"St. James illustrates for us two paths of spirituality that we must keep in balance."

Two Monks

Two monks were traveling through a forest on foot, making their way back to their monastery. Recent rains had made the rivers and streams swollen with fast moving currents.

As they approached one such stream they saw a woman standing at the bank. She asked the monks if they could help her cross the stream. Now the rule of this particular order prohibited the monks from having any contact with women. The first monk would not even respond to the woman, he just forded the stream on his own and stood on the opposite bank waiting for his companion.

The second waited a moment then simply shrugged and offered to carry the woman across the stream on his back. When they had crossed the stream the woman thanked the monk profusely and went on her way.

The first monk was incredulous that his brother had broken the rule of the order and for many miles thereafter it was all he could talk about. He talked about the reasons for the rule, the implications of breaking it, the disapproval of the abbot and the likely punishment waiting for the second monk.

Finally the second monk stopped walking and turned to the first monk.

“Brother,” he said. “I put the woman down miles ago, but you are still carrying her.”

Christians are advised to be in the world but not of the world. How do we do this?

Two Paths

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

St. James illustrates for us two paths of spirituality that we must keep in balance. On the one hand we should involve ourselves in our world to help our brothers and sisters in need, whether that need is physical, emotional, or spiritual. On the other hand we are to keep ourselves unstained by the world, and the many temptations it offers us on a daily basis. As one Act of Contrition puts it, we must avoid the near occasion of sin.

It is this avoidance of sin, of keeping ourselves unstained by the world that is the more difficult precept. By withdrawing from the world, we run the risk of cutting ourselves off and avoiding those people who most need our help.

The Pharisees practiced this doctrine of avoidance, taking it to an extreme. They cared less about keeping the commandments of God than they did the particulars of the law. In the Gospel of Mark the Pharisees questioned Jesus about the practice of His disciples, eating with unwashed hands. But Jesus points out that by focusing so much on the laws of men, they are neglecting the laws of God. The “laws of men” were designed to separate the Jewish people from the gentiles whom they saw as a source of corruption. But Jesus swept away this hypocrisy. “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person.” (Mark 7:15)

This passage is often interpreted to refer to clean versus unclean foods, and indeed Jesus Himself uses food as an example to explain the parable. But then He takes it even further.

"What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man." (Mark 7:20-23)

Are there people we avoid because we see them as sinners and do not want to be associated with them? How then can we claim to be followers of Christ, “friend of tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 11:9) Our challenge is to reach out to those in need. We need not fear being defiled unless we already carry that defilement in our hearts.

The Benedict Option

In 2017, Rod Dreher published his book, “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation.” It was broadly characterized as a suggestion the Christians withdraw from the world behind the walls of a new monastery until the world was once again ready for the Christian message.

But that view is, I think, an over simplification and does not address the mission we are all called to.

We are rightly concerned about the influence a secular culture has on families, particularly our children who are so impressionable. But the solution is not to impose a sort of self-exile, walling ourselves off from the culture we view as corrupt. If we form ourselves, and our children in the teachings of God, given to us through His Church, then we have built a defensive wall around our hearts to guard against the excesses we see around us every day.

But medieval monasteries had gates as well as walls. They were always open to people in need of food, shelter, healing, or spiritual guidance. In creating an insular community they became centers of culture in the medieval world.

In such a way, if we want to retreat to a “monastery of the heart,” then we must also be willing to open our hearts to those in need. We can safeguard our faith without being afraid of the post-Christian world around us. If our conscience is well formed in the doctrines of our faith, then we can engage the world without fear of defilement, for nothing that comes from the outside can defile us, only what comes from within.

If we truly live our faith we will attract others to us, refugees from a fallen world looking for food, shelter, healing and guidance. We must always be ready to help those who come to us, even while we protect and defend what we believe.

Pax Vobiscum
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pontifex University is an online university offering a Master’s Degree in Sacred Arts. For more information visit the website at www.pontifex.university

Lawrence Klimecki, MSA, is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual “hero’s journey” that is part of every person’s life. He maintains a blog at www.DeaconLawrence.org and can be reached at Lawrence@deaconlawrence.com

Lawrence draws on ancient Christian tradition to create new contemporary visions of sacred art. For more information on original art, prints and commissions, Please visit www.DeaconLawrence.org 

Purchase fine art prints of Deacon Lawrence’s work here.