Renunciation of the World and Embracing Christ

 

Part 2: Total Commitment to Christ

2.1: Renunciation of the World and Embracing Christ

Opening Reflection

In the deserts of Egypt, thousands once walked away from everything—wealth, comfort, reputation—not out of despair, but out of love. They believed union with Christ was worth any sacrifice.

Today, except for some, we’re not called to flee into the desert, but we are called to turn away from anything that dims our love for God. What might that look like now, in our homes, hearts, and daily choices?

For the Orthodox Fathers, the foundation of ascetical life was total commitment to Christ. That began with a radical, conscious decision: to renounce the world (ዓለምን መካድ/መናቅ)—not from hatred (ጥላቻ), but out of supreme love.

Their renunciation was not a rejection of creation, but of everything that distracts from God. This marked the start of their pilgrimage (መንፈሳዊ ጉዞ) toward union with Christ (Theosis).

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” “ማንም ወደ እኔ የሚመጣ ቢኖር አባቱንና እናቱን ሚስቱንም ልጆቹንም ወንድሞቹንም እኅቶቹንም የራሱን ሕይወት ስንኳ ሳይቀር ባይጠላ፥ ደቀ መዝሙሬ ሊሆን አይችልም።” ( Luke 14:26)

The early Church Fathers did not interpret this verse as a literal command to hate one's family or life. Rather, they understood it as a profound call to radical discipleship, placing love for Christ above all earthly ties.

1️. What Does "Renunciation of the World" Mean?

Not hatred (ጥላቻ) of creation, but freedom from enslavement to a fallen way of life.

The “world” in this context refers to values opposed to God:

• 🏆 Egoism (ራስ ወዳድነት) and pride
• 💰 Love of wealth and pleasure
• 💬 Seeking praise from others
• 🛋 Dependence on comfort
• 🔥 Slavery to the passions (ጤነኛ ላልሆኑ ምኞቶች)

“Do not love the world or the things in the world… The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” “ዓለምን ወይም በዓለም ያሉትን አትውደዱ፤ በዓለም ያለው ሁሉ እርሱም የሥጋ ምኞትና የዓይን አምሮት ስለ ገንዘብም መመካት ከዓለም ስለ ሆነ እንጂ ከአባት ስላልሆነ፥ ማንም ዓለምን ቢወድ የአባት ፍቅር በእርሱ ውስጥ የለም። ዓለሙም ምኞቱም ያልፋሉ፤ የእግዚአብሔርን ፈቃድ የሚያደርግ ግን ለዘላለም ይኖራል።” (1 John 2:15–17)

To renounce the world is to turn fully toward Christ, to take up one’s cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23).

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2️. How Did the Fathers Renounce the World?

a. 💸 Through Material Detachment

• They sold or gave away possessions, keeping only what was needed to survive.
• St. Anthony heard: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor…” (Matthew 19:21)—and he obeyed it literally.

“The less you have, the more you are free to love Christ.”— St. John Climacus.

b. 👪 Leaving Family and Career

• They left not from hatred, but from greater love for Christ.

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me…”— Matthew 10:37

Christ said “more than Me”—He did not say, Do not love your father and mother.

c. 🏜 Entering the Desert (Literal or Spiritual)

• Some left cities for solitude. Others built an “inner desert”—a heart closed to vanity ( ከንቱነት), open to God.
• Even today, one can enter the spiritual desert by shutting the door of the heart to sin and distraction.

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3️. Embracing Christ: A New Way of Being

Renunciation is only half the story. The other half is to fully embrace Christ.

a. 💖 Christ Becomes the Center of Life

• The Fathers lived for Him, called on Him, and saw Him in:
• Scripture
• The Eucharist
• Their neighbor
• The silence of prayer

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him, the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”— St. Augustine

b. 🧠 Putting on the Mind of Christ

• They learned to see everything through Christ’s eyes—humble, loving, obedient (መታዘዝ).

They modeled the verse: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” “በክርስቶስ ኢየሱስ የነበረ ይህ አሳብ በእናንተ ዘንድ ደግሞ ይሁን” — Philippians 2:5

c. ✝ Daily Dying and Living for Christ

• Asceticism means crucifixion and resurrection: dying to pride, sin, and ego—and rising in Christ.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” “ከክርስቶስ ጋር ተሰቅዬአለሁ፤ እኔም አሁን ሕያው ሆኜ አልኖርም ክርስቶስ ግን በእኔ ይኖራል…”— Galatians 2:20

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4️. Fruits of Renunciation and Commitment

The fruit was not abstract, but transformative:

• 🕊 Peace of soul in hardship
• 🔓 Freedom from passions
• ❤️ Love for enemies
• 🔥 Clarity in prayer
• 😊 Joy in suffering
• 🕯 Spiritual authority and wisdom

Their holiness is not expression, rather it is a healed heart.

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5️. Application for Today

You may not be called to the literal desert. But every Christian is called to:

• Renounce sin
• Detach from ego
• Embrace Christ as Lord

🙌 Practical Practices:

• Simplify your life: detach from excessive screens, money, and luxury.
• Enter silence and pray daily.
• Let Christ guide your decisions.
• Accept suffering for His sake.
• Practice fasting, repentance, and charity joyfully.

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Conclusion

The Orthodox Fathers succeeded in their ascetical life because they gave up everything that hindered union with Christ.

Their love was not halfway, but total.

Through prayer, silence, fasting, and humility, they became living icons of His Kingdom.

To follow them is to walk the same narrow path of renunciation and joyful embrace, where we lose our life and find it in Him.

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” “ነፍሱን የሚያገኝ ያጠፋታል፥ ነፍሱንም ስለ እኔ የሚያጠፋ ያገኛታል።” ( Matthew 10:39, interpreted as “በተፈጥሮ ያገኛት ሰውነቱን በሃይማኖት በጥምቀት ይጣላት። በሃይማኖት በጥምቀት የጣላት ሰውነቱን በእኔ ዘንድ ብርህት ክብርት ሆኖ ያገኛታል።”

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🪞 Reflection Questions:

(For personal prayer and journaling)

1. What worldly attachment do I need to let go of to follow Christ more fully?
2. In what areas of my life is Christ not yet the center?
3. How can I begin to build a “desert” space in my heart for prayer and repentance?

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🔔 This Week’s Practice:

Spend 10 minutes daily in silence, praying:

“Lord Jesus Christ, where are You calling me to deeper commitment?”

The Desert Fathers and Mothers – Living Icons of Holiness

 

1.3: The Desert Fathers and Mothers – Living Icons of Holiness

Opening Reflection

In the barren wilderness of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, men and women began to withdraw in the late third and early fourth centuries—not to escape the world, but to encounter God in stillness and purity of heart. These pioneers of the ascetical life, known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, sought not comfort, but transformation. To this day, their lives continue to inspire Orthodox Christians who long to follow Christ in humility and prayer.

They are not merely figures of the past, but living icons—witnesses to the enduring power of grace, and examples of what it means to struggle, to repent, and to be transformed by the divine presence.

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1. Historical Context: Why the Desert?

• After the legalization of Christianity by the Edict of Milan (313 AD), which marked the end of Christian persecution, the age of public martyrdom (ሰማዕትነት) began to decline.
• Many Christians perceived the Church as becoming increasingly stuck with worldly concerns.
• Seeking a new kind of martyrdom— “white martyrdom”—through self-denial and solitude, they turned to the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.
• These wildernesses (ምድረ በዳዎች) transformed into vibrant spiritual centers, giving birth to monasticism.

St. Anthony the Great (251–356 A.D), often regarded as the “father of monasticism,” withdrew into the Egyptian desert. His life, recorded by St. Athanasius, became a foundational text for Christian spirituality.

“He who sits in solitude and is quiet has escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, seeing. Yet against one thing shall he continually battle: that is, his own heart.”— St. Anthony the Great

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2. Who Were the Desert Fathers and Mothers?

These holy ascetics were not systematic theologians, yet their lives expressed the theology of the heart.

• Hermits and monks: living alone or in small communities.
• Spiritual elders: men (Abbas) and women (Ammas) who offered divine wisdom to seekers.
• Models of humility and repentance: speaking little, but with great spiritual depth.

Notable Figures:

• St. Anthony the Great – solitary and model of radical renunciation (giving up worldly possessions, pleasures, and attachments).
• St. Macarius of Egypt – known for calmness and spiritual discernment (ማስተዋል).
• Abba Poemen – master of humility and spiritual watchfulness.
• St. Pachomius – founder of communal (cenobitic) monastic life.
• St. Syncletica of Alexandria – a wise and revered spiritual mother.

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3. Features of Their Ascetical Life

a. Prayer and Inner Watchfulness (Νῆψις – Nepsis)

• Constant prayer, especially the Jesus Prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

• Interior attention was seen as the path to union with God.

“A man becomes spiritual through inner vigilance (attention) and constant prayer.”— St. Macarius of Egypt

b. Silence (Ἡσυχία – Hesychia) and Solitude

• They sought inner stillness, believing that the voice of God is heard most clearly in silence.
• Simple houses—caves or sheds—became places of communion with God.

“Love silence above all things, for it brings you near to God.”— St. Isaac the Syrian

c. Fasting and Bodily Discipline

• Their diets were simple: bread, herbs, and water.
• Fasting was not a punishment, but a method of freeing the soul from the domination of passions.

d. Repentance and Humility

• Even in advanced holiness, they saw themselves as the chief of sinners.
• Their tears were not of despair (ተስፋ የመቁረጥ), but of love for God’s mercy.

“Acquire the spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.”— St. Seraphim of Sarov

e. Spiritual Fatherhood and Motherhood

• Young monks and laypeople similarly wanted a “word” from these elders:

They humbly requested, “Abba, give me a word.”

• These short teachings often transformed lives.

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4. Wisdom Words from the Desert Fathers

From the Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers):

• Abba Moses the Black (the Ethiopian):

“Sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.”

• Abba Poemen:

“Teach your mouth to say what is in your heart.”

Meaning, speak the truth, do not manipulate, let your words be sincere, not deceptive.

• Amma Syncletica:

“In the beginning, there is struggle and much suffering for those who approach God... but afterwards, there is indescribable joy.”

These sayings are loved throughout the Orthodox world—frequently quoted in liturgical texts, monastic rules, and theological writings.

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5. The Desert Fathers and the Bible

• They lived the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) (አንቀጸ ብጹዓን), including the entire message of the chapter, and walked in the spirit of the Gospel.
• Their humility proved the publican’s prayer in Luke 18:13: “ቀራጩ ግን በሩቅ ቆሞ ዓይኖቹን ወደ ሰማይ ሊያነሣ እንኳ አልወደደም፥ ነገር ግን፦ አምላክ ሆይ፥ እኔን ኃጢአተኛውን ማረኝ እያለ ደረቱን ይደቃ ነበር።”

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” “አምላክ ሆይ፥ እኔን ኃጢአተኛውን ማረኝ”  (Luke 18:13)

• They embraced spiritual warfare, as described in Ephesians 6:10–18, battling demonic temptations of pride, gluttony (ሆዳምነት), lust, anger, and despair.

The desert was not a place of escape—but a battlefield for the soul.

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6. Their Legacy Today

The spirit of the Desert continues to live:

• In the monastic communities of Mount Athos, Egypt, Ethiopia, and elsewhere.
• In the Philokalia, a treasury of patristic texts rooted in their spirituality.
• In the lives of Orthodox Christians, who seek prayer, fasting, and simplicity in the world.

You need not flee to a physical desert; a heart desire for God is the true wilderness where transformation begins.

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Summary

• The Desert Fathers and Mothers are living models of holiness, simplicity, and union with God.
• Their path of asceticism is a means to purify the heart and welcome the dwelling of the Holy Spirit.
• Their wisdom remains a guiding light for Orthodox Christians across all generations.

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Scripture Meditation

• Matthew 6:6 – “Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” “አንተ ግን ስትጸልይ፥ ወደ እልፍኝህ ግባ መዝጊያህንም ዘግተህ በስውር ላለው አባትህ ጸልይ፤ በስውር የሚያይ አባትህም በግልጥ ይከፍልሃል።”
• Luke 18:13 – “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” “አምላክ ሆይ፥ እኔን ኃጢአተኛውን ማረኝ”
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” “እርሱም፦ ጸጋዬ ይበቃሃል፥ ኃይሌ በድካም ይፈጸማልና አለኝ። እንግዲህ የክርስቶስ ኃይል ያድርብኝ ዘንድ በብዙ ደስታ በድካሜ ልመካ እወዳለሁ።”

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Recommended Reading

• The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, trans. Benedicta Ward
• The Life of St. Anthony by St. Athanasius
• The Way of a Pilgrim (spiritual classic centered on the Jesus Prayer)