Chapter 52
On Measure in Ascesis and Humility
52.2.1 You fear my indulgence—but it seems I’m not very inclined to self-indulgence.[1] My rule is to keep measure in all things. Especially in bodily ascesis, measure is necessary so that the flesh may endure. The Holy Fathers maintained great austerities with respect to the body, or, as they said, lived a harsh life. But they came to this gradually. They didn’t begin too strictly, but then grew ever more rigorous with themselves. Remember how Saint Abba Dorotheus dealt with Saint Dositheos.[2] By this rule we too must live. And the holy fathers possessed another wisdom too: not to invent austerities, but to take them upon themselves for some reason or other, more often according to the needs of the interior life. You should do the same. But now that everything has begun, may the Lord bless your labors. Hold fast!
52.3.1 Love and honor the abbess, and the treasurer, and all the monastic authorities. They are appointed by God, even though through the agency of people.[3] Listen to everyone and give thanks to all for everything. And not only them, but all the sisters too—you must honor them and regard them as far above yourself. You look at them as though they were walking on a mountain or on a roof, while you are down below—far, far below. And if your soul begins to see any sister as beneath you, then you must rebuke yourself severely and hasten to ask the Lord’s forgiveness. The worst of all things are pride, vainglory, and judging others. This is hellish smoke and stench! Train yourself in every way to rejoice more when you are treated with contempt, rebuked, or even wronged than when you are shown kindness and greeted. This is the surest path to humility!
52.4.1 You have an inclination to replace the reading of prayers with the Jesus Prayer. You may do as you have proposed. Reduce the reading of prayers and stand more in prostrations. When you grow weary of making prostrations, then stand, and say the Jesus Prayer. The deeper you go into this prayer, the less you’ll want to read prayers. You can reduce your reading even more than you’ve planned. You can even stop reading altogether; only not out of slothfulness and lying about, but so that you speak with the Lord in your own words, not another’s, and remain noetically with Him, like Mary sitting at the feet of the Saviour.
52.5.1 What do you need supplies for? Prepare everything you need, and your worries are over! Since we bear flesh, we serve the flesh. What should we do? – We must eat and drink: let the materials for that be ready. If the Lord grants patience, you can abstain from certain foods; but if you cannot endure, eat, giving thanks to the Lord. Surplus is good to give to those in need and those who ask, only quietly, so as not to boast of your generosity.
52.6.1 If it happens that you break your rule of self-control in the presence of others, don’t be troubled. You’re not doing it to please yourself, but out of obedience to the duty of love. That you had tea and dined at NN’s when your sister was with you—that’s as it should be. If you’d done otherwise, it would have been worse: you’d have offended them, and you yourselves would have had no peace. It’s good to have preserves on hand for any occasion. Use wine sometimes with water, as a medicine, not for the sake of sweets. And you ought to mark a feast day in some way, however small, to set it apart from ordinary days. Let the flesh also have its rest, not the spirit alone.