SHAWORDS

Besides, they will call themselves by patronymic names, stating, I am — Monasticism

Home›Monasticism›Quote
"Besides, they will call themselves by patronymic names, stating, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos. (I Corinthians 1:12), as if the power of their monasticism were in the merit of their forefathers; they will glorify themselves through their fathers, just as the Jews do through their father Abraham. But there will also be those who will be much better and more perfect than we, for he is blessed who could transgress and did not, could do evil and did not, rather than he who is attracted to the good by the multitude of zealots aspiring toward it. This is why Noah, Abraham, and Lot, who led such exemplary lives amidst evil people, are so justly glorified in the Scriptures."
M
Monasticism
M
Monasticism
Monasticism
author10 quotes

Monasticism, also called monachism or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual activities. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican traditions as well as in other faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. In other religions, monasticism is genera

More by Monasticism

View all →
Quote
"We value spiritual progress, which must include renunciation of self, and also an understanding of earthly conditions. The one who renounces everything earthly cannot be a fair judge of this, and similarly, the one completely involved in earthly concerns cannot rise above them sufficiently to observe fully. It is rare to find the person in whom these two attitudes are harmoniously reconciled. Most people see them as contradictory, because they do not know that spiritual advancement can be accomplished in ordinary life. Monasteries were established to help strengthen those who were weak in spirit. But those monks who were strong went out to spread their teaching far and wide. They could not remain long in their hermitage. Their spiritual vessels filled, they felt a need to return to the world. Thus, they not only brought spiritual help, but also themselves acquired a knowledge of life. This aspect is not usually understood, because people are unaware of the needed harmony between renunciation and acceptance of daily life. 523."
M
Monasticism
Quote
"Somewhere in the desert at the back of Alexandria there was once a monastery whose abbot possessed the power of clairvoyance. Among his monks there were two young men who had an especial reputation for purity and holiness... One day when they were singing in the choir it occurred to the abbot to turn his clairvoyant faculty upon these two young men, in the endeavour to discover how they contrived to preserve this especial purity amidst the temptations of daily life. So he looked at the first young man and saw that he had surrounded himself with a shell as of glitteringq crystal, and that when the tempting demons (impure thought-forms we should call them) came rushing at him, they struck against this shell, and fell back without injuring him, so that he remained inside his shell, calm and cold and pure. Then the abbot looked at the second young monk, and he saw that he had built no shell round himself, but that his heart was so full of the love of God that it was perpetually radiating- from him in all directions in the shape of torrents of love for his fellowmen, so that when the attempting- demons sprang at him with foul intent they were all washed away in that mighty outpouring stream, and so he also remained pure and undefiled... the abbot said that the second monk was nearer to the kingdom of heaven than the first. p. 477"
M
Monasticism