The Wondrous and Paradoxical Ethos of Monasticism

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prologue

The Paradoxical Way of the Lord and its Otherness in the Monastic Culture

Sanctification, the Gold Reserve of Salvation

Separated from All and United to All

Obedience, Faith Activated by Love

The Call of Monasticism 
Serving the Brotherhood 
Mistrusting our Limited Mind 
Our Resolution to Die 
The Small Communion of Saints
The Thought of Living in Stillness 
One Care: The Garment of Sanctification 
Obedience, Endless Gratitude

Obedience, Faith Made Evidence

The Selfless Care of our Elders
Becoming a Gift to our Elders
Absoluteness of Obedience, Richness of Life
What Obliges God
The Fortitude of Going Down
Finding Confidence Before the Lord
Mutual Inspiration Between the Elder and the Disciple
Maintaining the Same Reverence to the End
Becoming Genuine Children
The Gift of Obedience
Obedience Perfected in Love
The Monk, Bearer of the Ethos of Christ

Saving Leaps of Self-condemnation

The Attraction of Humility
The Fear of Going Down
Experiment and True Inspiration
Keep thy Mind in Hell
Going to the End
Education through Trials
Leaps of Faith, the Way Out

The Earthquake of the Monk, Image of Pentecost

The Fearful Refashioning of the Heart
The Earthquake by the Name of the Lord Jesus
The Earthquake of Repentance
The Earthquake through Love for the Word of God
The Earthquake of Obedience

Temptations of the Monk

Narrowness of the Way and Sensitivity
Exhaustion and Prayer
Grief for our Remoteness from God
Freedom from Despondency
Increasing the Tension
The Destructive Rational Mind
Desire to Slacken the Tension
Concern for One’s Kin of the Flesh

The Calamity of Independence

The Perfect Way of God
The Blessing of Being Dependent
The Cleansing of the Heart
Inheriting Life
Saints Silouan and Sophrony
When Life is Limping
Criterion of Obedience
Obtaining Hypostasis
Fidelity

Seeking the Bridal Chamber of the Heart

Visitations from Above
Knowing His Humble Spirit
A Great Science
Hatred without Hatred
The Bridal Chamber of the Heart

The Monk’s Attitude towards his Elder

A Relationship that is not of This World
The Word of the Elder Brightens our Life
An Unfailing Criterion
The Holy Abbot
The Providence of God through the Abbot
A Prophetic Ministry
Convincing God and the Elder in the Heart
The Sacred Tool of the Monk

Acquiring Supernatural Gifts through Obedience

God’s Education: Tasting Death unto Life
Our Point of Reference
The Joy of the Elder, the Joy of the Disciple
The Sign for the Monk
The Word of Life
The Greatness of the Vocation

Obedience, the Wondrous Healing of the Will

From Self-renunciation to Contemplation

The Pool of Siloam, the Cradle of Brotherly Love

Fulfilling the Second Commandment of Love

Living with the Brethren

The Poverty and Otherness of the Monk

Shortcut to Reconciliation with God

A Blessed Shortcut
A Supernatural Birth
The Shepherd of the Brethren
Freedom in the Community
Transcending the Law
Time and Thanksgiving

Royal Priesthood and the Blessed Desert of the Monk

The Charismatic Liturgy of the Monk in His Cell

From Self-condemnation to Divine Illumination

The Veil Is Lifted

Index of Scriptural References