Thanks to the Emperor Constantine (324-375), Christianity became the legally acknowledged religion in the Roman Empire. This came at a price for the Church. Vast numbers of people became Christians, not because they understood and accepted the Christian faith, but because it was socially advantageous to do so. The wealth, power and privilege granted to the Church was accompanied by widespread corruption.
At the same time, Roman society was characterized by decadence and futility. Many individuals came to regard the Church and Roman society as shipwrecks which had to be abandoned for the sake of one’s spiritual life. This is what led to the beginning of Monasticism. Men and women withdrew into the deserts of Arabia, Egypt and Syria. The first of these was a man named Antony, who is considered to be the first monk (monk means “alone). At the age of twenty, Antony withdrew to the desert of Egypt, where he spent eighty-five years living in solitude. He died in 356 at the age of 105. Sections of the Egyptian desert became so populated with monks they were called “cities of monks.” Antony kept moving deeper into the desert to maintain his solitude.
One might ask: What was Christian about the way Antony and those who followed him lived? After all, Jesus didn’t live in the desert. Jesus moved around a lot. He talked and ate with people, etc. Those who usually say these things are married, have children, have a 401K, and a marriage and a car. Jesus didn’t have any of those things. We need to be open to the fact that there is a variety of ways in which people have sought to imitate Jesus, focusing on different aspects of Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus did say to at least one man: “If you wish to be perfect go sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then follow me” (Mt.19:21). Jesus also said: “Whoever loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt.10:27). Jesus even refers to someone being a eunuch for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Mt.19:12). Thus, at least in specific situations Jesus called people to give up things that in themselves are good. Jesus didn’t say these things to everybody, but he did say them to particular persons. We can also recall that St. Paul urged people not to marry, to stay single, so that they can be focused on the things of the Lord (1Cor.7:27-33).
These Scriptural statements blended into what is called the Monastic life. Monasticism has lived on as a numerically small but distinguished feature of the Church’s life in our own day. It is frequently said that the Monastic Orders are what the Church depends for its spiritual power. The Second Vatican Council spoke about the certain preeminence of the Monastic Orders and encouraged their growth.
Most people reach God through the medium of a married love and bringing up children and an active life fully mixed up with the things of time and the world. Many Catholics place a strong emphasis on humanitarian activities such as social justice and social work, outreach and philanthropy, respect for nature— all good things in themselves. But as Pope Francis says: “We have an inner life that cannot be neglected.” We can learn from Monasticism something valuable about inner spirituality. At the heart of Monasticism are solitude and a certain separation from the world.
Solitude, being alone, is at the heart of Monastic life, and it is an important component at the heart of the Christian life. Solitude is the context for prayer. The challenge for most people is how to bring about this solitude? How do we make solitude happen? People answer that question in different ways.
Monastic spirituality involves a certain separation from the world. There are great forces of truth, goodness and beauty in the world. However, the world also involves a set of servitudes. The Cure of Ars used to say: “How pitiable are the poor people out in the world.” There is a whole network of needs and demands which worldly life imposes on people.
Again, here are some Scriptural verses: 1John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father, but from the world.” In Romans 12:2 Paul states that the Christian must not be conformed to this world.” And there is the famous Mt.6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” According to the Catholic theologian, Karl Rahner, the contemplative Orders tell us about the importance of a certain counter-cultural perspective in our lives, living with a certain contradiction to the spirit of the age.
The wisdom of Monasticism also includes a devotion to reading, as well as detachment and renunciation in some form, a certain dying to self.
When I received my Ph.D., to give thanks and relax, I traveled to Kentucky to spend a week at the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemane—the Monastic Monastery Thomas Merton made famous. Twenty years later, when I received the designation “Professor Emeritus,” I made the trip again. The number of monks at the monastery had remained solid. I treasured the week that involved Gregorian Chant, chanting psalms several times a day, silent meals, solitary walks, hours of reading, times of manual labor (I mowed lawns), the Salve Regina at the end of the day. There was the overall silence. I have spent time at other Monastic Monasteries beside Gethsemane, where there was much the same.
Many people do not respond to elements involved in Monastic seeking a deeper experience of God. The elements go against the ideas of most fellow human beings. Still, the Monastic life fascinates a number of people in the secular world. It appeals to the young.
