Discourse 11

How the beauty of solitude is adorned, and how it becomes the cause of God’s praise. 11. It is fitting for the solitary that from all his surroundings the sight of his greatness should be to his beholders. Just as from his many beauties, like the rays of the sun, he flashes from all his surroundings, even to the enemies of truth, when they do not wish to confess that there is true hope for Christians. And from every place they run to the bathhouse, and the head of the Church is raised over her enemies. Just as the greatness of his deeds casts glory upon the many for the departure from the world. And that he is stronger than all, from the splendor of his excellence. Just as because of him the mouths of the sons of the Church are opened and their heads are raised above all fears. The boast of the Church of Christ is the conduct of the solitaries. Therefore it is fitting for the solitary that from all his sides he should be one who shows the beauty of his order, in the humility of his limbs, in the lowliness of his order, in his elevation from visible things, in the simplicity of his renunciation, in his complete gentleness over the body, in the labor of his fast, in his constant silence, in the discipline of his senses.

From the beauty of his solitude: from the lack of his distraction in one thing; from the smallness of his possessions; from the smallness of his word; from the purity of his place; from the simplicity of his separation. And let it be known that these strong and flourishing lives are superior, and are close to those true and spiritual ones: from the constancy of his being with himself; and from his ignorance of the world of men; and from his not being bound by the passions of the world, singly and unitedly; and from the peaceful place of his dwelling; and from the fixedness of his sitting; and from the smallness and simplicity of his desires; and from his flight from the world of men; and from his constancy in prayer; and from his silence and his flight from honor; and from his not being bound by the life of sacrifice; and from the great depth of his patience; and from his zeal for virtues; and from his restraint from the rumors and consequences of the affairs of the world; and from his constant practice and his meditation in his true place. Which is worthy of praise: from the cheerfulness of his face and the radiance of his countenance; and from his constant weeping by night and day. And more than anything: from the vigilance in his wakefulness; and from his silence from loquacity. In small things: and up to great things.

And these are like the signs of the separated ones, the manifest beauties of the solitary, which testify to his complete death from the world and his nearness to God. And it is fitting that in these one should see spiritually and read. But if someone should say: “What necessity was there for these signs, that they were not spoken of concisely?” I would say that there was great necessity. For when from these signs one seeks to read each one by itself, if there is anything lacking to him for that which he has neglected concerning his life, from these distinctions he will perceive his deficiency in each of the virtues. And these signs will become for him reminders. And when all these things that are described are found in him, then the rest that remain are given to him for their knowledge, and it becomes the cause of his praise of God before the righteous and the holy angels. And from here he prepares for himself a place of rest before his departure from this world.