Theological Foundations new file

71 Life in Christ particularly diligent in restraining the inordinate love of self which is the cause of all sin and to overcome this in themselves firmly and continu- ally. Let everyone renounce and abandon himself, die to the world and live wholly for Christ. 51 In the Instructions, in turn, he elaborates in greater detail on the subject of conversion and defines it as “death to the world.” One must, therefore not only partly, but completely abhor every- thing that the perverse world inordinately loves and embraces; one should accept and with all his strength seek after everything Christ embraced. Those who are of the world seek riches honors, esteem, fame, pleasures of life, and other like things, but those who seriously want to follow Christ, should put on the garment and mark of Christ and be ready to suffer not only poverty but any privation for Him. They should not seek honors within or outside the Congregation, but rather, with the grace of God, suffer insults, contempt, injuries, false testimony, perse- cution, exile, imprisonment, and dispersal — after the example of their Master Jesus Christ, who having joy set before Him, endured a cross. 52 They should, therefore, renounce all things really and completely and devote themselves totally to the service of God, ridding themselves of everything that is not from God, becoming masters of themselves and forming the closest possible union with Christ. 53 It is indeed in such a radical fashion that the Renovator of Marians interprets Christ’s call to conversion. The consequence of this call will be a complete assimilation to the Divine Master. 3. The Idea of Imitating Christ As we discuss Father Papczynski’s teaching and his presentation of the Christian life understood as a life in Christ, we cannot possibly ignore such an important idea as the idea of imitating Christ. To Father Papczynski, a Christian is an ardent follower and imitator of Christ. This imitation consists, first of all, in becoming like Him in life, in suffering, in avoiding sin and in the practice of virtues. 54 The Founder of the Marians often calls his confreres to follow in