How can believers who desire to consecrate their lives to God decide on whether to take the path of service or that of monasticism?

The answer

Discernment requires purity of heart. St. Basil believes that the secret behind the purity of the believer’s heart is his keenness to grow himself spiritually through the practice of spiritual stillness and silence. He says, “silence is the beginning of purifying the soul.”

Silence is necessary for the believer, especially when making a correct decision about consecration. If someone feels called to the priesthood or longs for monasticism, he needs to submit himself to the Holy Spirit and take his time — in silence — to make a decision in accordance with God’s will. St. Basil the Great says, “When the mind is not engaged by external affairs, nor diffused through the senses over the whole world, it retires within itself. Then, it ascends spontaneously to the consideration of God.”¹⁷¹⁰

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty