November: Day 20: Teaching 2: Venerable Gregory the Decapolite

November: Day 20: Teaching 2:
Venerable Gregory the Decapolite
 
(The Failure of Objections to Monasticism)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Gregory, whose memory is celebrated today, was a native of Decapolis in Isauria, and from childhood he loved learning and achieved a broad education, but at the same time, under the influence of a pious home education, he studied and loved the Holy Scriptures even more zealously and, already from the age of eight, piously observed the life that they prescribed. Having reached the age of maturity and avoiding married life, he left his native home and “accepted monasticism.” Without choosing a permanent refuge for himself, Gregory traveled through various countries, and since heretical teachings were widely spread at that time, he actively admonished those who were in error everywhere, confirmed the people in Orthodoxy and consoled those languishing in prison with his visits. This ascetic of holy faith and piety, died peacefully in Constantinople around 820. The Holy Church glorifies him thus: “The Church recognizes you as a bright sun, enlightening everyone with the beauty of virtues and the rays of healing, O Saint of Christ; therefore we celebrate your honorable memory and honor your deeds, all-blessed wise Father Gregory!”

II. We have said that Venerable Gregory loved the pious life from childhood and, upon reaching adulthood, took monastic vows. We have also heard how much good he did and how the Holy Church glorifies him for it. Other monks also brought similar benefits to the Church and their neighbors. Nevertheless, in our time we hear various objections to monasticism, the groundlessness of which is not at all difficult to show. Moreover, one can be surprised how one can object to something that is not worthy of censure, but, on the contrary, of the most ardent sympathy and approval. Only the evil spirit of the times, not without the influence of the enemy of our salvation, can offer supposedly scientific grounds for objections to monasticism.

a) “Monasticism,” they say, “is not modern; it has outlived its time.” If so, then Christianity will also be out of date, because monastic vows directly follow from the spirit of the Gospel and are based on the teaching of the Savior and His Apostles about the highest degrees of Christian life. In addition to the commandments common to all Christians without distinction, the Gospel teaching and the Church offer advice for those wishing to imitate the angelic life. This advice consists in the constant observance of virginity (chastity), complete non-acquisitiveness and complete obedience, and after this in intense prayer and fasting. How can these high virtues be called out of date? Is it really possible to limit the best, holy aspirations of our immortal spirit to any time? And if our age is called the age of enlightenment or progress – forward movement in everything - then on what basis can we belittle the desire of those who strive higher and higher towards God in their lives? Hence, calling monasticism outdated is not only unfair, but also sinful.

b) "Monasticism," they say, "is unnatural." But is everything good that is natural? If we act and live only according to the law of nature, which is corrupted, then Christians will be no different from pagans. By "nature" man is "a child of the wrath of God" (Eph. 2:3), and cannot be saved. That is why the supernatural Christian religion was given to us, so that we could be saved by grace-filled means; but by nature we are so weak that we cannot perform a single virtue from pure motives. The grace of God renews our nature and gives it strength capable of enduring such feats that are unthinkable for a man who is only natural. It heals the weak and replenishes the deficient. And with its help, monasticism will not at all be an unnatural and hard-to-bear yoke for the one who accepts it voluntarily, not by calculation, not for show, who tries to bear it with patience and attentive struggle with various temptations. "The power of God is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9): a person is weak, prone to sins, but can always be strong and firm by the grace of God. But woe to the monk who relies on his own strength, on his natural firmness. He will inevitably become a victim of his own self-confidence.

c) Furthermore, some senseless Christians, who have almost already torn themselves away from the Holy Church, brand monastics as lovers of idleness. But can one really call prayerful labor and feats for the sake of the salvation of the soul idleness? To pray and to be constantly vigilant over oneself, to be vigilant against the enemies of salvation - the world, the flesh and the devil - is the hardest work. Let those who condemn try to attend church services three times a day and fulfill the prescribed cell rule, and they will see that it is much easier to do other work than that which monks have taken upon themselves. Moreover, true monks not only do not avoid the most difficult physical labors, but even seek them. Who does not know the almost night and day labors of the Venerable Theodosius of the Caves, the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Philip in the Solovetsky Monastery and many other holy saints of God - who were monks? Then, who does not know that the most difficult duties in the spiritual sense, requiring the strongest mental effort, are most willingly carried out by monks for the benefit of God's Church? True, there are occasionally bad monks - inattentive spiritual warriors; but, brethren, be careful in judging the life of monks only in certain cases. Perhaps at the time when you pronounce judgment on some monk who has given offense, he is pouring out his soul before God in tears, and by his repentance has long since earned forgiveness from above.

d) Many, however, find monasticism superfluous, unnecessary. But our Orthodox monasteries have always been a stronghold of piety, have always acted for the benefit of the fatherland, especially in its troubled times, and served as engines of enlightenment when it was not yet as widespread as it is today. Monasticism served as a kind of sacrifice to God from the world and, realizing to the highest degree all the demands of the Christian religion, serves as a model of Christian life and a disseminator of religious and moral light among the surrounding population. What would happen to the world, lying in evil, if it did not see examples of holy life and if it did not receive incentives for a higher life from living examples of piety? And would it even stand if the righteous were completely impoverished? This one merit of monasticism, immeasurably great, gives full right to the existence of monasticism among Christian societies. Is it possible after this to condemn monasticism and consider it superfluous? The more good monks there are from among one or another society, the more clearly its moral direction is revealed. And vice versa, the fewer, the more clearly the decline of ardent piety and spiritual selflessness.

III. Beloved brethren in Christ! We must always remember that lay Christians must also strive in piety in order to be saved. Man cannot be saved without labor. “The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and only the strenuous seekers attain it. How strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life,” that is, the Kingdom of Heaven, “and how few there are they that find it,” says the Lord (Matt. 11:12, 7, 13)! Amen.

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.