The social nature of man

“Man is not a solitary creature, but a social one, *
writes St. Basil. This is also the statement of Greek philosophers. St. Basil however, he had a special reason for emphasizing him so much.
He personally visited Egyptian monks. He knew there were many saints among them, but not all. Loners become even weirdos. So he wrote a polemical state against such way of life and gave several reasons. No one is enough on their own. We dress in clothes made by others, we eat the fruits that our neighbor has grown. There is a constant exchange of work. Even spiritual values ​​are experienced
together with others, by some exchange of personal gifts in the mystical body of Christ. Only love is possible, only in society with others can all be maintained God’s commandments. We help each other, we help each other we admonish, correct our mistakes, we hear. St. Basil is one of the main founders of religious life in the form of a cenobitic, t. j. social. This kind after all, it prevailed in the Church, especially in the West. Mockery they still live together, usually in one house, next to one table, have common property, common order, one superior. They work together for one big goal. Proponents of this direction are convinced that it is life easier and at the same time more useful for the Church, more personally meritorious, because it removes the main obstacles on the way to God, namely arbitrariness.
They see in the common life and unanimity of the brothers foreshadowing of heaven and future age. “Brothers and Fathers,” writes St. Theodor Studita to the monks, “they will still call you by these names, which signify brotherhood and fatherhood; I know very well that the name corresponds to the truth and really means that it is about you … You have adopted a life together where
one heart and one soul, one father – God, one country -the heavenly Jerusalem. » Contradictions between loneliness and community
The fact that there are still two opposite directions in the Church proves that the issue is still alive and that it cannot be resolved once and for all some general provision. Monks finally they often considered and discussed the problem. Mostly agreed on several principles. Man is truly a social creature. His natural nature and Christian love lead him to stay in contact with others. That, of course, doesn’t mean it all the time external coexistence, cohabitation, however, definitely nor constantly talking and discussing. Noise and screaming do more harm to real human contact than it helps. If we have to exchange spiritual values, we must have them first.
Many of them are obtained other than in peace and solitude.
A kind of desert, love in solitude belongs to life every person. So he must be able to find the moments when he will be alone. Deep natures are usually known by that they seek and love these moments. Everything has Understandably, your peace. They will determine the degree of solitude for us circumstances, inner need, God’s special calling. At a time when only rush and external activity are being evaluated, God often calls some people to complete solitude and silence. They are a living sign for others:
 In a community of believers wills the age, if the whole world also gain, and harm his soul? (Mt 16:26). Just as holy work is for God, so is loneliness for loneliness God. It’s an even better life because it’s better
unites with God. On the contrary, escape to solitude from resentment, anger, suspicion; the loneliness of the freaks is a deviation rather than a virtue. Solitude it can be neither a cloak of comfort nor an escape from duties. On the contrary, for reasons of love for people, activities and work for the Church, the one flashes unnecessarily and hypocritically, who cannot be alone for a moment, who is inwardly desolate or full of unrest, and he that hath an evil and unclean conscience. “So is it better to seek solitude or rather society if we are not religious and live in the world?” The students asked this question to the preacher in spiritual exercises. He answered them evasively, but aptly: “Is it better to eat or to sleep?” Normal life includes both,all to measure. In this sense, they advised caution as well great advocates of solitude, e.g. Vol. Nile: «Don’t go into solitude, foolishly, only if you want and if you have taste! It could be to you not for salvation, but for destruction of soul.