And the quest for humility
Struggling with his pride, the monk focuses on bringing his own will into conformity with the will of God, through monastic obedience. This obedience is not limited to obeying the directives of his abbot, but taking up a standard of humility that takes seriously his adherence to the 102 canons of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, in the garb he wears, and refraining from cutting his hair and beard. The monk places his own will aside, taking up the tradition of the Church, and making it is own.
Recognizing that false humility is almost wholly the product of self-righteous hypocrisy, the monk dedicates himself to a truth which is absolute, and which transcends his personal opinion. It is precisely this humility which Saint Paul reveals to us when, boasting of his sufferings and exploits, he tells us that they have meaning only in Jesus Christ.
The monk fights off the temptation of making his faith a form of ideology, for he knows the knowledge of Jesus Christ, when transformed into an ideological and moralistic knowledge, closes the door to others, and turns Christianity into a list of requirements, denuding the message of the Church into yet another worldly political force.
The monk refuses to let his Christian faith distance himself from others, because he knows the monastic life is not a withdrawal from others, but an embracing of all humanity, through his intimate relationship with Christ, through Whom all are united.
It is only through his immersion in a life of prayer, that the monk’s faith becomes something other than an ideology. Through his uniting of himself in the prayer of the Church, the monk loses himself, becoming one with Christ, and with all Christians. His quest for humility comes through his having united himself to the humility of Christ, Who condescended to take on our flesh, in order to unite His divinity, with our humanity.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Tuesday February 3, 2015 / January 21, 2015
Week of the Publican and the Pharisee. Tone one.
Fast-free Week. Fast-free
Venerable Maximus the Confessor (662).
Martyr Neophytus of Nicaea (305).
Martyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian, and Aquila at Trebizond (303).
Venerable Maximus the Greek of Russia (1556).
New Hieromartyr Elias priest (1938).
Virgin-martyr Agnes of Rome (304).
Martyr Anastasius, disciple of St. Maximus the Confessor (662).
Wonderworking Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Paramythia (Vatopedi, Mt. Athos).
Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos “Stabbed” (“Zaklannaya”) and “Xenophite Hodegetria”.
Venerable Neophytes of Vatopedi on Mt Athos (Greek).
St. Zosimas, bishop of Syracuse (662).
Synaxis of the Church of Holy Peace by the Sea in Constantinople.
St. Timon, monk of Nadeyev and Kostroma (1840).
Scripture Readings for the Day:
2 Peter 2:9-22
9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
Depravity of False Teachers
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
Mark 13:14-23
The Great Tribulation
14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
21 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
This whole article was nothing less than pride rearing its ugly head. Look at me, what I must do 100+ this or that, let my beard grow so that others will know how long I have been here,
Read it again, with different eyes. See if I am not correct. To tell this to an initiate, in private is one thing, but you want the whole world to know.
Pride goes B4 a Fall
Don’t agree with your comment, my friend. All that’s said here has been repeated throughout the ages by the holiest of saints, in countless of lives of the saints. They serve not to encourage pride, but a spiritual goal do those who chose this life to follow. Fr. Tryphon does not write about “I” but the abstract “monk”, synthesizing all these countless of writings into a brief blog post.
Having spent time in a monastery as layperson, I do not recall at anytime anyone ever comparing the length of one’s beard to prove his worth greater than his brother. Some cannot even grow beards. Perhaps to understand the concept of monastic seclusion from self, you may learn about and see the service for a monastic tonsure, read more from the writings or great saints, and not be so overly judgemental.
If I offend, then please forgive me.
Your entire article on “Pride, and the quest for humility” well addresses what life SHOULD be for a monastic where this subject is concerned. It is not a “proscription” but instead a “sharing” of the subject. When one makes the choice to become a monastic, it is just that, a choice. The opinion expressed in this article about pride was not meant to be any kind of directive for the laity, but to be informative as general information for those outside of and who are interested in knowing about the monastic way regarding “pride”. This writing IS for the whole world to know, some of what life is like and is appreciated by those who may be considering the monastic life and is well written to that end.
To “Pride Fall” ~
You are not correct, this article is not an example of false modesty. It is not even about the author at all, it is—as noted by another reader—about monks and those who embrace a monastic lifestyle (within a monastery or in different settings).
Your cruel comments project motives on Father Tryphon that are not present. Having been his friend for more than a decade, and knowing all the monks at the monastery as my dear friends and family, I know that they are humble and kind people, who work hard to bring their will in alignment with the will of God. Even in process, they embrace their failures, flaws and fault with good grace and humor, knowing that God loves the effort that they make.
Please do not make unkind remarks so public.
Dr. Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen
Amen to that!