they are in the world but not of the world

they are separated from all yet united to all

We visit monasteries to leave the noise of the world and find some stillness.   Especially after a tragedy it is a blessing to be in contact with monastics, better still if one has developed a relationship with them.  But either way, it’s good to get away.

Despite the growth of monastic communities there still remains skepticism by some about the role of monasteries in our Faith, yet Saint John Chrysostom is clear that the health of our Churches is interrelated to the presence of monasteries.   Monastics truly place themselves beneath all the people in the world and consider themselves the chief among sinners.  They cultivate a patience and silence that is palpable to the souls that visit them.

They pray for the salvation of the whole world as fervently as we pray for ourselves.   Their joy is not a fleeting joy but the jewel-joy forged of the pressure of the struggle.  It is like a low hanging fruit, uplifting and  nourishing all who gather under it’s branches.

Elder Amphilochios amplifies this interconnection between the health of the parishes in this way,

“Wherever Orthodox monasticism is absent, the Church does not exist, just as there can not be a government with out an army and a well-governed state without a national guard.  The monastics guard the boundaries of our Church and protect Her from her enemies, who in or contemporary materialistic ages rush to mangle her like wolves.”

To visit a monastery is to visit a place of intensified authentic spiritual struggle.  Orthodox believers should always bear that in mind when visiting monastic communities.   You might walk right in to the spiritual struggle of another – but yet all of us are in a great struggle – aren’t we?

But for pilgrims with no expectation, for pilgrims seeking a good word, one finds low hanging fruit, a respite from earthly cares, and a glimpse at heaven on earth.