All monastic life may be said to take one of three forms. There is the road of withdrawal and solitude for the spiritual athlete; there is the life of stillness shared with one or two others; there is the practice of living patiently in community. (John Climacus)

Faith alive in the world may be said to take one of three forms. There is the road of engagement and self-sacrifice for the spiritual athlete. For to be in the world yet striving for goals beyond the world requires the strength to be constantly challenged, often fail, and a deep dependence on spiritual coaching.

There is the life of prophecy shared with one or two others. The prophetic role is honored in retrospect and almost always despised in real time. To be in partnership with God and one or two others is essential to the prophet's ability to persist.

There is the practice of living patiently in community. To love our neighbors as we love ourselves; to be patient with our neighbors as we are patient with ourselves; and to actively seek the best for our neighbors is to be faithful to God.

And for those on any of these three paths it is helpful to regularly seek renewal through periods of withdrawal, solitude, and stillness.

The image above is of St. Benedict orders St. Maurus to rescue St. Placidus by Fra Filippo Lippi (1445)