Letter 23: A certain man, as he says, on condemning the vanity of this life, and perceiving that its joys are ended here, since they only provide material for eternal fire and then quickly pass away, has come to me with the desire of separating from this wicked and miserable life, of abandoning the pleasures of the flesh, and of treading for the future a r...

From: Basil of Caesarea To: An unnamed ascetic brother Date: ~365 AD Context: Basil asks an established monk to receive and train a new candidate for the ascetic life. A certain man has looked at the emptiness of this life and recognized that its pleasures end here — since they only provide fuel for eternal fire before quickly vanishing — and he has come to me wanting to leave this wicked and miserable life behind, to abandon the pleasures of the flesh, and from now on to walk a road that leads to the dwelling places of the Lord. If he is genuinely firm in this truly blessed purpose, and if he carries in his soul that glorious passion of loving the Lord his God with all his heart, all his strength, and all his mind, then I need you to show him the hardships and trials of the strait and narrow way, and to ground him in the hope of the good things that are as yet unseen but are laid up in promise for all who are worthy of the Lord. I am writing to ask you — if it is at all possible — to shape his character, and to bring about his renunciation in a way pleasing to God, and to see that he receives basic instruction in accordance with what the holy Fathers have decided and set down in writing. Make sure that everything essential to ascetic discipline is laid before him, so that he may enter the life only after he has voluntarily accepted the labors undertaken for the sake of faith, submitted himself to the Lord's easy yoke, and adopted a way of life in imitation of the One who for our sakes became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9) — that he may run without stumbling toward the prize of his high calling and receive the Lord's approval. He is eager to receive the crown of God's love here, but I have held him back because I want to prepare him for these struggles alongside you, and to appoint over him one of your number — whomever he chooses — to be his trainer, forming him and making him through constant care a proven wrestler, able to stand against the ruler of this world's darkness (Ephesians 6:12). What I wish to do with you, let your love in Christ accomplish without me.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To a Solitary. A certain man, as he says, on condemning the vanity of this life, and perceiving that its joys are ended here, since they only provide material for eternal fire and then quickly pass away, has come to me with the desire of separating from this wicked and miserable life, of abandoning the pleasures of the flesh, and of treading for the future a road which leads to the mansions of the Lord. Now if he is sincerely firm in his truly blessed purpose, and has in his soul the glorious and laudable passion, loving the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his strength, and with all his mind, it is necessary for your reverence to show him the difficulties and distresses of the strait and narrow way, and establish him in the hope of the good things which are as yet unseen, but are laid up in promise for all that are worthy of the Lord. I therefore write to entreat your incomparable perfection in Christ, if it be possible to mould his character, and, without me, to bring about his renunciation according to what is pleasing to God, and to see that he receive elementary instruction in accordance with what has been decided by the Holy Fathers, and put forth by them in writing. See too that he have put before him all things that are essential to ascetic discipline, and that so he may be introduced to the life, after having accepted, of his own accord, the labours undergone for religion's sake, subjected himself to the Lord's easy yoke, adopted a conversation in imitation of Him Who for our sakes became poor 2 Corinthians 8:9 and took flesh, and may run without fail to the prize of his high calling, and receive the approbation of the Lord. He is wishful to receive here the crown of God's loves, but I have put him off, because I wish, in conjunction with your reverence, to anoint him for such struggles, and to appoint over him one of your number whom he may select to be his trainer, training him nobly, and making him by his constant and blessed care a tried wrestler, wounding and overthrowing the prince of the darkness of this world, and the spiritual powers of iniquity, with whom, as the blessed Apostle says, is our wrestling. Ephesians 6:12 What I wish to do in conjunction with you, let your love in Christ do without me. About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202023.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.