The Great Letter

VI.1 Enough has now been said concerning the goal of hope toward which those who have chosen the monastic life and loved virginity ought to strive. We must now speak of the assembly and sacred ordering of the monasteries of the brotherhood: how those who love the truth ought to live together with one another, and by what practices, labors, and contests they may attain the goal of piety already described, so that those zealous for virtue and full of courage, having learned the road that leads to the heavenly City and entered upon it, may walk it diligently until they attain the goal.

VI.2 First of all, the one who hastens toward the goal of piety and desires to follow in the footsteps of the Lord must withdraw from worldly life and fleshly pleasures and give himself wholly to the brotherhood. According to the Gospel, he must renounce father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, kindred, wealth, glory, and noble birth [Luke 14:26], and, entering the monastery as into the fullness of all good things, he must renounce even his own soul.

VI.3 What else does renunciation of one's own soul mean except giving oneself entirely to the brotherhood and completely abandoning one's own desires? Having wholly joined oneself to the Word of God, should one not continually adorn the soul with holy and pure thoughts and regard those that lead to salvation as one's own? Should a monk possess anything except the garment he wears, so that he may always remain free from worldly care and joyfully carry out only what is commanded him? Should he not, like a purchased and prudent servant, regard all the brothers—and especially those who preside—as his lords and masters for Christ's sake?

VI.4 For the Lord himself said: "Whoever wishes to be first and great among you, let him be last of all, servant of all, and slave of all." [Mark 9:35; 10:43-44] Let him not pursue glory, honor, or praise, but seek only service and life together with the brothers, according to the saying: serve "with all eagerness, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ." [Eph. 6:6-7] He gives himself to the narrow way and the constricted passage [Matt. 7:14]. As one zealous for the Kingdom, he willingly and joyfully takes upon himself the Lord's easy and good yoke [Matt. 11:29-30], and secures great salvation for himself if with long-suffering he remains to the end in this beautiful and soul-profiting servitude. Regarding all the brothers as masters, as kindred in Christ, and as heirs of the Kingdom, submitting himself in everything to each one, and especially to the superiors and those who bear the burdens of care for virtue, he always considers himself indebted to serve the brothers with love and simplicity, according to the saying: "Through love serve one another" [Gal. 5:13], and, "Owe no one anything except to love one another." [Rom. 13:8]

VI.5 But you also who are ascetics and superiors of the brotherhoods, having taken upon yourselves a great labor, must contend through humility of mind against the skillful schemes of evil. Though possessing authority over the brothers subject to you, do not become exalted and fall into the passion of pride, thereby inflicting great injury and harm upon your soul in place of great profit. Like compassionate fathers, prefer to give yourselves to the service of the brotherhood rather than to rule over the brothers. Care for them bodily and spiritually as children of God. Labor and take thought for the benefit of each soul, so that by continually increasing in this way the spiritual capital of the sacred fellowship of the brotherhood, you may receive from God the heavenly reward.

VI.6 Outwardly preserve the order of leadership: when necessary, direct and command; when appropriate, consult the more tested among the brothers; and when needed, reprove, rebuke, or exhort someone according to the apostolic counsel. [2 Tim. 4:2] Otherwise, under pretext of humility or gentleness and through ignorance, disorder might arise in the monasteries and overturn the proper sequence of rulers and those subject to them. Inwardly, however, in your mind, consider yourselves unworthy servants of all the brothers. Like good tutors to whom the children of masters have been entrusted, strive with all goodwill and fear of God to guide each brother toward every good work, knowing that for this difficult labor a great and inalienable reward awaits you from God.

VI.7 Just as wise tutors, for the instruction and strengthening of character, often do not spare the children who are their masters but discipline them with the rod, while greatly loving them and caring for them in hope that they will become prudent and distinguished men, so you who are ascetic superiors should correct the undisciplined and immature brothers not with the passion of anger or arrogance but with the compassion of Christ and for their spiritual benefit, hoping that your discipline will profit them for the Kingdom of heaven. With this disposition care for the infancy of the brothers, exhorting or rebuking each one, as has been said, for his own benefit. Let your concern spring solely from zeal for God and the mercy of Christ. Correct them without being carried away by an evil passion or acting as though avenging yourselves, so that by manifesting the perfect labor you have undertaken for God you may become heirs of the Kingdom of heaven.

VI.8 For only in this manner does a truly angelic life take place on earth: when rulers and those subject to them are of one mind in this disposition, and when all the brothers with great joy submit to one another, regarding one another as masters and "in honor preferring one another." [Rom. 12:10] The brothers should live together in simplicity and purity of heart, unanimity, peace, uprightness, and all humility. Let no one exalt himself above another or consider himself better and greater, even if he has advanced. Rather, as a disciple of Christ, let him regard himself as worse than all men, for the Lord says: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" [Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14], and again: "Whoever wishes to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all." [Mark 9:35; 10:43; Matt. 20:27] "For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his soul as a ransom for many." [Mark 10:45] The Apostle says: "We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." [2 Cor. 4:5]