| To despise one's own will. | |
| To obey the abbot's commands in all things, even if he strays from his own path, mindful of the Lord's command: "What they say, do, but what they do, do not perform" ( Matt. 23:3). | |
| Not to desire to be called holy before the fact, but to be holy first, then called so with truth. | |
| To fulfill God's commandments in one's activities. | |
| To love chastity. | |
| To hate no one. | |
| Not to be jealous or envious. | |
| To hate strife. | |
| To evidence no arrogance. | |
| To honor the elderly. | |
| To love the young. | |
| To pray for one's enemies for the love of Christ. | |
| To make peace with an adversary before sundown. | |
| Never to despair of God's mercy. |
These are the tools of our spiritual craft.
