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?”