"The Wisdom of Letting Go"

Renunciation, traditionally associated with religious or spiritual practices, extends beyond these, taking on some very secular ideas.

Instead of withdrawing from the world, modern renunciation is giving up attachments to things, ideas, or anything that prevents us from growing mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Some would express this as minimalism: getting rid of anything that doesn't add value to life. Excessive consumerism, technology, and external gratification for a more internal focus on what is considered essential.

In the Wisdom of the Desert Fathers column of the Catholic Times, the Benedictine monk presents St John Cassian's three stages of renunciation. "The first stage is to give up the desire for this world's riches and possessions. The second is to reject past habits of mind and body, vices, and passions. The third is to turn our hearts away from all that is temporal and visible, to look only to the future, and to long for what cannot be seen." 

Renunciation leads monks to constant prayer. A monk who attains purity of heart through renunciation and ceaseless prayer advances to pure prayer, achieving union with God and living in his Kingdom. Without this renunciation, neither ceaseless prayer, purity of heart, union with God, nor the Kingdom of God is possible. This is the teaching of the Desert Fathers, passed down to us through Cassian.

One day, Macarius the Great, upon encountering some monks asked, "How can I become a monk?" They replied, "Unless I renounce everything in the world, I cannot become a monk".  Therefore, according to Cassian, monks were called "Renunciants". A monk who possesses God's things in his cell renounces the things of this world. In fact, as one elder put it, those who have tasted the sweetness of non-possession find even clothing and a water pitcher cumbersome. Because his mind is now elsewhere. 

The Desert Fathers also emphasize the renunciation of one's own will. One famous Father said, "There are three things that are precious in the sight of the Lord: to face pain and life's difficulties with gratitude; to perform all one's work purely in the presence of God; and finally, to completely renounce one's own will and remain under the spiritual master. When one renounces one's own will, God reconciles with him and accepts his prayers."The human will is a brass wall and a stumbling block between him and God.

"Renunciation" is a prerequisite for following Jesus. But we know from experience that letting go of something we own is never easy. Letting go of our own will is even more difficult. That may be why following Jesus, living as his disciple, is so difficult. Letting go is a discipline that requires practice.

We came into this world empty-handed. Yet, as time passes, we spend too much time and energy trying to possess and hold onto so many things. The things of this world we cling to will eventually vanish in an instant.  Our lives are such that we come empty-handed and must return empty-handed. When we free ourselves from attachment to everything in this world except God, we will become true disciples of Jesus. The Desert Fathers invite us to the wisdom of letting go.