In the midst of such uncertainty, it may seem strange to turn for advice to those who have taken vows of poverty. Then again, those who cope with poverty daily may have a deeper insight into what our future holds. That same Reuters article profiles Brother Nikanor (whose given name was Hristo Mishkov), "a Nasdaq broker turned monk," a Bulgarian Orthodox Christian who left a promising career in the stock market to pursue the spiritual life.
"We always search for happiness in the outside world, in material things, which makes us constantly unsatisfied, angry with ourselves and the world," Brother Nikanor told Reuters. "We have so quickly lost our human appearance, we have become beasts . . . There's no-one to count on and say 'hey neighbor come help me.' He will come but demand a payment."
Brother Nikanor sees economic crises as opportunities to return to what is most important. Much of our modern economy is not built on actual production but on paper profits. And that's as dangerous spiritually as it is economically. "Many people . . . in the world do not realize that they have not earned the food they eat, that they take without giving," Brother Nikanor told Reuters. "But if someone consumes more than they have earned, it means someone else is starving."
In uncertain economic times, people often return to productive jobs and vocations, if only because the discretionary income that fuels higher-paying service sector jobs dries up. Even those who do not find themselves switching careers, however, can find wisdom in Brother Nikanor's words: "Milk is not produced by computers, bread doesn't come from a good company PR. It is necessary to plow, sow and harvest before that."
Ora et labora--pray and work--St. Benedict urged his monks during another time of economic upheaval. It's still good advice today.