Sacred Pathway #4 Ascetics
The ascetic gravitates towards solitude, austerity, simplicity and deep commitment - the monastic temperament. The discipline of such a pathway is very alien to our contemporary instant-gratification culture.
John the Baptist with his Nazirite vow was one Biblical figure who was an ascetic. Jesus also had such tendencies, he often would withdraw to solitude at difficult moments in his ministry. Lamentations, Daniel, Joel and some Psalms are rich passages for ascetics called to mourn.
Solitude for the modern city-dwelling ascetic may be difficult but not impossible to find. It could be waking up in the early hours of the morning or staying up late - when no one else is around. Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles, was known to pull her apron over her head to pray. In contrast to sensates, ascetics find sensory input distracting. Discipline can be another method of the ascetic expressing worship. Self-denial such as fasting is one such expression. Historically, the ascetic life was tied with the contemplative.
Ascetics can be tempted to overemphasize personal piety; this need for spiritual refreshment must be balanced by our obligation to serve others. Asceticism is a means to an end, and never and end in itself. It is however, not a means to gain God's favour, approval or forgiveness. Ascetics must bear in mind that these are all bestowed upon us by grace alone.
While this is not what I am naturally inclined to, like the other pathways, there is a time and place for austerity and solitude in every Christian's worship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that if we do not have some element of the ascetic, we will find it hard to follow Christ.
This is the fifth in my reflection series on Gary Thomas' Sacred Pathways. The first four are: The Danger of Bible Reading in Daily Devotions & Quiet Times, Naturalists, Sensates and Traditionalists.
Image taken from here.