*No Man Is an Island* Asceticism

Well, I have to admit-- reading this chapter was hard and I basically skimmed it. It was about asceticism and ultimate self sacrifice. I figured I should probably NOT skip it entirely because Merton is wise and so there may be something in there that is helpful for me or a nugget of wisdom that is hidden among the rocks. And there was! But let me quote what is basically the essence of this chapter:

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"We have to be detached from health and security, from pleasures and possessions, from people and places and conditions and things. We have to be indifferent to life itself, in the Gospel sense, living like the lilies of the field, seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven and trusting that all our material needs will be taken care of into the bargain. How many of us can say, with any assurance, that we have even begun to live like this?"(110).

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So. many. things.wrong. with that statement. I tried really hard to sort of take it and figure it out in a different way, but he means this literally. I can finally understand Catholic guilt. However, seeking the Kingdom of Heaven also means being in community with each other, understand the conditions and lack of security that exists in developing nations, understanding the idea of enjoying the little things and taking care of our bodies. We cannot transcend all of that. They are all important factors. I may agree with him some on the "pleasures and possessions" bit, seeing as Christ calls for us to sell everything we own... and yes, trust is a very important factor in all of this, but still. Understanding the world and the world's beloved people is integral to our lives as Christians.

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What is your view of asceticism?

How do you practice self-sacrifice?