Encounters with Monastics
Is monasticism a thing of the past? Or can we learn from monks and nuns?
If you had told me two and a half years ago that I would spend quite a bit of time with monks or nuns and learn from them, I would have laughed at you. As an evangelical, that just wasn’t my usual “playground.” Monks and nuns don’t exist in the evangelical world. I would even say in evangelical circles, it is considered a relic of the past, you know, that time when heretics ran rampant until Martin Luther came on the scene to save Christianity. Okay, that was a bit sarcastic, but there is a kernel of truth, as always. Evangelicals typically can’t see the point of living in a monastery when the role of a believer is to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ into all four corners of the world. To them, monks and nuns waste this opportunity.
Boy, did I change my mind on this one! As with so many things about Orthodoxy, I didn’t know what I didn’t know and what I had never been taught. From my very first encounter with a monastic, my now spiritual father and confessor who is a monk in a Coptic Orthodox monastery in Germany, to the next one just a few days later with our Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Vicar of the Archdiocese of Germany, His Eminence Mor Philoxenus Mattias Nayis, I realized quickly that monasticism could have several faces. While my spiritual father primarily works within the confines of his monastery, where he serves liturgy, prays, studies, and has various other essential responsibilities in the operation of the monastery, H. E. Mor Philoxenus is responsible for the entire archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Germany.
Even though my spiritual father is stationary at his monastery, he taught me so much about Orthodoxy when I was doing research for my dissertation. These exchanges, together with the encounters with a Syriac Orthodox deacon, were what led me to Orthodoxy. He didn’t have to leave his monastery!
At our Syriac Orthodox monastery in Warburg, Germany, I encountered my first nun, Dayrayto Mariam. She is the only nun there, and it’s safe to say that she plays a significant part in the monastery's operation. Even though we cannot communicate in a language known to both of us, I am thrilled when I get to see her. May God grant her many more fruitful years in His service.
Of course, there are many other examples of monks and nuns, including my beloved archbishop of our Western US diocese, His Eminence Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan. He is a very endearing, intelligent, and devout man from whom we can learn much. I look forward to his visits to my parish, and I wish I could spend a lot more time with him discussing my observations and thoughts on how to make our Syriac Orthodox Church here in the western US even more inviting to those seeking Christ. Also, I would love to have deep discussions about spiritual life within our faith tradition. That, and pick his brain for all his knowledge of the Syriac language and literature! If only there were more opportunities! (I try sneaking in at least a few questions when I see him… sorry, Sayedna!)
More recently, I met Mother Stephanie of the St. Macarius the Great of Egypt Monastery here in Arizona. While the order originates in Egypt, it is Eastern Orthodox. Mother Stephanie and her sisters and postulants often visit my husband’s Greek Orthodox church here in Prescott, Arizona. They sell various religious items and baked goods to raise funds to construct their monastery south of us. I have come to appreciate Mother Stephanie. She brings with her such spiritual peace—a joyful and fun woman, yet profound in her spiritual roots.
Here is what Mother Stephanie shared just this past Sunday when she visited:
I joined the monastery when I was 21 years old, not because this is what I wanted, not because this is what I had envisioned my life to be at all, but rather because the desire that was in my heart throughout all my life, and the fear that I even had that God would call me to such a life, the moment I realized that this is the calling that the Lord was putting before me, the more all of these fears settled.
It doesn't mean that there weren't challenges, it just means that the moment that this life was presented before me in a very real way, the moment that I realized that this is really the gap that the soul has been longing for, the area that the Lord wants to dwell in me in, and by it, kind of lead me in my life and in my calling.
And so, likewise, we follow also our early Fathers, we don't just enter into something that we have invented in this world or in this life so that we can be different as Orthodox or as Christians, but rather we follow in the footsteps of those who preceded us, down to the early Fathers, down to the Apostles.
And as it says in the Song of Songs in the first chapter, that when the bride is asking, "Where do you feed your flock?" and the bridegroom responds, "Follow the footsteps of the flock and you'll find the place." And so the place where our hearts really long and desire to find, to be near the Lord, to be in His pasture, to be in His sheepfold, is always found when we follow the real and shared path of those who are walking before us, because it all roots in Christ. And since we are all rooted in Christ, we are offered always the same infilling.
We are offered always to be in the image of Christ in that very same way. For us, it is presented in the monastic life, but again, for everyone, it's presented to be in the image of Christ as believers, as a bride of Christ, as His Church. So put very simply, that is something about the monastic life, it is something to think about, to see how the Lord stirs in our hearts, even the times when we think, "I am really empty, I am really hungry, I am really dry, I am really numb, everything is so meaningless."
Know that in that very emptiness, that very hell, that very pit, that very darkness, that Christ is so, so near. Christ is very much there, and it's as if rejoicing and saying, "I'm so ready to fill that emptiness, I'm so ready to infill with my love, I'm so ready to open you up to what I've created you for.” But just cultivate that seed within my heart, cultivate, cultivate that, even when it's uncomfortable, cultivate that within yourself, and you'll find Christ very much there, and know that despite whatever it is that you are undergoing, that He will always be the one who leads us out. It's not by my own efforts, but it's really through the abundance of His grace and love.
How beautiful is this reflection? May God give Mother Stephanie and the other sisters much success as they bring the love of Christ to those in Arizona.
Many other examples of monastic life come to mind. A friend in Germany recently returned from a 3-week stay at Mor Gabriel, one of our Syriac Orthodox monasteries in Tur Abdin, southeastern Turkey. He was sharing the profound spiritual impact his stay with the monks at the monastery had had on him. He encouraged me to go to Tur Abdin as quickly as I could. Oh, how I want to do that! Alas, Elke’s travel budget would require a GoFundMe in 2025!
I have genuinely fallen in love with our male and female monastics. I’ll be honest: I dream of living a life dedicated to serving Christ in this manner - even while realizing how difficult a life they chose. Monastics vow poverty, chastity, and obedience when they are tonsured. Most of us would find it very hard to follow this lifestyle. However, I know that in my present life circumstances as a married woman, I will have to limit myself to living as much of a monastic life as possible by following the fasts, the prayer rule set for me by my spiritual father, and giving alms.
But even if I can’t be a nun, I can learn from both the men and women of the monasteries. What they have learned in their lives of prayer and obedience could help all of us love Jesus even more than we think we do now. Pray for our monastics that they will faithfully follow their chosen path to honor Christ!
P.S. Facebook agrees with me.
