Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/197

 vn] THE MONASTIC CHARACTER 179 Its strength and inspiration was the love of God and the desire of an eternal life wherein the chief element of bliss should be the love of God more nearly realized in ecstasy and vision. On earth, the love of God must be fostered, and the conditions of attainment of eter- nal life must be fulfilled, in the spirit and according to the precepts of Christ as interpreted in the transi- tion centuries. Western monasticism takes its form from the interpretation of Christianity by the Latin Fathers and the Western monastic regulators, who un- consciously modify and add to the interpretations of the East. Its constant endeavor is to eliminate the emotions and desires which oppose entire consecration to the love of God and the attainment of eternal life ; and to cultivate the human qualities which serve these final ends, and the relationships with fellow-men which fulfil the love of God in love of man according to the words of Christ. Chief among the emotions and desires — to wit, the lusts — to be eliminated was passionate love between the sexes. Hence one most holy form of human love was excommunicated from the perfect Christian life. The reasons for this rejection include well nigh all the causes of monasticism heretofore discussed. All sexual desire was condemned, every mode of life in- volving it was excluded, and whatever might occasion it was forbidden. Mainly to this end was the monk's diet regulated, his fasts prescribed, and his intercourse with the world restricted. Sexual desire was evil. Moreover, marriage and the claims of family were an impediment to a life led in devotion to the love of God. Consequently monasti-