St. Silouan: A New Friend for the Hermit

St. Silouan is a friend for all hermits, for all souls! Silouan the Staretz (means holy one) lived from 1866-1938. From Russia, he joined a monastery on Mount Athos in 1892, still with his birth name of Simeon. He was one of seven children, and his description of his humble father is that of one who is wise and holy in simplicity. Simeon had some sinful aberrations in his youth, but he had two deeper conversions, and after required military service, his father said he was free to become a monk. And what a holy monk!

In the introduction to the book The Undistorted Image (by Archimandrite Sofrony), the Right Rev. Georges Florovsky writes of Father Silouan's writings. This section is worth quoting, for it speaks also of love, which is a basis of Silouan the Staretz's holiness.

The sayings of Father Silouan are simple. There is nothing specatcular in them, except indeed their simplicity itself. He had no special 'revelations' to disclose. He spoke usually about common things. Yet even about the common things he spoke in a very uncommon manner. He spoke out of his intimate experiences. Love is both the starting point and the core of Christian endeavour. But the 'novelty' of Christian Love is so often overlooked and disregarded. According to Christ Himself, the only true Love is 'love for enemies.' It is in no case just a super-rogatory advice, and not just a free option. It is rather the frist criterium, and the distinctive mark, of the genuine Love. St. Paul was also quite emphatical at this point. God loved us while we were His enemies. The Cross itself is the perennial symbol and sign of that Love. Now, Christians must share in that redemptive Love of their Lord. Otherwise, they cannot 'abide in His Love'. Father Silouan not only spoke of Love. He practiced it. In a humble, and yet daring, manner he devoted his life to the prayer for enemies, for the perishing and alienated world. This pryaer is a dangerous and ambiguous endeavour, unless it is offered in utter humility. One can easily become conscious of his love, and then it is corroded and infected by vanity and pride. One cannot love purely, except with the love of Christ Himself, infused and operating in the humble heart....The glory of the Saints is manifested in their humility, just as the glory of the Onlyi Begotten has been manifested in the utter humiliation of His earthly life. Love itself has been crucified in the world.

Well, of course, there is more. But the hermit attempts to share with others who may not have access to this book or have other duties and missions than to write, a good bulk of the day.

As Pere Louis Bouyer writes, monks are close kin to hermits. When in the monastery, the young Simeon (named Silouan when professed) learned the spiritual life by a monastic rule forged by centuries of practice with constant awareness of God. This included a rule of prayer in the solitude of the cell, long church offices, fasts and vigils, frequent confession and communion, reading, physical toil and the duties of obedience.

"Simple, and untroubled by the questions which assail present-day intellectuals, he adapted himself to this new way of living, like the other monks, more by an organic fusion with his surroundings than through oral lessons." He also practiced the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son o fGod, have mercy upon me, a sinner. Silouan prayed this incessantly until after a few weeks, one evening he stood before the icon of the Mother of God praying it, and "the prayer entered his heart and continued there, day and night, of its own accord."

Silouan then entered a period of dark nights and trials with the devil. But prior, he had also learned an invaluable lesson while in the military service. He realized that an "essential condition for peace between men is that each should have a consciousness of his own wrong-doing."

The hermit here will try to share more about St. Silouan as progress is made page by page.

Already, there is much even from the Foreward, that is helpful to the hermit in current circumstances, such as with the recent attempt by the neighbors at character defamation. The hermit is considering its own wrong doing, and often this includes not praying enough for others, not recognizing enough how one can glorify God in all creation, including experiences that might appear negative but which actually are positively marvelous opportunities for spiritual growth, prayer, love, forgiveness--all the delights of soul school.

The hermit notes in this book, in the words spoken by Silouan, an element quite contrasting to the friend Teresa Higginson's more ebulliant nature. The hermit must pray for and practice calm--and is reminded to once more pray the Jesus Prayer. The monks utilized the rosary beads in their prayer forms, as well, and not only for the rosary meditations as we know, but for other prayers, such as the Jesus Prayer.

Now, Pope Benedict XVI is smiling from his large framed photo, and wants the hermit to be good and wash dishes, then vacuum the floor, then put away some items prior to noon Mass.