What are we to throw away if we are to renounce? Let’s throw away everything that prevents us from living in communion with God. In a recent survey, many residents of Slovakia declared that they would rather be a bridge than belong directly to the West or the East. It is a fiction with no connection to reality. Although geographically we are in Central Europe, culturally we belong to the West. The dominant belief is Catholicism, not Orthodoxy. We can step to the East, but that will be our choice. It’s bizarre when we don’t like the chair we’ve been sitting on for centuries, we try to occupy the second one with half of our ass, and at the same time we write poems about a third one that doesn’t exist. We are always faced with a choice. A boy can flirt with several girls, but he can only date one. Young people can prolong their youth seemingly endlessly by traveling and partying, but at some point they have to choose the path of stability and settle down. We can consider whether to enter into marriage or consecrated life, but it’s not okay to spend years deciding or wondering if it can somehow be put together. Everyone has to choose. Jesus asks us to choose by giving something up when he strictly says, “He who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” What do we have? Some possessions, love, relationships, hobbies, favorite music and food. When we lose that, what is left of life? On the other hand, God still asks people to be creative: “Be fruitful, fill the earth.” Our relationships and possessions are the work of our creativity. If God commands us to be creative, he certainly doesn’t want us to lose all of that. Using God’s gifts is a means of building God’s kingdom. What are we to throw away if we are to renounce? Let’s throw away everything that prevents us from living in communion with God. We are to be Jesus’ disciples, that is, to imitate his lifestyle. Giving up everything we have is primarily a matter of inner attitude, not what we see on the outside. Even a poor person, a consecrated person or a priest can be addicted to something, although outwardly there are limitations in such a life. A rich person can be internally free if he knows how to handle his wealth. “Renunciation of all that we have is primarily a matter of inner attitude, not of what we see on the outside.” Share There are times when it is necessary to take the commandment of renunciation literally. A typical example is St. Francis of Assisi. According to biographers, the rich heir of a wealthy father decides one day to get rid of part of the property and share it. He will do a crazy thing that most would not understand. He doesn’t do it for the sake of sensationalism, he doesn’t need to forcefully attract attention. He feels inside that if he does not do this, he will not be free inwardly and will not be able to walk in simplicity for Christ as he would like. His story and the lifestyle he chose, his authentic spiritual life in the following years: all this is proof that the crazy beginning of his mission was not a pose or a publicity stunt, but a call for the freedom to live fully for Christ. This example should be seriously considered. We should not sit on two chairs. We are to be disciples of Jesus and get rid of what prevents us from fulfilling our mission. There are situations when it is necessary to act. Someone can be bound by the house or apartment in which they live. Its size, equipment, memories. He needs to leave it, give it up, sell it, move away to be free and start over. Another is considering quitting smoking or drinking alcohol, but can’t get rid of cigarette boxes or bottles. They are the kind who want to have fun. Music, movies, streaming stations, computer games. Wastes time. Isn’t it better to find the power, cancel the subscription or even sell the hardware? If we can take such steps, we will gain a lot. Not only free time, but especially inner freedom to do good, something new and great, which will help in spiritual and human maturation, in our relationships. We will stop sitting on two chairs. We will become disciples of Jesus. We can organize our life priorities. To carry one’s own cross and not to destroy oneself. So let’s choose. We don’t want our hearts to rest on earth when heaven is so wide and deep and offers so much more. Let my seat be communion with Christ. Until we firmly decide to sit on it, we will not be ready to imitate him and become his disciples. This is our mission. Renunciation is a means by which we purify ourselves, our own plans and intentions in order to understand what is really important in our lives.