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The Foundations of Western Monasticism
St. Antony of the Desert, St. Benedict of Nursia, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux rise above all other figures in Catholic history as guides. To travel with them and to seek a view upon the heights of their personal holiness and wisdom is to secure passage into the rich and complex world of monasticism.
Monasticism distills the essence of Catholic spirituality for all time and for all Christians. The Foundations of Western Monasticism , the latest addition to our TAN Classics , concentrates on three of the finest Christian texts available and will provide both first-time and advanced readers with an essential review of Christian monasticism and the foundational principles of Catholic prayer life, spiritual combat, contemplation, and communal living.
These three texts, The Life of St. Antony , the Holy Rule of St. Benedict , and St. Bernard's Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride , are offered to the reader as a simple and short path to the essence of Christian monasticism and authentic Christian teaching.
St. Antony is presented as monasticism's foremost Founding Father, St. Benedict as its greatest Law-giver, and St. Bernard as its most daring Mystic. Taken together, these men and their writings will allow the reader to ascend the very heights of Christian monasticism and arrive at certain firm principles by which to evaluate and deepen his commitment to the Faith.
Foundations of Western Monasticism also includes introductions and reading lists provided by Dr. William Edmund Fahey, Fellow and President of Thomas More College. A Benedictine oblate, Dr. Fahey has provided a new translation of the famous Rule of St. Benedict .
Monasticism distills the essence of Catholic spirituality for all time and for all Christians. The Foundations of Western Monasticism , the latest addition to our TAN Classics , concentrates on three of the finest Christian texts available and will provide both first-time and advanced readers with an essential review of Christian monasticism and the foundational principles of Catholic prayer life, spiritual combat, contemplation, and communal living.
These three texts, The Life of St. Antony , the Holy Rule of St. Benedict , and St. Bernard's Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride , are offered to the reader as a simple and short path to the essence of Christian monasticism and authentic Christian teaching.
St. Antony is presented as monasticism's foremost Founding Father, St. Benedict as its greatest Law-giver, and St. Bernard as its most daring Mystic. Taken together, these men and their writings will allow the reader to ascend the very heights of Christian monasticism and arrive at certain firm principles by which to evaluate and deepen his commitment to the Faith.
Foundations of Western Monasticism also includes introductions and reading lists provided by Dr. William Edmund Fahey, Fellow and President of Thomas More College. A Benedictine oblate, Dr. Fahey has provided a new translation of the famous Rule of St. Benedict .
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2013
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August 22, 2024
3-in-1 combo - this book has The Life of St. Anthony (by St Athanasius), the Rule of St Benedict, and St Bernard's 12 Degrees of Humility and Pride. All of them are wonderful. I haven't seen much on St. Bernard's 12 degrees so I will talk about that.
St Bernard doesn't go into as much detail on the degrees of humility as he does talking about how knowing God and knowing the truth naturally leads to humility. The first steps of humility are done by our own effort and reasoning, but the later steps are (as some have called it) infused. We can only know our littleness because we have seen the light of God, and eventually this light will be unveiled as the full vision of God. Because of this knowledge of ourselves is seen only by another light, it can be practically difficult to discern the different degrees of humility. St Bernard doesn't explain the degrees of humility much, and instead focuses on the progressive knowing of the truth in God.
But St. Bernard does go into detail on the degrees of pride and explains humility more by exploring its contrast. The degrees of pride are easier to distinguish and identify, and they begin with curiosity - a focus into one thing, pleasing to us, rather than on the good itself. Then St Bernard gets into progressive degrees of self-indulgence until finally, he comes to habitual transgression where he writes about Christ raising up the dead out of His own mercy and the meaning of when we are not to pray for someone (1 john 5). Instead, St Bernard says we should weep for them.
Amazing work on humility. The whole collection was worth it for St Bernard's work alone.
St Bernard doesn't go into as much detail on the degrees of humility as he does talking about how knowing God and knowing the truth naturally leads to humility. The first steps of humility are done by our own effort and reasoning, but the later steps are (as some have called it) infused. We can only know our littleness because we have seen the light of God, and eventually this light will be unveiled as the full vision of God. Because of this knowledge of ourselves is seen only by another light, it can be practically difficult to discern the different degrees of humility. St Bernard doesn't explain the degrees of humility much, and instead focuses on the progressive knowing of the truth in God.
But St. Bernard does go into detail on the degrees of pride and explains humility more by exploring its contrast. The degrees of pride are easier to distinguish and identify, and they begin with curiosity - a focus into one thing, pleasing to us, rather than on the good itself. Then St Bernard gets into progressive degrees of self-indulgence until finally, he comes to habitual transgression where he writes about Christ raising up the dead out of His own mercy and the meaning of when we are not to pray for someone (1 john 5). Instead, St Bernard says we should weep for them.
Amazing work on humility. The whole collection was worth it for St Bernard's work alone.
December 28, 2018
This is mostly a look at the central documents pertaining to St. Antony of the Desert, St. Benedict of Nursia, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Still, it was beneficial to take this dive into those documents or biographies. There is little amplifying information apart from the actual sources. This does contain a lot of recommended reading to take a deeper dive into these men and their iinfluence.
December 4, 2013
"The Life of St. Antony," "Rule of St. Benedict," and "Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride" compose the book Foundations of Western Monasticism. These three texts serve to provide a small glimpse into what exactly monasticism is. They were chosen because, according to the preface, "St. Antony is presented as monasticism's foremost founder, St. Benedict as its greatest law-giver, and St. Bernard as its greatest mystic." Dr. Fahey, the editor of this book, chose three fine texts and also provided a new translation of the "Rule of St. Benedict."
You might already be familiar with one, two, or all three of the above texts. I personally was familiar with two of these texts, but "Twelve Degrees of Humility" was a new one to me. My familiarity with some of these texts did not keep me from re-reading them though. I personally love "The Life of St. Antony," and if you have never read it, you need to at least once in your life! In this work, which was written by St. Athanasius, the reader not only receives a biography of St. Antony, but spiritual wisdom and advice on how to resist the devil and his assaults against us.
I won't elaborate on the other two works in great detail. The "Rule of St. Benedict" contains a number of prescriptions for monastics to practice, such as, "How Morning Prayer is to be Said." Dr. Fahey's translation is superb and easy to read. "Twelve Degrees of Humility" is a spiritual "Chutes and Ladders," to explain it in terms that make sense to me. There are twelve degrees one can take to grow more humble and closer to God, but there are also degrees one can take which will make them more prideful and further from God. While this text was intended for monastics, it contains great spiritual truths for the laity as well.
Apart from the texts, which are gems, what I appreciated most about this book were the prefaces Dr. Fahey wrote for each text. They provided background for each great monastic saint and put their teachings/writings in the proper context. He also included suggestions for further reading. I love when an author does this, as it gives you the option of taking what you just read and diving deeper if you choose to do so. So if you want to learn more about Western monasticism's roots, practices, and three of the great Western monastic Saints, pick up this 5 star book.
You might already be familiar with one, two, or all three of the above texts. I personally was familiar with two of these texts, but "Twelve Degrees of Humility" was a new one to me. My familiarity with some of these texts did not keep me from re-reading them though. I personally love "The Life of St. Antony," and if you have never read it, you need to at least once in your life! In this work, which was written by St. Athanasius, the reader not only receives a biography of St. Antony, but spiritual wisdom and advice on how to resist the devil and his assaults against us.
I won't elaborate on the other two works in great detail. The "Rule of St. Benedict" contains a number of prescriptions for monastics to practice, such as, "How Morning Prayer is to be Said." Dr. Fahey's translation is superb and easy to read. "Twelve Degrees of Humility" is a spiritual "Chutes and Ladders," to explain it in terms that make sense to me. There are twelve degrees one can take to grow more humble and closer to God, but there are also degrees one can take which will make them more prideful and further from God. While this text was intended for monastics, it contains great spiritual truths for the laity as well.
Apart from the texts, which are gems, what I appreciated most about this book were the prefaces Dr. Fahey wrote for each text. They provided background for each great monastic saint and put their teachings/writings in the proper context. He also included suggestions for further reading. I love when an author does this, as it gives you the option of taking what you just read and diving deeper if you choose to do so. So if you want to learn more about Western monasticism's roots, practices, and three of the great Western monastic Saints, pick up this 5 star book.
March 4, 2025
For anyone's consideration: here are my notes on the lives and works of St. Antony of the Desert, St. Benedict of Nursia, and St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
I. SAINT ANTONY OF THE DESERT
St. Antony of the Desert, against the sin of lust:
"The wretched fiend even stooped to masquerade as a woman by night, simply to deceive Antony; and he quenched the fire of that temptation by thinking of Christ and of the nobility we have through Him, and of the dignity of the soul. (Cf. 1 Cor. 6:15). Again the enemy suggested the delight of pleasure; but he, angered and grieved, thought over the threat of the fire and the torment of the worm. (Cf. Mark 9:43)." Fahey, p. 18
Against anxiety and an unclear perception of things:
"For to distinguish the presence of the good and the bad is by God's gift possible and easy. A vision of holy ones is not troubled, for he shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice (cf. Matt. 12:19); but it falls so restfully and gently that instant gladness and joy and courage awake in the soul." Fahey, p. 39
The Church is one. And so a disunity of minds, intent upon erring conclusions in matters of Faith, is an abomination.
"To the Faith his devotion was wonderful. He never held communion with the Meletian schismatics, knowing their wickedness and rebellion from the beginning, nor had friendly converse with the Manichees, nor any other heretics, save only to warn them to return to their duty, believing and teaching that their friendship and society was a harm and ruin to the soul. So also he loathed the Arian heresy and taught all neither to go near them nor partake in their ill-faith. Once when someone of the Ariomanites came to him and he questioned them and found them misbelievers, he drove them from the hill, saying that their words were worse than the poison of serpents." Fahey, p. 60
Against the need for high learning to obtain holiness:
"Some others of the same kind met him again in the outer hills and thought to mock him because he had not learned letters. Antony said to them, 'And what say you, which is first, the mind or letters? And which is the cause of which, the mind of letters, or letters of the mind?' When they answered that the mind is first and is the inventor of letters, Antony said, 'Then to one whose mind is sound, letters are needless.' The answer astounded both them and the listeners. They went away marveling to see such wisdom in a plain man." Fahey, p. 62
One of the best counters to rationalism I've ever seen:
"'... since you lean rather on proofs and arguments and because you have this art, you want us also not to worship God without reasoned proofs. Do you first tell me this: How comes sure knowing of things, and especially knowledge about God? Is it through reasoned proof, or through a faith which acts; and which is the earlier, the faith that acts, or proof by reasoning?' And when they answered that the faith that acts comes earlier, and that this is the sure knowledge, Antony said, 'You say well, for that faith comes from the very build of the soul, but the art of logic from the skill of those who framed it. It follows that, to those who have an active belief, reasoned proofs are needless and probably useless. For what we know by faith, that you are trying to establish by argument. And often you cannot even put in words what we know, so that the action of faith is better and super than your sophist's proofs.'" Fahey, p. 64
Further:
"'... behold, you who seek conclusions from reasonings, you have no faith. But we do not prove, as our teacher said, in persuasive words of Greek wisdom; we win men by faith, which lays hold of real things before argument can logically establish them (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4). ... Believe, then, you also; and you will see that what we have is not tricks of words, but belief through a love that is active unto Christ, which if you also have, you will no longer seek proofs by reasonings, but will think faith in Christ sufficient by itself.'" Fahey, pp. 65-66
Of St. Antony's vision and reaction to the Arian abominations soonly thereafter manifested:
"Once he sat working, he became as in ecstasy, and in the vision he groaned constantly. Then after a time he turned to his companions groaning; and trembling, he prayed, bending his knees and abiding a long time; and when he arose, the old man was weeping. Then the others trembled and were much afraid and begged him to tell, and long they urged him till he was compelled to speak. Then with a great groan he said, 'Ah, my children, better is it to die than that there happen what I have seen in this vision.' And when they asked again, he said with tears, 'Wrath shall overtake the Church, and she shall be delivered up to men who are like to senseless beasts. For I saw the table of the Lord, and around it mules standing on all sides in a ring and kicking what was within, as might be the kicking of beasts in a wild frolic. You heard surely,' he said, 'how I was groaning, for I heard a voice saying, 'My altar shall be made an abomination.'' So the old man said, and two years after came this present onset of the Arians and the plundering of the churches..." Fahey, p. 67
Fraternal Charity proceeds from Divine Charity. Nothing proceeds from me that is good, except by the Grace of God. I am only a friend to anyone insofar as I am a friend to God.
"... the soldiers had begged him ... to come down, [so] he went and discoursed a little on matters of salvation and on their own needs, and then was hastening back. On the captain asking him to stay longer, he answered that he could not be long with them ... saying, 'As fish that are long on dry land die, so monks who linger among you and spend much time with you grow lax. Therefore, we have to hasten to the hills as the fish to the sea, lest if we linger, we should forget the inner life.'" Fahey, p. 69
II. THE HOLY RULE OF SAINT BENEDICT
In consideration of my role as teacher once Anthony reaches the age to begin formal education:
"In the Roman world, scola or 'school' was something set apart from work--as sacred things are apart from the profane. Indeed, the word also meant 'leisure.' If one carefully counts the hours, Benedict did not imagine the need to work much more than about five hours--hardly comparable to what we think of as 'work' since the industrial revolution. Work is part of the human condition and it has its dignity in the Roman and Benedictine world--hard work at times, but like most work in a traditional society, work has to be done at a humane pace and done for the sake of higher things." Fahey, p. 90
"Some readers no doubt detected the shift in style from Benedict's Late Latin to the strange many-layered words of the Latin translation of the Bible, but it was hard to be sure--in fact, the need for such surety is really a modern preoccupation. Benedict and his monks aimed to allow the Word of God to penetrate the heart, mind, soul, and imagination. The words of a Christian writer should be shot through with the words of Scripture and the Fathers." Fahey, p.91
"... 'for there is no respect of persons with God.' (Rom. 2:11). We are distinguished in his sight for this respect alone: when we are found to excel others in good works and in humility." Fahey, p. 107
St. Benedict on the prudent mean between gentleness and severity:
"For in his teaching the Abbot should always observe that principle of the Apostle in which he says: 'Reprove, entreat, rebuke' (2 Tim. 4:2), that is, mingling gentleness with severity, as the occasion may call for, let him show the rigor of a master or the kindly affections of a father. He must sternly rebuke the undisciplined and restless; but he must exhort the obedient, meek, and patient to advance in virtue. But we charge him to rebuke and punish the negligent and haughty. Let him not shut his eyes to the faults of offenders, but on their first appearance let him do his utmost to cut them out from the root at once.... The well-disposed and those of sensitive minds, let him correct on the first and second occasions only with verbal warnings; but let him chastise the wicked and the hard of heart, and the proud and disobedient on the very first offense with the rod and other bodily punishments, knowing that it is written: 'The fool is not corrected with words.' (Prov. 29:19). And again: 'Strike thy son with the rod, and thou shalt deliver his soul from death.' (Prov. 23:14)." Fahey, pp. 107-108
On Silence:
"Let us do what the Prophet says: 'I said, I will take heed of my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I have set a guard to my mouth, I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence even from good things.' (Ps. 38:2-3; 39:2-3, Vulg.). Here the prophet shows that if at times we ought to refrain from good words for the sake of silence, how much more ought we to abstain from evil words on account of the punishment due to sin. Therefore, because of the importance of silence, let permission to speak be seldom granted to perfect disciples even for discourse which is good and holy and aimed at edification, for it is written: 'In much speaking thou shalt not escape sin.' (Prov. 10:19). And elsewhere: 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue.' (Prov. 18:21). For it belongs to the master to speak and to teach; after all, it is appropriate for the disciple to be silent and to listen. If, therefore, anything must be asked of the superior, let it be asked with all humility and respectful submission. But coarse jests, and ords that are pointless or that are only a prompt for laughter, we condemn in every situation by a permanent ban; nor do we permit the disciple to open his lips for such conversation." Fahey, pp. 114-115
"The tenth step of humility is when a monk is not easily clever at jokes or keen to laugh, for it is written: 'The fool exalteth his voice in laughter.' (Sir. 21:23)." Fahey, p. 119.
"The eleventh step of humility is that when a monk speaks, he speaks gently and without laughter, humbly and with gravity, with few and and well-chosen words, and that he not raise his voice, for it is written: 'The wise man is known by the newness of his words.'" Fahey, p. 119.
On the severity of disobedience in small things:
"Brethren who are sent out on any business and are expected to return to the monastery the same day should not presume to eat away from the monastery, even though they are urged to do so, unless for some reason permission is granted by the Abbot. If they act otherwise, let them be excommunicated." Fahey, p. 148
III. THE TWELVE DEGREES OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
On St. Bernard's wrestling with the attainment of humility:
"For I was afraid that if I said anything worth saying about humility, I might myself be found wanting in that virtue, whereas if, on grounds of modesty, I refused to speak, I might fail in usefulness. And I saw that, though neither of these courses is free from peril, I should be obliged to take one or the other. So I have thought it better to give you the benefit of anything that I can say, than to seek personal safety in the harbour of silence." Fahey, p. 183
Definition of humility according to St. Bernard:
"This affords further evidence that the truth which is withheld from the proud, is disclosed to the humble. And the following may be taken as the definition of humility. It is the virtue which enables a man to see himself in his true colours and thereby to discover his worthlessness." Fahey, p. 190
On true compassion:
"He placed 'the merciful' before 'the pure in heart.' For the merciful quickly discover truth in their neighbours when they extend their sympathy to them, and so kindly identify themselves with them that they feel their good and evil characteristics as if they were their own. They are weak with those that are weak, with those who are offended they burn. They have made it their habit to rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with them that weep. (Rom. 12:15)." Fahey, p. 194
On the correlation between goodness and truth, and of error and evil.
"For as pure truth can be discerned only by one whose heart is pure, so can the sorrow of a brother be most truly felt by one whose heart is sad." Fahey, p. 194
On the three degrees of truth (self, others, God):
"There are then three kinds of degrees of truth; we rise to the first by humble effort, to the second by loving sympathy, to the third by enraptured vision. In the first truth is revealed in severity, in the second in pity, in the third in purity. Reason, by which we analyze ourselves, guides us to the first, feeling which enables us to pity others conducts us to the second; purity by which we are raised to the level of the unseen, carries us up to the third." Fahey, p. 206
For this Ash Wednesday in particular:
"Yet if, O man, you look carefully into yourself, it is indeed a wonder that you can ever look at anything else. You inquisitive fellow, listen to Solomon---you silly fellow, hearken to the wise man, as he says, With all watchfulness guard thy heart, in other words, keep all your senses on the watch to protect that which is the source of life. For whither, inquisitive man, will you retire from your own presence---to whom will you in the meantime intrust yourself? How dare you, who have sinned against heaven, lift up your eyes to the sky? Look down to the earth if you want to recognize yourself. It will show you what you are, for earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou go. (Gen. 3:19, Old Latin)." Fahey, p. 216
Against lukewarmness:
"Not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise. For to know evil is not knowledge but folly. So preserve what is given, await what is promised, avoid what is forbidden, lest thou lose what is allowed. Why lookest thou so eagerly for thy death? Why dost thou so often cast in that direction those wandering eyes of thine? What pleasure hast thou in looking on that which thou mayest not eat? Perchance thou dost reply, 'I stretch forth mine eyes not my hand. It is not looking but eating that is forbidden. May I not turn those eyes which God has placed under my control in any direction that I please?' To which the Apostle shall answer, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. (1 Cor. 6:12). Although it may not be in itself a guilty act, it affords an incentive to sin. For if thy mind had not shown insufficient attention to its own condition, it would have had no time for idle curiosity. Although there may be no offence, there is an opportunity as well as a suggestion to offend and a reason for offending. For while thou art thinking of something else, the serpent creeps craftily into thine heart, and addresses thee in an alluring tone. He overcomes thy reason with his enticements, allays thy fear with falsehoods, and tells thee that thou art in no danger of death. He increases thy distress, as he stimulates thine appetite; he sharpens curiosity and strengthens desire. At length he offers what is forbidden and takes away what is allowed. He presents thee with fruit and deprives thee of Paradise. Thou takest poison: thou wilt perish thyself and wilt bring forth children who will perish. Thou hast sacrificed salvation, without losing the power to give birth. We are born, we die and thus we are born only to die, because we are dead before we are born." Fahey, p. 217
Against today's age of overmuch confidence in God's mercy, founded not in Hope, but in presumption, recounted in its entirety due to the breadth of acceptance of this error I have personally come to witness:
"What can be more outrageous than that when thou hast no doubt that the power of God shown in thy creation, could be used for thy destruction, thou dost yet rely on HIs abundant kindness, and that this should lead thee to hope that He will be unwilling to exercise His vindictive power? Wilt thou repay good with evil and love with hatred? (Ps. 109:5; 108:5, Vulg.).
Now I say that this malice is deserving, not of passing indignation, but of abiding wrath. For it is thy desire and hope to be on an equality with the most gracious and most high Lord, although that is not His wish. Thou desirest that He shall have always before His eyes the distressing sight of thine unwelcome presence, and thou thinkest that though He is able to cast thee down, He will not do so, but that He will prefer Himself to suffer than to allow thee to perish. It is undoubtedly in His power to overthrow thee, if such be His will---but in thine opinion His kindness will not allow Him to entertain such a wish. If He be such as thou supposest Him to be, it is clear that thy conduct in not loving Him is so much the baser. And if He does allow action to be taken against Himself rather than take action against thee---how great must be thy malice in having no consideration for Him who disregards Himself in sparing thee? But it is inconceivable that He who is perfect can fail to be both kind and just. It is not as though kindness and justice cannot exist together. Kindness is really better when it is just than when it is slack---nay more, kindness without justice is not a virtue. It therefore appears that thou remainest ungrateful for the loving-kindness of God whereby thou wast created without exertion on thy part, but thou fearest not His justice of which thou hast had no experience, and dost therefore audaciously incur guilt for which thou dost falsely promise thyself impunity. Now mark that thou wilt find Him whom thou hast known to be kind, to be also righteous, and thou wilt thyself fall into the ditch which thou hast dug for thy Creator. Thy design seems to be to inflict on Him an injury which He is able to avoid if He wishes to do so---a wish which thou thinkest that He cannot entertain, as He will not be wanting in that kindness which has led Him never within thine experience to punish anybody. The righteous God will most justly retaliate by punishing thee, since He neither can nor ought to allow such a slight on His goodness to remain unpunished. He may, however, so moderate the severity of His sentence that, if thou art willing to return to reason, He will not refuse thee pardon. But such is thy hardness and impenitent heart (Rom. 2:5), that thou art incapable of such a wish, and therefore canst not escape the penalty." Fahey, pp. 219-220
Against the inordinate exaltation of the Saints to the honor of Latria, and of their humility:
"Thus again, by honour and dishonor (2 Cor. 6:8) do the saints make progress, though among the special gifts which each receives, they are only too well aware of the existence in them of that vanity which is common to mankind; so that while they know themselves to be the possessors of supernatural favour, they may ever remember whom they truly are." Fahey, p. 223
On the humility of prayer without utterance, and on modesty:
"'We pray all the better for not uttering a prayer, we trust the more completely for concealing our confidence. We show our faith and suppress our feelings. He who has no need of any information Himself knows what we desire. We indeed know that He can do all things; but a miracle so great, so unprecedented, though it is within His power, far surpasses anything that in our insignificance we deserve. It is enough for us to have afforded scope for His power and an opportunity for His pity and we prefer patiently to await His will than daringly to demand that which it may not be His pleasure to give. And finally our modesty may perhaps obtain for us something more than we deserve.'" Fahey, p. 236
Of the extreme evil of excommunicated persons:
"They should nevertheless realize the great danger which those incur whom the Church, which prays confidently for Jews, heretics and heathen, dares not to mention in her worship. For when on Good Friday prayer is expressly offered for certain wicked persons, no mention is made of those who are excommunicated." Fahey, p. 238
I. SAINT ANTONY OF THE DESERT
St. Antony of the Desert, against the sin of lust:
"The wretched fiend even stooped to masquerade as a woman by night, simply to deceive Antony; and he quenched the fire of that temptation by thinking of Christ and of the nobility we have through Him, and of the dignity of the soul. (Cf. 1 Cor. 6:15). Again the enemy suggested the delight of pleasure; but he, angered and grieved, thought over the threat of the fire and the torment of the worm. (Cf. Mark 9:43)." Fahey, p. 18
Against anxiety and an unclear perception of things:
"For to distinguish the presence of the good and the bad is by God's gift possible and easy. A vision of holy ones is not troubled, for he shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice (cf. Matt. 12:19); but it falls so restfully and gently that instant gladness and joy and courage awake in the soul." Fahey, p. 39
The Church is one. And so a disunity of minds, intent upon erring conclusions in matters of Faith, is an abomination.
"To the Faith his devotion was wonderful. He never held communion with the Meletian schismatics, knowing their wickedness and rebellion from the beginning, nor had friendly converse with the Manichees, nor any other heretics, save only to warn them to return to their duty, believing and teaching that their friendship and society was a harm and ruin to the soul. So also he loathed the Arian heresy and taught all neither to go near them nor partake in their ill-faith. Once when someone of the Ariomanites came to him and he questioned them and found them misbelievers, he drove them from the hill, saying that their words were worse than the poison of serpents." Fahey, p. 60
Against the need for high learning to obtain holiness:
"Some others of the same kind met him again in the outer hills and thought to mock him because he had not learned letters. Antony said to them, 'And what say you, which is first, the mind or letters? And which is the cause of which, the mind of letters, or letters of the mind?' When they answered that the mind is first and is the inventor of letters, Antony said, 'Then to one whose mind is sound, letters are needless.' The answer astounded both them and the listeners. They went away marveling to see such wisdom in a plain man." Fahey, p. 62
One of the best counters to rationalism I've ever seen:
"'... since you lean rather on proofs and arguments and because you have this art, you want us also not to worship God without reasoned proofs. Do you first tell me this: How comes sure knowing of things, and especially knowledge about God? Is it through reasoned proof, or through a faith which acts; and which is the earlier, the faith that acts, or proof by reasoning?' And when they answered that the faith that acts comes earlier, and that this is the sure knowledge, Antony said, 'You say well, for that faith comes from the very build of the soul, but the art of logic from the skill of those who framed it. It follows that, to those who have an active belief, reasoned proofs are needless and probably useless. For what we know by faith, that you are trying to establish by argument. And often you cannot even put in words what we know, so that the action of faith is better and super than your sophist's proofs.'" Fahey, p. 64
Further:
"'... behold, you who seek conclusions from reasonings, you have no faith. But we do not prove, as our teacher said, in persuasive words of Greek wisdom; we win men by faith, which lays hold of real things before argument can logically establish them (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4). ... Believe, then, you also; and you will see that what we have is not tricks of words, but belief through a love that is active unto Christ, which if you also have, you will no longer seek proofs by reasonings, but will think faith in Christ sufficient by itself.'" Fahey, pp. 65-66
Of St. Antony's vision and reaction to the Arian abominations soonly thereafter manifested:
"Once he sat working, he became as in ecstasy, and in the vision he groaned constantly. Then after a time he turned to his companions groaning; and trembling, he prayed, bending his knees and abiding a long time; and when he arose, the old man was weeping. Then the others trembled and were much afraid and begged him to tell, and long they urged him till he was compelled to speak. Then with a great groan he said, 'Ah, my children, better is it to die than that there happen what I have seen in this vision.' And when they asked again, he said with tears, 'Wrath shall overtake the Church, and she shall be delivered up to men who are like to senseless beasts. For I saw the table of the Lord, and around it mules standing on all sides in a ring and kicking what was within, as might be the kicking of beasts in a wild frolic. You heard surely,' he said, 'how I was groaning, for I heard a voice saying, 'My altar shall be made an abomination.'' So the old man said, and two years after came this present onset of the Arians and the plundering of the churches..." Fahey, p. 67
Fraternal Charity proceeds from Divine Charity. Nothing proceeds from me that is good, except by the Grace of God. I am only a friend to anyone insofar as I am a friend to God.
"... the soldiers had begged him ... to come down, [so] he went and discoursed a little on matters of salvation and on their own needs, and then was hastening back. On the captain asking him to stay longer, he answered that he could not be long with them ... saying, 'As fish that are long on dry land die, so monks who linger among you and spend much time with you grow lax. Therefore, we have to hasten to the hills as the fish to the sea, lest if we linger, we should forget the inner life.'" Fahey, p. 69
II. THE HOLY RULE OF SAINT BENEDICT
In consideration of my role as teacher once Anthony reaches the age to begin formal education:
"In the Roman world, scola or 'school' was something set apart from work--as sacred things are apart from the profane. Indeed, the word also meant 'leisure.' If one carefully counts the hours, Benedict did not imagine the need to work much more than about five hours--hardly comparable to what we think of as 'work' since the industrial revolution. Work is part of the human condition and it has its dignity in the Roman and Benedictine world--hard work at times, but like most work in a traditional society, work has to be done at a humane pace and done for the sake of higher things." Fahey, p. 90
"Some readers no doubt detected the shift in style from Benedict's Late Latin to the strange many-layered words of the Latin translation of the Bible, but it was hard to be sure--in fact, the need for such surety is really a modern preoccupation. Benedict and his monks aimed to allow the Word of God to penetrate the heart, mind, soul, and imagination. The words of a Christian writer should be shot through with the words of Scripture and the Fathers." Fahey, p.91
"... 'for there is no respect of persons with God.' (Rom. 2:11). We are distinguished in his sight for this respect alone: when we are found to excel others in good works and in humility." Fahey, p. 107
St. Benedict on the prudent mean between gentleness and severity:
"For in his teaching the Abbot should always observe that principle of the Apostle in which he says: 'Reprove, entreat, rebuke' (2 Tim. 4:2), that is, mingling gentleness with severity, as the occasion may call for, let him show the rigor of a master or the kindly affections of a father. He must sternly rebuke the undisciplined and restless; but he must exhort the obedient, meek, and patient to advance in virtue. But we charge him to rebuke and punish the negligent and haughty. Let him not shut his eyes to the faults of offenders, but on their first appearance let him do his utmost to cut them out from the root at once.... The well-disposed and those of sensitive minds, let him correct on the first and second occasions only with verbal warnings; but let him chastise the wicked and the hard of heart, and the proud and disobedient on the very first offense with the rod and other bodily punishments, knowing that it is written: 'The fool is not corrected with words.' (Prov. 29:19). And again: 'Strike thy son with the rod, and thou shalt deliver his soul from death.' (Prov. 23:14)." Fahey, pp. 107-108
On Silence:
"Let us do what the Prophet says: 'I said, I will take heed of my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I have set a guard to my mouth, I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence even from good things.' (Ps. 38:2-3; 39:2-3, Vulg.). Here the prophet shows that if at times we ought to refrain from good words for the sake of silence, how much more ought we to abstain from evil words on account of the punishment due to sin. Therefore, because of the importance of silence, let permission to speak be seldom granted to perfect disciples even for discourse which is good and holy and aimed at edification, for it is written: 'In much speaking thou shalt not escape sin.' (Prov. 10:19). And elsewhere: 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue.' (Prov. 18:21). For it belongs to the master to speak and to teach; after all, it is appropriate for the disciple to be silent and to listen. If, therefore, anything must be asked of the superior, let it be asked with all humility and respectful submission. But coarse jests, and ords that are pointless or that are only a prompt for laughter, we condemn in every situation by a permanent ban; nor do we permit the disciple to open his lips for such conversation." Fahey, pp. 114-115
"The tenth step of humility is when a monk is not easily clever at jokes or keen to laugh, for it is written: 'The fool exalteth his voice in laughter.' (Sir. 21:23)." Fahey, p. 119.
"The eleventh step of humility is that when a monk speaks, he speaks gently and without laughter, humbly and with gravity, with few and and well-chosen words, and that he not raise his voice, for it is written: 'The wise man is known by the newness of his words.'" Fahey, p. 119.
On the severity of disobedience in small things:
"Brethren who are sent out on any business and are expected to return to the monastery the same day should not presume to eat away from the monastery, even though they are urged to do so, unless for some reason permission is granted by the Abbot. If they act otherwise, let them be excommunicated." Fahey, p. 148
III. THE TWELVE DEGREES OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
On St. Bernard's wrestling with the attainment of humility:
"For I was afraid that if I said anything worth saying about humility, I might myself be found wanting in that virtue, whereas if, on grounds of modesty, I refused to speak, I might fail in usefulness. And I saw that, though neither of these courses is free from peril, I should be obliged to take one or the other. So I have thought it better to give you the benefit of anything that I can say, than to seek personal safety in the harbour of silence." Fahey, p. 183
Definition of humility according to St. Bernard:
"This affords further evidence that the truth which is withheld from the proud, is disclosed to the humble. And the following may be taken as the definition of humility. It is the virtue which enables a man to see himself in his true colours and thereby to discover his worthlessness." Fahey, p. 190
On true compassion:
"He placed 'the merciful' before 'the pure in heart.' For the merciful quickly discover truth in their neighbours when they extend their sympathy to them, and so kindly identify themselves with them that they feel their good and evil characteristics as if they were their own. They are weak with those that are weak, with those who are offended they burn. They have made it their habit to rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with them that weep. (Rom. 12:15)." Fahey, p. 194
On the correlation between goodness and truth, and of error and evil.
"For as pure truth can be discerned only by one whose heart is pure, so can the sorrow of a brother be most truly felt by one whose heart is sad." Fahey, p. 194
On the three degrees of truth (self, others, God):
"There are then three kinds of degrees of truth; we rise to the first by humble effort, to the second by loving sympathy, to the third by enraptured vision. In the first truth is revealed in severity, in the second in pity, in the third in purity. Reason, by which we analyze ourselves, guides us to the first, feeling which enables us to pity others conducts us to the second; purity by which we are raised to the level of the unseen, carries us up to the third." Fahey, p. 206
For this Ash Wednesday in particular:
"Yet if, O man, you look carefully into yourself, it is indeed a wonder that you can ever look at anything else. You inquisitive fellow, listen to Solomon---you silly fellow, hearken to the wise man, as he says, With all watchfulness guard thy heart, in other words, keep all your senses on the watch to protect that which is the source of life. For whither, inquisitive man, will you retire from your own presence---to whom will you in the meantime intrust yourself? How dare you, who have sinned against heaven, lift up your eyes to the sky? Look down to the earth if you want to recognize yourself. It will show you what you are, for earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou go. (Gen. 3:19, Old Latin)." Fahey, p. 216
Against lukewarmness:
"Not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise. For to know evil is not knowledge but folly. So preserve what is given, await what is promised, avoid what is forbidden, lest thou lose what is allowed. Why lookest thou so eagerly for thy death? Why dost thou so often cast in that direction those wandering eyes of thine? What pleasure hast thou in looking on that which thou mayest not eat? Perchance thou dost reply, 'I stretch forth mine eyes not my hand. It is not looking but eating that is forbidden. May I not turn those eyes which God has placed under my control in any direction that I please?' To which the Apostle shall answer, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. (1 Cor. 6:12). Although it may not be in itself a guilty act, it affords an incentive to sin. For if thy mind had not shown insufficient attention to its own condition, it would have had no time for idle curiosity. Although there may be no offence, there is an opportunity as well as a suggestion to offend and a reason for offending. For while thou art thinking of something else, the serpent creeps craftily into thine heart, and addresses thee in an alluring tone. He overcomes thy reason with his enticements, allays thy fear with falsehoods, and tells thee that thou art in no danger of death. He increases thy distress, as he stimulates thine appetite; he sharpens curiosity and strengthens desire. At length he offers what is forbidden and takes away what is allowed. He presents thee with fruit and deprives thee of Paradise. Thou takest poison: thou wilt perish thyself and wilt bring forth children who will perish. Thou hast sacrificed salvation, without losing the power to give birth. We are born, we die and thus we are born only to die, because we are dead before we are born." Fahey, p. 217
Against today's age of overmuch confidence in God's mercy, founded not in Hope, but in presumption, recounted in its entirety due to the breadth of acceptance of this error I have personally come to witness:
"What can be more outrageous than that when thou hast no doubt that the power of God shown in thy creation, could be used for thy destruction, thou dost yet rely on HIs abundant kindness, and that this should lead thee to hope that He will be unwilling to exercise His vindictive power? Wilt thou repay good with evil and love with hatred? (Ps. 109:5; 108:5, Vulg.).
Now I say that this malice is deserving, not of passing indignation, but of abiding wrath. For it is thy desire and hope to be on an equality with the most gracious and most high Lord, although that is not His wish. Thou desirest that He shall have always before His eyes the distressing sight of thine unwelcome presence, and thou thinkest that though He is able to cast thee down, He will not do so, but that He will prefer Himself to suffer than to allow thee to perish. It is undoubtedly in His power to overthrow thee, if such be His will---but in thine opinion His kindness will not allow Him to entertain such a wish. If He be such as thou supposest Him to be, it is clear that thy conduct in not loving Him is so much the baser. And if He does allow action to be taken against Himself rather than take action against thee---how great must be thy malice in having no consideration for Him who disregards Himself in sparing thee? But it is inconceivable that He who is perfect can fail to be both kind and just. It is not as though kindness and justice cannot exist together. Kindness is really better when it is just than when it is slack---nay more, kindness without justice is not a virtue. It therefore appears that thou remainest ungrateful for the loving-kindness of God whereby thou wast created without exertion on thy part, but thou fearest not His justice of which thou hast had no experience, and dost therefore audaciously incur guilt for which thou dost falsely promise thyself impunity. Now mark that thou wilt find Him whom thou hast known to be kind, to be also righteous, and thou wilt thyself fall into the ditch which thou hast dug for thy Creator. Thy design seems to be to inflict on Him an injury which He is able to avoid if He wishes to do so---a wish which thou thinkest that He cannot entertain, as He will not be wanting in that kindness which has led Him never within thine experience to punish anybody. The righteous God will most justly retaliate by punishing thee, since He neither can nor ought to allow such a slight on His goodness to remain unpunished. He may, however, so moderate the severity of His sentence that, if thou art willing to return to reason, He will not refuse thee pardon. But such is thy hardness and impenitent heart (Rom. 2:5), that thou art incapable of such a wish, and therefore canst not escape the penalty." Fahey, pp. 219-220
Against the inordinate exaltation of the Saints to the honor of Latria, and of their humility:
"Thus again, by honour and dishonor (2 Cor. 6:8) do the saints make progress, though among the special gifts which each receives, they are only too well aware of the existence in them of that vanity which is common to mankind; so that while they know themselves to be the possessors of supernatural favour, they may ever remember whom they truly are." Fahey, p. 223
On the humility of prayer without utterance, and on modesty:
"'We pray all the better for not uttering a prayer, we trust the more completely for concealing our confidence. We show our faith and suppress our feelings. He who has no need of any information Himself knows what we desire. We indeed know that He can do all things; but a miracle so great, so unprecedented, though it is within His power, far surpasses anything that in our insignificance we deserve. It is enough for us to have afforded scope for His power and an opportunity for His pity and we prefer patiently to await His will than daringly to demand that which it may not be His pleasure to give. And finally our modesty may perhaps obtain for us something more than we deserve.'" Fahey, p. 236
Of the extreme evil of excommunicated persons:
"They should nevertheless realize the great danger which those incur whom the Church, which prays confidently for Jews, heretics and heathen, dares not to mention in her worship. For when on Good Friday prayer is expressly offered for certain wicked persons, no mention is made of those who are excommunicated." Fahey, p. 238
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