What Is a Monk? A Christian monk is a man who recognizes the gift of God’s call in his life to live his faith in a special way. By binding himself to a community of men who share the same beliefs, he seeks to know God in everything he does, everywhere he is and at all times.
This goal is not a simple “Yes, God is here, God is there, God is everywhere!” kind of notion; the seeking of God means to use every opportunity to deepen the monk’s relationship with Him. Prayer then is essentially what the monk uses as his main tool in the spiritual craft. The members of the monastic community support one another in this goal by sharing knowledge, caring for the needs of each other, bearing with one another’s faults and unique characteristics and serving each other in various ways.