The Things Above: Colossians 2:20-3:3, especially vs. 3:1: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God." The essential question which the Apostle Paul poses at the beginning of today's reading may be paraphrased as follows (vss. 20-22): if you died with Christ [in Baptism], why do you subject yourselves to regulations, commandments and doctrines of men? Among the 'regulations' he specifies are: "Do not touch; do not taste; do not handle" (vs. 21). Continuing, he expands on this theme, mentioning "self-imposed religion, false humility and asceticism" (vs. 23).
On reading this passage superficially one might conclude that the Apostle opposed ascetic practices. This in fact is not true (e.g., 2 Cor. 11:7,27). Furthermore, Holy Tradition, deriving strictly from the Apostles, including St. Paul, values self-imposed discipline, humility and asceticism highly. How then should we understand Apostle Paul's apparent questioning of what we know even to be teaching from the Lord Jesus? It is important to see that St. Paul is repudiating practices he deems to be "of no value against the indulgence of the flesh" (vs. 23).
Continuing on, let us observe that in this overall portion of Colossians, the Apostle is reacting to gnostic, Judaizing heretics who were promoting a severe distortion of Christianity that would have reestablished all of the Mosaic devotional practices. He was not at all opposed to asceticism, self-discipline, and humility, but to "false" humility and rituals already well-proven to lack any power to control "fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (see Col. 3:5). Apostolic Tradition values discipline, humility, and asceticism, but only when these are undertaken within a Spirit-led effort to seek "those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (vs. 3:1).
Take careful note: the Apostle Paul returns us to the sole Source Who gives life to the disciplines of asceticism and to humility. Ascesis begins rightly from active participation in the Holy Mysteries by which we "died with Christ" (vs. 20), are "raised with Christ" (vs. 1) and our "life is hidden with Christ in God" (vs. 3). "Life" is in the Lord Jesus, Who is seated at the right hand of God. He is the sole Mover and the true Giver of purpose for all bodily disciplines.
Listen to St. Seraphim of Sarov: "Prayer, fasting, vigil and all other Christian activities, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end. The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done for Christ's sake, they are only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God." Humbling oneself through ascetic disciplines without Christ is useless!
What is the problem with self-imposed discipline? Simply put: it is "self" imposed. It arises from pride and does not desire to "put to death your members which are on earth" (Col. 3:5). Self-imposed religion fills one with self-esteem and obstructs the Holy Spirit Who bestows humility. In Orthodoxy, ascetic practices aim at the acquisition of the Spirit. However similar self-imposed discipline may appear outwardly to be to life-giving Christian asceticism, the two are utterly contrary. Let us who have died with Christ and are raised with Him, seek life from Him.
To obtain true humility let us remember that the Lord Jesus attacked all "display" of humility: "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites...For they disfigure their countenances that they may appear to men to be fasting" (Mt. 6:16). Christ lovers, blessed are those who humble themselves in their hearts and set their minds "on things above" (Col. 3:2).
O Life-giver, come into my polluted body and purify me by Thy compassionate mercies.