Welcome to This Series on Lent
Lent is a time for transformation, repentance, ascetic struggle, and purification. It is the Church’s great spiritual pilgrimage leading us to the Passion, Cross, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But how do we maximize Great Lent? How do we move beyond superficial fasting to experience profound, inner transformation?
This series will walk us through Lent by examining St. John Climacus’ Ladder of Divine Ascent and matching each of its thirty steps with the Orthodox Church’s daily Lenten Scripture readings. We will examine how these themes converge, providing practical wisdom for our own ascetic struggles.
As St. John Chrysostom reminds us:
“Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast, and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat. Let us purify our soul, cleanse our flesh; as we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion.”
Today, we begin with the first step on the Ladder of Divine Ascent: Renunciation of the World.
Day 1: Renouncing the World—Returning to Paradise
Scripture Readings:
Genesis 1:1-13
Isaiah 1:1-20
The Ladder of Divine Ascent – Step 1: Renunciation of the World
The Journey Begins
Imagine waking up one morning with complete amnesia. You don’t remember your name, your family, or where you came from. You’re lost. Then, one day, you hear a voice saying, “Come home.”
This is the story of every human soul. We were created for Paradise, but we woke up one day in a world of toil, sin, and separation from God. The burden of everyday life, earthly attachments, and distractions has distorted our recollections of our true selves.
Lent is the season where we begin the journey home—not to a place, but to a Person. But before we can take even one step forward, we must first let go of everything holding us back. This is why Step One on St. John Climacus’ Ladder of Divine Ascent is Renunciation of the World.
“As the Israelites left Egypt, so must we leave the land of sin and the tyranny of Pharaoh (the devil). We cannot begin our ascent while clinging to the passions.” – St. John Climacus
But what does it actually mean to “renounce the world”?
As the Israelites left Egypt, so must we leave the land of sin and the tyranny of Pharaoh (the devil). We cannot begin our ascent while clinging to the passions.
Genesis 1:1-13 – Returning to the Light
On this first day of Lent, the Church takes us back to the very beginning.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep… And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Gen. 1:1-3)
Lent is a time of re-creation. Just as God brought light out of darkness and order from chaos, He wants to do the same in your life. But to be remade, we must first renounce the fallen world.
This is the problem: we are comfortable in our own formlessness and void. We accept the inner chaos of stress, busyness, and endless distractions as “just the way life is.” But deep down, we know we were made for more.
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” – St. Augustine
Renouncing the world means refusing to settle for spiritual darkness. It means recognizing that we were created for something greater—to be filled with light and to walk in deep communion with God.
Clearing Out the Clutter
Imagine you walk into your house after years of neglect. The rooms are cluttered with junk. Old boxes, broken furniture, dust everywhere. You don’t even have space to move, let alone live.
Before you can make your home beautiful again, you have to throw things away. That’s what renouncing the world is like. We let go of what weighs us down—not just material things, but pride, bitterness, distractions, and wasted time.
This is where Isaiah steps in.
Isaiah 1:1-20 – The Call to Clean House
Isaiah speaks to people who have lost their way. They are outwardly religious but inwardly dead. They go to church, they say prayers, but their hearts are cold.
“What to Me is the multitude of your sacrifices?” says the Lord… “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good.” (Isaiah 1:11, 16-17)
Isaiah is calling us to let go of our fake spirituality.
How often do we approach Lent as a checklist? We fast, say prayers, and attend services—but our hearts remain unchanged.
Renouncing the world means renouncing empty religion. It means we don’t just go through the motions—we allow God to truly wash us and make us new.
Spring Cleaning for the Soul
Think about the last time you cleaned out a closet. You find things you forgot about—some valuable, some useless. At first, it’s hard to throw things away, but when you do, the space feels fresh and open.
This is what Isaiah is telling us: clean out your heart. Don’t just go through the motions of Lent—let God transform you.
How to Apply This to Your Life
Lent is not just for monks on Mount Athos—it’s for you. The stay-at-home mom, the businessman, the student, the overworked parent, the retiree.
Here’s how you can take Step One today:
1. Identify Your Attachments
- What worldly things dominate your time, thoughts, and emotions?
- What are you afraid to let go of?
Ask yourself: What is keeping me from being fully alive in Christ?
2. Start Small—Make One Change Today
- Limit distractions: Put your phone away during meals.
- Fast with purpose: Don’t just give up food—give up complaining, gossip, or wasting time.
- Pray with intention: Say the Jesus Prayer when you feel overwhelmed.
3. Be Honest with God
Isaiah warns against surface-level religion. Instead of just saying prayers, pray from your heart.
Try this simple prayer today:
“Lord, I want to come home to You. Show me what I need to let go of. Wash me and make me new.”
Final Thought
Lent is a return to Paradise. But before we can get there, we must renounce the world—not by escaping it, but by choosing the light over darkness.
As St. John Climacus says:
“When the soul leaves Egypt (sin), the sea (baptism and repentance) divides before it. But if it clings to Egypt, it perishes with Pharaoh.”
Let today be the day you take Step One. The day you renounce the world—not just in theory, but in practice.
God is calling you home.
Will you take the first step?
When the soul leaves Egypt (sin), the sea (baptism and repentance) divides before it. But if it clings to Egypt, it perishes with Pharaoh.
Reflection Questions
- What worldly attachments do you need to let go of to begin your journey?
- Where is chaos reigning in your life? How can you invite God’s light into it?
- How can you fast not just outwardly, but inwardly this Lent?
This concludes Day 1 of our 40 Days of Lenten Reflections. Tomorrow, we explore Step 2 – Detachment and how it helps us climb further toward God.
May your journey be blessed and fruitful!
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