institutions became a vital necessity for the Orthodox Church, like the breath of life. Judge for yourselves! It should clearly demonstrate to the Orthodox Christian, and especially one who is about to become a pastor, as the true teaching of the Orthodox Church, that his fight victory over his enemies covert and overt, hidden and discovered, battle s' ignites more for eighteen centuries. Must satisfactorily explain the errors of Arius, of Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutyches and iconoclastic, crowned by atheism and the latest inventions of philosophy. The study of theology demanded some time in the early years of Christianity, it requires more today. Previously, it could be transmitted during sermons in church today, it requires many years of study. That is the purpose of our seminaries and academies: transmit basic knowledge of Christianity, as a sort of introduction (St. Mark the Ascetic says) our youth still inactive in the company, which derive a theoretical preparation only, and ignore the output of the seminar knowledge from experience. On this theoretical knowledge of faith, we must build a knowledge active, lively, animated by grace. Is to acquire this knowledge that life on earth is given to man. The Christian who lives among the world according to the commandments of the gospel inevitably enriched with this knowledge, not only by his own experience but also by the work of grace. But enriched many more who will deposit all the cares of this world to use all his time, all the forces of his body and his soul to please God, that is to say the least. It was he who in the Gospel, possess the commandments of the Lord, who will represent his whole legacy. "He who has My commandments and keeps them is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, I love and I will manifest myself to him "(Jn.14, 21) With this in mind that the most zealous Christians of all ages, having completed their education in institutions School, came up today and come in monasticism to receive instruction. Who were the great masters of the Church of all time? Monks. Who explained in detail the teaching of the Church, which has maintained its tradition for posterity, which denounced the heresies and crushed? Monks. Who scored the blood of his confession of orthodox faith? Monks. It is quite natural. Christians living in the midst of this world, entangled in ties, concerned about various concerns voluntary or involuntary, can not spend all their time and their love for God. "He who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord, and he who is married is concerned about worldly things" (1Cor.7 0.32 to 33). Whoever married can not attach permanently to the Lord in prayer detached from the land, and united with the Lord in one spirit (1Cor.6, 17) as possible to the monk. Nevertheless, for a successful Christian personal , erudition necessary to masters of the Church is not necessary: many illiterates, like St. Anthony the Great, took the habit monastic achieved Christian perfection, the spiritual light spilled over their contemporaries by their teachings and the gifts of grace. "Who says St. John Climacus, among the laity, has never performed miracles? Who has risen from the dead? Who cast out demons? Nobody! All these things are the price that won the monks and the world can achieve. "
- All the monks are unable to state as high, reaching their goal; few people actually achieve that ...
- There is no doubt that, as God has promised, the monks who spend their whole lives to follow the monastic rules acquire the grace of God. It is impossible that the word of God does not fulfilled. The commandments of the Gospel come with a promise: they communicate the Spirit of God to those who perform them. Conversely, the monks who disdain the rules set by God to monasticism, and conduct their lives in distraction, arbitrary, or pleasure, that is to say, who love the world will be deprived of success. It's the same for all Christians: those who lead a Christian life are the hello, but those who live like pagans are lost. There were once many more saints among the monks and many more saved among Christians. But our time is experiencing a general decline in faith and morals. However, there are still monks and authentic Christians. I repeat that if monks are unworthy of their status and their vocation is that they are misusing the divine institution. Yet this divine institution does not cease to be divine, even if the men violate. Similarly, Christianity retains its great dignity, in spite of life contrary to the teaching Christ carried by many Christians. We must therefore judge of Christianity and monasticism in the Christian monks or authentic. But this is not so easy: piety and virtue, as chaste virgins, are still hiding in the depths of unknown cells, as in the mantle, as opposed to adulterous women who strive to appear in public half naked. Often the high life of a monk is discovered during or after his death. The monk who participates in the grace of God is often the object of hatred in the world of gossip and slander, because the world hates the Spirit of God (Jn.15 0.18 to 19). Success itself has various degrees, because, as has been said above, the monastic solitude is useful for high and low for different reasons. Of course, the latter are always more numerous than the former.
- After everything you just said, it should show that monasticism is a divine institution.
- The Savior of the world has identified two ways, that is to say, two kinds of life for those who believe in Him: the path that brings salvation, and the path that leads to perfection . The Gospel says of those who take the second route they follow Christ, because this pathway is the most accurate expression of the Lord's teaching, and the imitation of the kind of life he led himself during his earthly pilgrimage.
to get the hello, you need three things: faith in Christ (Jn.3, 36 & 17.3), the life according to God's commandments (Mt.19, 17 & ; Mc.10, 19), and healing through repentance of our shortcomings in performing the commandments (Luc13, 35). The hello is inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of its obligations in the world, provided that they are not inconsistent with the law of God.
Some, like the apostles, are called to follow the Lord by the Lord Himself, but in general, the Lord allowed everyone the freedom to follow the . This occurs several times in the Gospel. If anyone would come after Me ... (Mt.16, 24) If you would be perfect ... (Mt.19, 21) If anyone comes to Me ... (Luc26, 14), such are the phrases that the Lord uses to speak of him who would follow Him to perfection Christian. If so take on this kind of life is left to individual freedom, the conditions are set by the Lord. We must accept these conditions in order to follow the . And what are these conditions? If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, let him take up his cross and follow me, If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me, If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and his sisters, and even his own life, he does can be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and follow me can not be My disciple. Whoever of you does not renounce all that he has can not be My disciple. Here are the key promises of the monk.
As we have said, monasticism in its early days was nothing but a solitary life, away from noise, led by Christians who sought to perfection. So these Christians of Alexandria who were on the outskirts of the city's recommendations Evangelist St. Mark. The Holy Apostle Paul says to all Christians who wish to enter into closer communion with the Lord "we are the temple of the living God, and God said: dwell among them and I will walk ; I will be their God and they will be My people. Come out from among these people and stay away, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and I, I will receive you. I am a father to you, and you shall be my son and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty (2Cor.6 0.16 to 18) Saint John Climacus then assigns this role to the monks (2.15) and the early church understood these words of the Lord the same way. Saint Athanasius the Great Saint Anthony reported on the following thing: a teenager, St. Anthony went into a church to pray. That day, we read the pericope of the Gospel of St. Matthew on the rich man who questioned the Lord about salvation and perfection. On hearing these words ("If thou wilt be perfect, sell what you own ..."), Anthony, who was concerned about choosing a lifestyle, acknowledged the response of the Lord Himself. He immediately sold his property for distribution to the poor, and became a monk. These fundamental words of the Lord are still read today in the taking of monastic habit. Life in the desert was instituted in the wake of revelations. God called St. Anthony to live in the deep desert. An angel commanded Saint Macarius the Great to settle in the desert Scete. An angel also ordered St. Pachomius the Great established his monastic community in the desert, after which he handed him the written rules for monastic life. These three saints were men filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly united to God. They lent their mouths the word of God, as once Moses with the people of Israel to build the monks. In the following centuries, the Spirit Saint never stopped to illuminate monasticism. This teaching of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ's teaching and instruction from God to monasticism, that fathers call the science of sciences, was exposed with clarity and fullness by the monks in their holy writings inspired by God. All attest to the fact that the introduction of monasticism, this supernatural life, is not human: it is God's work.
- Some assume that the purpose of the first three centuries of monasticism was the fleeing persecution raised by the pagans.
- The carnal reasoning always deals falsely spiritual men. The monks of the early centuries were thirsty for martyrdom, and many were crowned, like Nikon, Julien Eudocia, Eugenie Févronie, and many others. Once he had the opportunity, the holy hermit Gordius, quoted above, went to Caesarea in Cappadocia to denounce paganism during a popular festival, confessing Christ, this confession and seal with martyrdom. When Emperor Diocletian unleashed his great and cruel persecution, St. Anthony the Great was already a monk and hermit. Having heard of the plight of Christians he left his cave in the desert to run in Alexandria confess Christ and join the martyrs. The holy martyr was well, but by love and desire: that he should desire to suffer for the Name of the Lord, martyrdom was not granted him. Lord had already begun to replace the abundant harvest of martyrs and holy by another harvest, no less abundant: that the monks had to perform in the field of another witness. The punishments were hardly ceased, the Christian blood had barely stopped flowing, as thousands of monks rushed to the wild desert to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal.5, 24), and confess Christ before Principalities, Powers, and Stewards of the world of darkness (Eph.6, 12). Certainly, Saint Paul of Thebes withdrew into the desert to avoid the persecution of Emperor Decius. Maybe others gained the desert for the same reasons. But these are only isolated cases that do not allow any conclusion on the whole primitive monasticism. The primary reason of monasticism is not human weakness, but the strength of Christ's teaching. St. John Colobos, who wrote the life Saint Païssios the Great, wrote in the preface: "The heavenly and eternal goods rise in those who covet an immense desire. They nourish the heart of an insatiable sweetness and divine, maintain the continual remembrance of the bliss of the afterlife, the reward of effort, the bright triumph of ascetics, incite contempt of all that is temporal and vain, grow and not to spare the life itself, but rather to offer it to Christ, in the words of the Gospel. Such men prefer death for Christ at all pleasures. But as persecution is lacking now it becomes difficult to get this death so ardently desired, so the ascetics try to assume otherwise. They establish for themselves a slow killing and no less violent. They support thousands of daily pain, fast, perform various feats, struggling against invisible demons, forcing them hard to resist the carnal nature intangible enemy. "
- You compare the achievement of monasticism that of martyrdom?
- This is one and the same feat in different forms. The martyrdom and monasticism are based on the same sentences of the Gospel. Neither one nor the other have been invented by men: they were given to humanity by the Lord Himself. One and one can not be completed with the help of almighty God, and the intervention of grace. You will be provided by reading the lives of Antoine le Grand, Theodore Studite of Mary of Egypt, John the Great Suffering, Nikon Sukhoi, and others, whose deeds and sufferings were above Nature. Saint Symeon the New Theologian says his master Saint Symeon the Pious monk at Studion, he assimilated to the martyrs by his bodily sufferings.
- Tell me, father, what is the importance of celibacy and non-possession in the monastic feat. It's hard to understand for those who live in the world, working for the good of society, distribute abundant alms, and do many good works, listed and approved by the Gospel, and without further explanation , see the monastic life as an idle and useless life.
- Activities Lay you mention doing the commandments of the Gospel on the material: they are essential to hello, but insufficient to achieve the perfection . There also does brakes amid concerns and obligations of the world. Instead, successful land offers the possibility of increasing the amount of good works: this is a very rich man can distribute much alms to the poor, and a powerful lord can better defend the oppressed. However, in such activities, we must beware of acting like the Pharisee in the Gospel (cf. Comment of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria Luc18) which certainly multiplied the good works, but wore a look unfair on them. His vision of himself and his family are false, his good works became displeasing to God. The Apostle says that those who perform good works must do as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1Pi.4, 10). Thus, the rich for handouts of his property, considering that they have been entrusted by God, if a lord gives his blessings, he does not brag about his social position as if it belonged own, because it God who has given him. So they look down upon the next will no longer be needed. Then their conscience will start to question the meaning of their works, just as before that of Job. Do they give satisfaction to God? Would it not they great or small defects? Gradually, these issues will eventually raise the idea of a more perfect life ...
Recognize that the monastic life seems useless and idle just to those who assume their activity! The index of activity is just Christian humility. Conversely, pride and presumption are sure signs of activity unjust, as indicated by the Lord Himself. The view that you mention thus showing a wrong view of Christianity and disfigured. Christian perfection has been given by the Lord Himself to His disciples. It begins where the good works prescribed for the laity to their fullness. Study Christianity, learn what is perfection, and you will understand the importance of monasticism, and blasphemous absurdity of the charges made against monks, who are striving to fulfill the commandments the highest in the Gospel, inaccessible to the laity. Those who denigrate denigrate monasticism the Lord Himself, who established the Christian perfection.
- Okay, that's understood! But show me clearly the scope of non-possession and celibacy on the path of Christian perfection.
- This is extraordinary. I'll try to make you accessible. Whoever distributes its goods to the needy in obedience to Christ and follow Him fully , is poor to suffer deprivation, which bring humility in abundance ceasing to base his hopes on the world, he focuses on God. His heart leaves the earth to heaven (mt.6, 21). He begins to navigate the ocean of this life sustained by faith. His concerns are presented to the Lord who, by ordering his closest disciples to distribute their goods (Luc12, 33) and limit their concerns to the minimum necessary for the body, has promised that the necessary would be provided by the Heavenly Father to those seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and his righteousness (mt.6 0.24 to 33). Tribulations are then allowed for these servants of God's providence seems to be hiding, the world acquires a particular strength. All this is essential to teaching the faith alive in God is tested by that is fortified. The experiment spread to light disbelief, the removal or denial of God, states inherent in the fallen nature. When the heart weakens and ceases to be alert, he slips into a distressing blindness hopes in himself, taking on the world, about nature, and away from hope in God (Mt.14, 28 - 32). This brief explanation shows that deprivation of property pushed the ascetic of Christ to a higher spiritual state that isolates it from the brothers live in the world, state that they can not know by experience. However, this state is also high constant pain for the body and the fallen nature. That is what the Lord calls the cross .
On a spiritual level, non-possession is similar to celibacy. The effort to defeat the fallen nature led to a feat that can not imagine those who do not experience. This feat of denial of nature is completed by the cross of non-possession (which implies that the renunciation property). It leads to the abyss of humility, faith living in thanksgiving. In this asceticism, as reflected in the lives of saints, the spirits of darkness cooperate with the fallen nature of man to keep in the fall. According to the difficulties of battle, victory can be very fruitful (scale 4.47), and obtain the renewal of nature by visiting the heart of what the holy fathers call spiritual perception (Saint Macarius the Great 5.7): nature is still human, but his perception changes (St. Isaac the Syrian 43 & 48). Thus, the oil-soaked paper absorbs more water, not because its nature has changed, but because his thirst for absorption is nourished by material that has no physical relationship with water .
- Nowadays, many people who think that the celibate life is against nature, impossible, and that closing the door to nature leads her to search for illegal gates.
- Everyone talks about his own experience. The unknown always seems impossible, and what appears to be personally experienced the common lot. The fathers, who focused on the issue are unanimous in saying the following things: that celibacy is not natural to fallen man, it was natural to man before the fall (Gen.2: 25); after renewal of nature wrought by Christ, the ability to live in virginity and celibacy was made to man virginity and celibacy are superior to marriage, even if a couple's life is elevated by Christianity to a level higher than it was before the Incarnation (Eph.5, 32). The God-Man has led a life of virginity, the Holy Mother of God was and remained a virgin, the Holy Apostles John the Theologian, Paul, Barnabas, and doubtless many others were blank. With the advent of Christianity appeared armies of men and women virgins. This feat was rare before the renewal of nature through the Redeemer. With the Redeemer, God's kindness has spilled over men, as was precisely the angels sang (Luc2, 14), and sanctified by the many gifts of grace. The abundance of graces received by Christians is mentioned so picturesque in teaching that the priest must read according to the newlyweds Rule of the Church: "The great field of God, the great owner, is worked in three ways: it is also one of three ways he dons the fruit harvest time. The first part of this field is manipulated by those who love and keep it uncorrupted virginity until the end of their days, making a hundredfold the fruits of virtue for the Lord's granaries. The second part is manipulated by those who are temperate in widowhood and bear fruit more than sixty times. The third part is manipulated by those who live in marital union in leading a pious life, in fear of God, making fruitful field thirty times. In the same field are thus different sections and different fruits, all of which are blessed and praiseworthy, as intended. Ambrose says: we preach virginity so that widows are not released, and we honor the widows so that the marriage be kept with honor. "
- How the Christian knows if he may or may not lead a celibate life? In my opinion, this question should bother any candidate for the monastic life ...
- When you want, you can (Mt.19, 12). When the man was pure, he had the freedom to stay. And now, after the renewal of his nature, he himself decides to endorse the renewed nature in all its development , or enjoying only to a certain extent necessary for salvation, or remain in the fall and cultivating in him the fallen nature. The renewal of nature is a gift the Redeemer. For this reason, under any evangelical chosen by a good disposition but is given by Christ as a gift. The provision is good proven by the effort to acquire virtue, and virtue is finally obtained of God through constant prayer and patient. None of the evangelical virtues is to own fallen nature: the ascetic must always force himself, praying through tears and humility (Macarius the Great, 13.1). Like all virtues evangelical celibacy freely chosen. Like all other virtues, good provision must be proved by the struggle against the evil tendencies of fallen nature, the body control, and asceticism. The fallen nature will get the gift of purity when it will be conscious its inability to acquire this purity, and will throw in a fervent prayer, full of compunction. (John Cassian 4.5 & Greater Barsanuphius 2.55). The gift is sent by divine grace, which comes overshadow, change and renew nature. Thus explaining the ability of every man to celibacy, Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria concluded by recalling that everyone who asks receives (Mt.7, 8). Examine the lives of saints, which describes the exploits against the tendencies of fallen nature, and you will see that all went from the normal state in which man is incapable of celibacy in the state in which celibacy is somehow second nature after a fierce battle against the desires of the flesh. You will see that their main weapons are prayer and tears. You will see blank away from the marriage of widows refrain from contracting a second marriage, but also rakes, lovers, criminals and unrepentant sinners ascend to the purity, incorruptibility, and holiness. I repeat: in the New Testament Church, countless virgins of both sexes, widowers and widows without blemish, and of dissolute women adulterers, prove incontestably the achievement of chastity is neither impossible nor as difficult as it appears in the eyes of theorists argue that without experience, and without knowing the moral tradition of the Church. These people examine and draw conclusions, say it openly, as depraved prejudice heavy and tough, who hated monasticism and, generally speaking, Orthodox Christianity. Are right to Saint Isidore of Pelusium wrote to St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, "the prejudice is blind and hate is completely blind." (more)
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