Leave and follow.

The personality of Benedict of Nursia needs no introduction. A giant who invited European people to look deep inside through prayer and work. These two dimensions of his life and preaching were to be manifested in social and political life. The situation of society and the Church at that time was not far from the current one. I would even say that, in many aspects, she was the same. Society under the pressure of new peoples, cultures, and ideas; A church distant from gospel truths and vision; a society without spirit and direction. But unlike his contemporaries, Benedict does not run away from this world – on the contrary, he realizes that it is necessary to “build a house on a rock.” The rock for him is prayer and work. They will become an aspect of the new society for future generations, preserving faith, education, and culture.

After the rich young man leaves Jesus sad because he cannot fulfill his desire for eternal life, which is conditioned for him by the last unpleasant change in life expressed by Jesus’ call: “go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me!”; Peter asks Jesus: “Look, we have left everything and followed you. So what will we get out of it?” Jesus points out that this step is a gift because it brings freedom. Or even better, it “makes a person free” – that is, it makes a person a son or a master and not a slave of creation—those who know how to use things and are not slaves to things.

Thus, the Christian is invited to understand that pure ownership, pure pride, and pure power (let’s try to remember the three temptations of Christ in the desert) are the weapons of the Evil One and the World with which they want to rule over man. On the contrary, poverty, purity, and obedience are radical and visible testimony of freedom. That’s why the world doesn’t like them. He orders not to wear a habit and other signs of such a decision. But this is not enough; for completeness, it is necessary to fulfill one more step – to follow. That is so that the Christian does not become a wanderer who does not have his goal and fulfillment in life—leaving everything that enslaves him so that he can freely follow Christ and bring his word to his neighbors – to be the voice of Christ.