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| St. Pambo: Born in about 304, the great Pambo was a disciple of St. Anthony before going to dwell in the desert of Nitria, to the west of the Nile delta, where he remained until the end of his days. Saint Anthony said of him:“Through fearing God, he caused the Spirit of God to dwell in him." |
The brethren came on another occasion to Abba Pambo and posed the following situation: “Supposing that a man living in the world, having both wife and children, should give alms, free his slaves, redeem captives, visit the sick, relieve the afflicted, and do all that is required of him. Dost thou consider such a man equal in labor to one of the three classes of monastics, that is to say, the monk living in silence, the monk suffering infirmity, and the monk ministering to those in need?" Abba Pambo answered, “No, fathers, not altogether." The visitors asked, “Please explain."
Elder Pambo replied, “Undoubtedly the life led by this man living in the world is a life of righteousness. Nevertheless, his conduct is outside the body. The life led by the monk is the interior life. The work of the monk is labor inside the body, that is, abstaining, praying, keeping vigil, enduring hunger and thirst, and undergoing other austerities. He ought to constrain his will at every moment. His warfare is constant, whether it be secret or open. It is well known and evident to men that the virtuous living in the world, despite their exemplary conduct, are not equal to the monastics in their labors. Our Lord Jesus Christ surnamed the monks ‘sons of light' [Lk. 16:8; Jn. 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:5].
Those who live in the world are ‘sons of the world.' Now the monk ought to serve God with all his members, thoughts, and activities. He ought to serve God perfectly with stern labors and afflictions. He is to present his body a living sacrifice, holy, and well-pleasing to God.[Rom. 12:1] He is to offer himself with rational and spiritual service, since through Christ not only has the world been crucified to him but also he to the world.[Gal. 6:14] Our Savior speaks of this, uttering: ‘If anyone is willing to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and keep on following Me [Mt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23].' In other words, our Lord is saying, ‘Let not the one who would follow Me fulfill his own will. Let such a one solely perform My will. Let him bear tribulations an afflictions. The monk that shall leave houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands, on account of His name, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit life everlasting.'[Mt. 19:29]
As to those men living in the world, our Savior said, ‘Make for yourselves friends out of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, whenever ye fail, they might receive you into the everlasting tabernacles [Lk. 16:9].' For as men who are in the world receive monks into their houses, so shall the monks receive those who have lived in the world into the kingdom of the heavens. Our Lord showed that all the good things of God and His kingdom belong to the monastics who, from their youth even to their old age, labored for God. But it is inappropriate here that we should speak to what degree the soul is superior to the body. The conduct of life taken up by monks is that of silent contemplation and the works thereof. These endeavors excel those of righteous men living in the world. To what degree? It is as much superior as the conduct of angels is to the life of men who are in the world. Why? Men who are in the world please God because of their love for men. Monastics please God because of their love for God."
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| Fathers of St. Anthony's Monastery in Florence, Arizona. |
But one of the visiting fathers persisted and asked Abba Pambo, “Let us say that there is a man living in the world, who is conducting himself perfectly and rightly. Is his labor equal at least to the beginner's grade of monk?" Pambo answered, “Nay." Then the visiting fathers asked with one voice, “Why not?" The abba explained: “Although the beginner monk is small, still he is more excellent than the man in the world who keeps every commandment." Pambo then brought up the example of the great Anthony and his disciple Paul. He said, "Anthony told Paul to dwell in silence that he may receive temptations from the devils. He said this because the perfection of the monk arises from spiritual conduct. Spiritual conduct is acquired by the conduct of the heart. Purity of heart arises from the conduct of the mind. The conduct of the mind is prayer which is unceasing and contending with devils, whether in thought or in visions. These endeavors have no opportunity for existence without silence and solitariness."
Source: “Questions and Answers on the Ascetic Rule," ¶ ¶ 607-613, The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, II: 285-287
