One, not Two

Most people think of marriage to be the norm, while monasticism to be the extreme. They are mistaken. Some people even think of one way to be right, or up, and the other to be left or down, and those are extremists themselves, and are mistaken. Enlightened people think of them as two parallel paths, and those are the closest to truth, but it is not quite true that marriage and monasticism are two parallel paths. Truth is that they are one path, not two!

Marriage and Monasticism are one path in the sense that one is traveling up a hill towards heaven. Multitudes of Christians are all traveling up this same path up the hill, which is narrow and difficult, require alertness, humility , self denial, perseverance and fixed eye on Christ.

Truth is that both are the one way of living eternity on earth. It just happens that some people choose to walk, hike, up the hill, while others prefer to run. Clearly if you choose to run, you will excerpt much more effort, and you risk more sever falls, should you fall, or getting tired and being forced to take "a rest", which might cause delays longer than if you have walked. Walking, you risk less, but it will take a bit longer. Walking allows you to enjoy accompany though, for two can walk hand in hand, but a runner cannot but run by her/himself.

By definition, the main difference however is that while running, your both legs get detached from the ground, you leap flying in air momentarily and continuously. If you walk, even if you speed up, you have to have one leg attached to the ground. In walking races, if a walker get both legs detached, they are disqualified for they did run!

Why would any one walk, you might wonder? Well, not all people were created as runners, or have the proper fitness to run. But most probably, some people enjoy walking over running, especially for the accompany and sharing with other, especially the walking-partner, the beautiful scenic path. Or it could be the case that they were never trained for running, and never sought after it.

After all, it is a matter of choice which way you want to climb up the same hill!
After all, walking or running, we do nothing but in Christ!
After all, running or walking, we seek to live eternity on earth, and live in Christ eternally!

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way" (John 14:6)