Jesus calls out to us: “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” In our search for genuine freedom, we are following in the footsteps of Christ, who looked beyond the comfort and success of this world to the perfect life and love of the Father. He kept his sight fixed on the goal of heaven, and everything he said and did directed others to that end.
We take up our cross each day when we embrace asceticism, a word that means training, comprised of acts of self-denial that strengthen our interior life. Though underemphasized in our time, we see the importance of asceticism consistently in the lives and teachings of the saints throughout history. To become holy, conformed to Jesus Christ, we must die to ourselves so that the life of God can begin to grow within us.
Asceticism is about saying “no” to lesser things to be able to say “yes” when God asks greater things from us. Though we should seek to reject evil in every instance, we should also abstain from good things for periods of time so that we can remain focused on what matters most in our lives.
It’s important to remember that asceticism is a means to something far more important. St. Jerome, in the fourth century, said it perfectly: “Be on your guard when you begin to mortify your body by abstinence and fasting, lest you imagine yourself to be perfect and a saint; for perfection does not consist in this virtue. It is only a help; a disposition; a means though a fitting one, for the attainment of true perfection.” True perfection is found in love of God and neighbor, and asceticism helps toward that perfection.
Asceticism is not about proving something to yourself, showing others that you are strong, or earning God’s grace. Exodus 90 is not a spiritual marathon or just another secular men’s challenge. Exodus 90 is a spiritual exercise for men who desire to become uncommonly free in order to embrace the love that God offers us as his sons. And these ninety days are only the beginning of a new, freer way of life.
As you will see early and often in the Book of Exodus, the journey to the Promised Land is not a straight shot. And we should not expect our journey over the next ninety days to be a straight shot either. We are like the Israelites. We sin. We are bound by pharaohs. We grumble against God. We make golden calves. We get lost.
That is to say, there is no such thing as a “perfect” Exodus. If we could walk toward freedom perfectly, it would mean that we were already free. And that is not the case—not yet.
Some days will go well; others will not. Some ascetic disciplines will be easy, and others will be hard. Not only is that okay, but that’s how Exodus 90 works! Through the ascetic way, we are humbled. By denying ourselves, we learn to depend upon God for everything and to ask our brothers for prayerful accountability, support, and encouragement.
The disciplines of Exodus 90 have been crafted intentionally for men of our time, and they have become profoundly fruitful in the lives of hundreds of thousands of men all over the world over the past ten years. We encourage you to accept them as they are and not to be quick to change, modify, or run past them.
If there’s a discipline you’re not able to do for good reason, simply share that with your anchor and fraternity. If you need to work yourself up into a discipline over the coming days or weeks, it’s perfectly fine to walk before you run. What’s important is that you start, make progress, and strive towards the standards that have been set before you.
Undoubtedly, and like everything in life, committing fully to the journey bears the greatest personal meaning, satisfaction, and fruit in our experience.