Asceticism & Renewal

Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. '
- Matthew 16:24

The successful renewal of the Catholic Church depends on increased prominence and practice of self-denial.

Jesus makes clear in Matthew's Gospel (and elsewhere) that the sine qua non of authentic discipleship is a posture of self-denial. While it is probably the characteristic of discipleship that is the least appealing to our world, it is only through a life of self-denial that we experience the freedom needed to grow in discipleship. Throughout the Christian spiritual tradition, this posture of self-denial has been called ascetical spirituality.

The word "asceticism” was brought into the Christian tradition by Clement of Alexandria. Originating from ancient Greek sports, its secular meaning was a practice or exercise. Ascetical practices help us exercise authentic human freedom; they strengthen us to die to our false self so that our true self has the freedom to grow. It is in asceticism that the command of Jesus to deny ourselves meets the reality of our everyday lives.

Influenced by media, most of us have a warped sense of asceticism, fixating on hair shirts and other dramatic practices (Dan Brown’s The Divinci Code being notably guilty). Some forms of exterior asceticism can, under certain circumstances, have value. But before you visit Hair-Shirts-R-Us, the spiritual tradition is clear about the priority of the interior over the exterior. Interior asceticism shifts focus from our bodies to our intellect and, most importantly, our will.

Even the lukewarm heart can muster up the courage to take a cold shower, but obedience to rightful authority when you know they are wrong requires tremendous interior freedom (just ask my staff). While a cold shower can help us gain control over our desire for sensory pleasures, obedience to rightful authority and other interior ascetical practices can free us from the source of so many of our sinful tendencies - a prideful will.

The asceticism of the saints offers two tangible fruits that are non-negotiables for disciples:

1) Asceticism fosters inner healing

There is a deep wound in our humanity. It distorts our feelings, desires, and how we see and understand the world. There is a disorder inside of us; to ignore it is to succumb to this treatable disease. The Divine Physician longs to heal those wounds, even those hidden from us. Think about the Sermon on the Mount: "'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.'” Christ's interest in our transformation doesn't end at helping us avoid sinful actions; he seeks to heal the disorder within us that causes us to desire sin. Jesus isn’t satisfied with our avoiding sinful actions; He wants to make us good and holy by curing our sin-sickness. Asceticism is our response to His offer of a cure.

2) Asceticism fosters self-possession and freedom

Each human exists for one reason: To enter a communion of mutual, self-giving love. Yet we can only give ourselves in love to another if we are free from obstacles that cause us to lack self-control. Addictions, unhealthy attachments, a false understanding of what it means to be human, all of these (and more) prevent us from having the freedom to give ourselves away in love. Some have said it this way: If you aren’t free to say no, then what does your yes really mean? Asceticism is a crucial way to exercise our freedom, gain control of feelings and desires, and become more capable of love.

The great St. Francis of Assisi unsurprisingly realized the centrality of self-denial: “Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”

Asceticism is how we yield to those graces and experience healing, freedom, and love. It is an essential step on the road of discipleship.

Jesus is clear that authentic discipleship can only be present with a spirit of self-denial. That’s why, for discipleship-centered parish renewal to become a reality, those who strive to be agents of change must embrace the asceticism of the saints.