The only thing most men give up…
When entering a monastery.
The only thing the average man entering monastic life today gives up is his will - “sell your will and give to the poor”- as John of the Cross counsels. In modern times, nothing is really lacking to a man who enters monastic life, although he may have left behind a career or potential success. However, if he follows the rule of St. Benedict, he lives under obedience to an abbot and in stability within a particular house, while his primary duty remains the opus Dei - the Divine Office - to which “nothing is to be preferred”.
“The first degree of humility is obedience without delay… this is the virtue of those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ…” - Rule of St. Benedict.
Thus we come to understand how extremely difficult monastic life is for contemporary man; why there are so few vocations, and fewer who “persevere in the monastery until death”.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:10 am
Yeah, obedience would be the hardest vow to live, and not just for men.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Well, Mother Frangelico tells me that I have problems with obedience and authority. I’m not sure I’d do so well as a Benedictine.