Thoughts on Monasticism

Inoc, by Konstantin Savitskiy, 1897

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

“We would not go to the gym and begin exercising unless we felt unfit, and we would not begin asceticism except for feeling that our spiritual life is too easily winded.” - David Fagerberg

I have always felt that monasticism could not be superior to parish life, just like going to the gym could not superior to being young and active. While you don’t need to go to the gym when things are easily maintained and naturally healthy, not going to the gym and working out when you are older leads to bad health and premature death. Monasticism isn’t an “angelic life” - We’ve known too many strange, struggling and mean-spirited monks to believe that propaganda. Monasticism is a necessary response to human brokenness, limited attention spans, and natural laziness, and corrects problematic parts of our human condition by strict reinforcement. 

With this in mind, let us recalibrate the oft heard axiom that “without monasticism a nation cannot be fully Christian.” This is obviously not true, because Christianity took over the Roman world without monasticism. Monasticism is a response to Christianity becoming the official religion of the Roman world and the resulting laxity and political insincerity of opportunistic converts. Instead, let us realize that “a culture doesn’t stay Christian without monasticism.” 

Monks may be imperfect and broken, like all the rest of their Christian brothers and sisters, but they are coaches in the spiritual arts just like a gym-bound bodybuilder can help the middle-aged, potbellied plebeian get back and shape and live a longer, more active life. Different, not better. 

Monks always need a grace-filled laity to balance them out, too. Never forget, many, many canons were written to restrain the negative, rebellious, destructive impulses of monasticism throughout history. So, if one is called to celibacy and monasticism, it is a wonderful thing, but it is not the foundation of the Church, it is a fruit of the flowering of Faith. 

The sacramental function of the local parish is just as important and grace-filled as a monastery. Instead of making a pilgrimage to a monastery, thinking that you will receive better counsel and more spiritual power, go to your local priest. Instead of going to the gym and hiring a coach so that you can lose weight and get fit, walk every day with your spiritual father around your neighborhood, walking and talking like Jesus did with His Disciples, learning the Faith and staying fit for life! This is a sustainable way to stay spiritually fit, and one that you can easily teach to others in your family.