C
chrisb
Guest
Grace and Peace,
I’m curious, what is the goal of Monasticism…
Thank you.
I’m curious, what is the goal of Monasticism…
Thank you.
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S
SuscipeMeDomine
Guest
In the Rule of St. Benedict, the end of the Prologue reads:
And so we are going to establish
a school for the service of the Lord.
In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome.
But if a certain strictness results from the dictates of equity
for the amendment of vices or the preservation of charity,
do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation,
whose entrance cannot but be narrow (Matt. 7:14).
For as we advance in the religious life and in faith,
our hearts expand
and we run the way of God’s commandments
with unspeakable sweetness of love.
Thus, never departing from His school,
but persevering in the monastery according to His teaching
until death,
we may by patience share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13)
and deserve to have a share also in His kingdom.
I think that sums up well what monasticism is about.
And so we are going to establish
a school for the service of the Lord.
In founding it we hope to introduce nothing harsh or burdensome.
But if a certain strictness results from the dictates of equity
for the amendment of vices or the preservation of charity,
do not be at once dismayed and fly from the way of salvation,
whose entrance cannot but be narrow (Matt. 7:14).
For as we advance in the religious life and in faith,
our hearts expand
and we run the way of God’s commandments
with unspeakable sweetness of love.
Thus, never departing from His school,
but persevering in the monastery according to His teaching
until death,
we may by patience share in the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:13)
and deserve to have a share also in His kingdom.
I think that sums up well what monasticism is about.
M
Marsha_Adams
Guest
Through prayer and contemplation to become like God. Some use the term theosis or deification or divinization or sanctification.
J
Jesus_123
Guest
:harp:* Perfect answer . . . *
. . . all for Jesus+
. . . thank You Lord+
. . . thank you Blessed Holy St. Benedict+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+
. . . thank You Lord+
. . . thank you Blessed Holy St. Benedict+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+
J
JRKH
Guest
I would say that the ultimate Goal of the monastic life is Union with God.
He or she who dedicates themselves to the monastic way is doing so in order to divest themselves of all worldly connections all all sin and effection for sin. To live in orderly service to God and their fellow man, devoting their life to prayer and work for the Greater Glory of God and also to become more like God, that is to convorm their will to God’s Will.
**This Article **might help explain it.
Peace
James
He or she who dedicates themselves to the monastic way is doing so in order to divest themselves of all worldly connections all all sin and effection for sin. To live in orderly service to God and their fellow man, devoting their life to prayer and work for the Greater Glory of God and also to become more like God, that is to convorm their will to God’s Will.
**This Article **might help explain it.
Peace
James
B
bpbasilphx
Guest
As St. Seraphim of Sarov said, the aim of the Christian life for both seculars and monastics is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
For more information about this, read A WONDERFUL REVELATION TO THE WORLD by his spiritual son Nicholas Motovilov. It’s available on line.
L
Layman
Guest
- To exercise the soul in a well-equipped, well-ordered gymnasium.
- To work as a prayer factory;
- To stay God’s wrath towards sinful Man by piety;
- To sell all you have, give the money to the poor and follow Him;
- To achieve sanctity.
C
chrisb
Guest
These all seem to be means and not ends?
M
MIKE46
Guest
As it was explained to me back in the neanderthal days before the great awakening in the mid sixties the goal of monasticism is to provide a school for perfection. Let me explain
The early Christians believed that the current age, theirs not ours, was at the very brink of the end times and that the end and hence salvation or damnation was at hand. They saw no real reason to plan for the future and were both surprised and frustrated when the end times failed to materialize as expected. It rapidly became apparent that living in the regular world was pretty much incomaptible with the level of spiritual perfection called for in scripture. Remember, St Paul himself argued against marriage and by extension procreation.
It was felt that there needed to be a group that could devote themselves exculsively to spiritual matters and that in so doing they would create an atmosphere for perfection that would help us all in our struggles. At first it was thought that Priests and Bishops were sufficient but it soon became apparent that by associating with the world as they did on a daily basis they were unable to achieve and maintain the level of spititual perfection required. Thus monasticism was born, to provide an environment that would facilitate the creation of a level of spiritual perfection that was unattainable in the day to day workings of normal life.
As an aside I remember full well as a young boy walking by the local Convent of The Discalced Carmelites, a strictly cloistered convent, while on a field trip and having Sister explain to us that the Nuns inside unceasingly for the world and our sins and how those prayers helped all of us immensely. I doubt you would hear much of that talk any longer.
At least that was how it was explained to me.
C
chrisb
Guest
J
Jesus_123
Guest
:nun1:** . . . MONASTERY SPIRITUAL GYMNASTICS . . . :nun2:**
**A dear Benedictine-trained elder nun ***(who has been a profound influence for good in my life) *coined the phrase . . . “spiritual gymnastics” . . . as a word of encouragement . . .
. . . for the nuns . . . . her spiritual daughters . . . flourishing under her’s and the monastery’s care . . . whom she was training in relation to the daily practice of the principles set forth in Sacred :bible1: Scripture and the Holy Rule of St. Benedict for Monasteries . . . and the . . . *inevitable discovery *. . . of the weaknesses of some of their . . . *“spiritual muscles” *. . . as they attempted to apply and follow those principles . . . which attempt so often seems to follow the . . . three steps forward - two steps back - repentance - confession - FORGIVENESS - DEO GRATIAS (thanks be to God) . . . :coolinoff: . . . pathway . . .I love the little prayer recorded below which was given to the nuns in the monastery to help them as they sought . . . God’s Loving Presence ** . . . to be with them . . . and His help and graces for their journey together through life . . . while learning how to . . . day-by-day . . . walk successfully with their God . . . and their fellowman . . . in the Love
of God** . . . by the light of our **Lord’s **and His servant St. Benedict’s holy tried and proven well lit pathways (which St. Benedict’s Rule has now survived intact for well over 1500 years and is still the rule for thousands upon thousands of religious today) . . . in their called out vocation of holy religious service to our Wonderful Lord . . .Suscipe me, Domine **(receive me, Lord) . . . “Save Thy handmaiden, O Lord, for in Thee is her hope. Let her be good and humble. Let her be exalted by obedience. Let her be bound to peace. Let her be constant in pray
er. Lastly, O Lord, we beg Thee to receive graciously her offerings . . . “:bible1:“Give us this day our daily bread.”**
Matthew 6:11
. . . all for Jesus+
. . . thank You Holy Jesus+
. . . thank you Holy Mother+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+
. . . thank You Holy Jesus+
. . . thank you Holy Mother+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+
F
Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
Salvation
B
bpbasilphx
Guest
This is the same thing that St. Seraphim of Sarov said.
P
pnewton
Guest
The means is the end. We are all called to be part of the body of while we walk on this Earth. The monastic life is a part of that body that some are called to. It is this journey that is their purpose in life, these activities that define their goal. The only other end one can say is the purpose of, that it, to love God and live with him forever. Salvation.
In this world, the journey* is* the destination. Yet we still look beyond this pilgrimage and into eternity.
C
caileanlael
Guest
The goal of a monk, as of every human being, is to be gradually formed or trans-formed into the likeness of Christ. And monastic life is a means – or a set of means – to arrive at that goal.One of the main goals of monasticism at the beginning of the third millennium was to recover its capacity of unifying all the aspects of Christian and human life in one harmonious movement, thus reacting to a movement of differentiation and diversification that has often made of our lives a scattered series of occupations and preoccupations.
C
chrisb
Guest
Could you give us a quote? Everything that I’ve read of St. Seraphim of Sarov is wonderful. What a saint.
S
Shin
Guest
‘The Holy Scriptures do not know any distinctions. They enjoin that all lead the life of monks.’
St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom
K
KEVIN_WILCOX
Guest
The Cistercian Studies Series: *Why monks? * Sorry, must have given the book away, no further details on hand.
Pope John Paul 2 wrote a letter to the Carthusians outlining his thoughts on the subject, available on the internet.
As usual one has to be careful what one reads on the subject, some of it is nonsense and does not even approximate the spiritual core.
Pope John Paul 2 wrote a letter to the Carthusians outlining his thoughts on the subject, available on the internet.
As usual one has to be careful what one reads on the subject, some of it is nonsense and does not even approximate the spiritual core.
J
JW55
Guest
We should be able to take the example of monasticism and apply it to our own lives of how to relate to others in the world by working together in community.
K
KEVIN_WILCOX
Guest
Leading by example, another reason for the establishment of the monastic communities.
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