Perseverance and stability are intimately linked in the life of the monk. They are fundamental elements in his life, habits of mind if you will, a part of the very fabric of his identity. Stability is so important that that it is one of the three promises a monk takes on the day of his profession; the promise to remain a member of a particular community of individuals as they each and together seek to follow their God. They become not so much like trees rooted in one place, but more like fellow sailors on a ship at sea, pledging to remain faithful to their captain, Christ, who is first faithful to them.

Unfortunately, today, words like perseverance and stability are at odds with the prevalent cultural ethos, and so they’re often misunderstood, if thought of at all. Perseverance is simply the carrying out, day-to-day, of the promise one has made. It’s the opposite of straining against the tide of events, refusing to adapt and learn, like some monastic Oedipus. But faithfulness, while not being blind, is a challenge to men and women of any age, and most certainly for us today. We want to keep our cards close to the vest, and our options open, ready, when things get difficult, to fold our hand and move on. We’re all familiar with the litany of divorce statistics, etc. Are we any happier for our fickleness?

It is by way of the monk’s promise to be true to God’s vision for him that the haze begins to lift and he begins to see. It takes time, and so the wisdom of perseverance and stability. In the end, it is his need for God and his unspeakable knowledge of His faithfulness that preserves him and sustains him through his own tendency toward unfaithfulness. Because God loves him he can be true. (Hebrews 12:1)

Peace!