The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
Book One. Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul
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1. Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth
2. Having A Humble Opinion of Self
3. The Doctrine of Truth
4. Prudence in Action
5. Reading the Holy Scripture
6. Unbridled Affections
7. Avoiding False Hope and Pride
8. Shunning Over-Familiarity
9. Obedience and Subjection
10. Avoiding Idle Talk
11. Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection
12. The Value of Adversity
13. Resisting Temptation
14. Avoiding Rash Judgment
15. Works Done in Charity
16. Bearing With the Faults of Others
17. Monastic Life
18. The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers
19. The Practices of a Good Religious
20. The Love of Solitude and Silence
21. Sorrow of Heart
22. Thoughts on the Misery of Man
23. Thoughts on Death
24. Judgment and the Punishment of Sin
25. Zeal in Amending Our Lives
The First Chapter
IMITATING CHRIST AND DESPISING ALL VANITIES ON EARTH
He who follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord.
[John 8:12.]
By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we
wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief
effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.
The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints,
and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many
who hear the Gospel often, but care little for it because they have not the
spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ
must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.
What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking
humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man
holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather
feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know
the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live
without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except
to love God and serve Him alone.
This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt
of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish.
It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to
follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment
later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a
well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to
make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and
not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.
Often recall the proverb: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear
filled with hearing. "[Ecclesiastes 1:8]
Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring
yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain
their consciences and lose the grace of God.
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The Second Chapter
HAVING A HUMBLE OPINION OF SELF
Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without
fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud
intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who
knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by
men.
If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit
me before God Who will judge me by my deeds? [See
1st Corinthians 13:1-3.]
Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and
delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there
are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and
he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is
very unwise.
Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a
clean conscience inspires great trust in God.
The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you
be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore,
because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you.
If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at
the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom,
but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more
learned, more cultured than you?
If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be
unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best
and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think
well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you
see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself
better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. [See
Matthew 7:1-5.] All men are
frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.
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The Third Chapter
THE DOCTRINE OF TRUTH
Happy is he to whom
truth manifests itself, not in signs and words that fade,
but as it actually is. Our opinions, our senses often deceive us and we discern
very little.
What good is much discussion of involved and obscure matters when our
ignorance of them will not be held against us on Judgment Day? Neglect of things
which are profitable and necessary and undue concern with those which are
irrelevant and harmful, are great folly.
We have eyes and do not see.
What, therefore, have we to do with questions of philosophy? He to whom the
Eternal Word speaks is free from theorizing. For from this Word are all things
and of Him all things speak -- the Beginning Who also speaks to us. Without this
Word no man understands or judges aright. He to whom it becomes everything, who
traces all things to it and who sees all things in it, may ease his heart and
remain at peace with God.
O God, You Who are the
Truth, make me one with You in love everlasting. I am
often wearied by the many things I hear and read, but in You is all that I long
for. Let the learned be still, let all creatures be silent before You; You alone
speak to me.
The more recollected a man is, and the more simple of heart he becomes, the
easier he understands sublime things, for he receives the light of knowledge
from above. The pure, simple, and steadfast spirit is not distracted by many
labors, for he does them all for the honor of God. And since he enjoys interior
peace he seeks no selfish end in anything. What, indeed, gives more trouble and
affliction than uncontrolled desires of the heart?
A good and devout man arranges in his mind the things he has to do, not
according to the whims of evil inclination but according to the dictates of
right reason. Who is forced to struggle more than he who tries to master
himself? This ought to be our purpose then, to conquer self, to become stronger
each day, to advance in virtue.
Every perfection in this life has some imperfection mixed with it and no
learning of ours is without some darkness. Humble knowledge of self is a surer
path to God than the ardent pursuit of learning. Not that learning is to be
considered evil, or knowledge, which is good in itself and so ordained by God;
but a clean conscience and virtuous life ought always to be preferred. Many
often err and accomplish little or nothing because they try to become learned
rather than to live well.
If men used as much care in uprooting vices and implanting virtues as they do
in discussing problems, there would not be so much evil and scandal in the
world, or such laxity in religious organizations. On the day of judgment,
surely, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how
well we have spoken but how well we have lived.
Tell me, where now are all the masters and teachers whom you knew so well in
life and who were famous for their learning? Others have already taken their
places and I know not whether they ever think of their predecessors. During life
they seemed to be something; now they are seldom remembered. How quickly the
glory of the world passes away! If only their lives had kept pace with their
learning, then their study and reading would have been worth while.
How many there are who perish because of vain worldly knowledge and too
little care for serving God. They became vain in their own conceits because they
chose to be great rather than humble.
He is truly great who has great charity. He is truly great who is little in
his own eyes and makes nothing of the highest honor. He is truly wise who looks
upon all earthly things as folly that he may gain Christ. He who does God's will
and renounces his own is truly very learned.
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The Fourth Chapter
PRUDENCE IN ACTION
Do not yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things carefully
and patiently in the light of God's will. For very often, sad to say, we are so
weak that we believe and speak evil of others rather than good. Perfect men,
however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know that human
frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech.
Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one's opinion, not to believe
everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great
wisdom.
Take counsel with a wise and conscientious man. Seek the advice of your
betters in preference to following your own inclinations.
A good life makes a man wise according to God and gives him experience in
many things, for the more humble he is and the more subject to God, the wiser
and the more at peace he will be in all things.
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The Fifth Chapter
READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
Truth, not eloquence, is to be sought in reading the Holy Scriptures; and
every part must be read in the spirit in which it was written. For in the
Scriptures we ought to seek profit rather than polished diction.
Likewise we ought to read simple and devout books as willingly as learned and
profound ones. We ought not to be swayed by the authority of the writer, whether
he be a great literary light or an insignificant person, but by the love of
simple truth. We ought not to ask who is speaking, but mark what is said. Men
pass away, but the truth of the Lord remains forever. God speaks to us in many
ways without regard for persons.
Our curiosity often impedes our reading of the Scriptures, when we wish to
understand and mull over what we ought simply to read and pass by.
If you would profit from it, therefore, read with humility, simplicity, and
faith, and never seek a reputation for being learned. Seek willingly and listen
attentively to the words of the saints; do not be displeased with the sayings of
the ancients, for they were not made without purpose.
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The Sixth Chapter
UNBRIDLED AFFECTIONS
When a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud
and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives
in a world of peace. An unmortified man is quickly tempted and overcome in
small, trifling evils; his spirit is weak, in a measure carnal and inclined to
sensual things; he can hardly abstain from earthly desires. Hence it makes him
sad to forego them; he is quick to anger if reproved. Yet if he satisfies his
desires, remorse of conscience overwhelms him because he followed his passions
and they did not lead to the peace he sought.
True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying
them. There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions,
but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man.
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The Seventh Chapter
AVOIDING FALSE HOPE AND PRIDE
Vain is the man who puts his trust in men, in created things.
Do not be ashamed to serve others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem
poor in this world. Do not be self-sufficient but place your trust in God. Do
what lies in your power and God will aid your good will. Put no trust in your
own learning nor in the cunning of any man, but rather in the grace of God Who
helps the humble and humbles the proud.
If you have wealth, do not glory in it, nor in friends because they are
powerful, but in God Who gives all things and Who desires above all to give
Himself. Do not boast of personal stature or of physical beauty, qualities which
are marred and destroyed by a little sickness. Do not take pride in your talent
or ability, lest you displease God to Whom belongs all the natural gifts that
you have.
Do not think yourself better than others lest, perhaps, you be accounted
worse before God Who knows what is in man. Do not take pride in your good deeds,
for God's judgments differ from those of men and what pleases them often
displeases Him. If there is good in you, see more good in others, so that you
may remain humble. It does no harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but
it is very harmful to think yourself better than even one. The humble live in
continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.
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The Eighth Chapter
SHUNNING OVER-FAMILIARITY
Do not open your heart to every man, but discuss your affairs with one who is
wise and who fears God. Do not keep company with young people and strangers. Do
not fawn upon the rich, and do not be fond of mingling with the great. Associate
with the humble and the simple, with the devout and virtuous, and with them
speak of edifying things. Be not intimate with any woman, but generally commend
all good women to God. Seek only the intimacy of God and of His angels, and
avoid the notice of men.
We ought to have charity for all men but familiarity with all is not
expedient. Sometimes it happens that a person enjoys a good reputation among
those who do not know him, but at the same time is held in slight regard by
those who do. Frequently we think we are pleasing others by our presence and we
begin rather to displease them by the faults they find in us.
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The Ninth Chapter
OBEDIENCE AND SUBJECTION
It is a very great thing to obey, to live under a superior and not to be
one's own master, for it is much safer to be subject than it is to command. Many
live in obedience more from necessity than from love. Such become discontented
and dejected on the slightest pretext; they will never gain peace of mind unless
they subject themselves wholeheartedly for the love of God.
Go where you may, you will find no rest except in humble obedience to the
rule of authority. Dreams of happiness expected from change and different places
have deceived many.
Everyone, it is true, wishes to do as he pleases and is attracted to those
who agree with him. But if God be among us, we must at times give up our
opinions for the blessings of peace.
Furthermore, who is so wise that he can have full knowledge of everything? Do
not trust too much in your own opinions, but be willing to listen to those of
others. If, though your own be good, you accept another's opinion for love of
God, you will gain much more merit; for I have often heard that it is safer to
listen to advice and take it than to give it. It may happen, too, that while
one's own opinion may be good, refusal to agree with others when reason and
occasion demand it, is a sign of pride and obstinacy.
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The Tenth Chapter
AVOIDING IDLE TALK
Shun the gossip of men as much as possible, for discussion of worldly
affairs, even though sincere, is a great distraction inasmuch as we are quickly
ensnared and captivated by vanity.
Many a time I wish that I had held my peace and had not associated with men.
Why, indeed, do we converse and gossip among ourselves when we so seldom part
without a troubled conscience? We do so because we seek comfort from one
another's conversation and wish to ease the mind wearied by diverse thoughts.
Hence, we talk and think quite fondly of things we like very much or of things
we dislike intensely. But, sad to say, we often talk vainly and to no purpose;
for this external pleasure effectively bars inward and divine consolation.
Therefore we must watch and pray lest time pass idly.
When the right and opportune moment comes for speaking, say something that
will edify.
Bad habits and indifference to spiritual progress do much to remove the guard
from the tongue. Devout conversation on spiritual matters, on the contrary, is a
great aid to spiritual progress, especially when persons of the same mind and
spirit associate together in God.
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The
Eleventh Chapter
ACQUIRING PEACE AND ZEAL FOR
PERFECTION
We should enjoy much peace if
we did not concern ourselves with what others say and do, for these are no
concern of ours. How can a man who meddles in affairs not his own, who seeks
strange distractions, and who is little or seldom inwardly recollected, live
long in peace?
Blessed are the simple of
heart for they shall enjoy peace in abundance.
Why were some of the saints
so perfect and so given to contemplation? Because they tried to mortify entirely
in themselves all earthly desires, and thus they were able to attach themselves
to God with all their heart and freely to concentrate their innermost thoughts.
We are too occupied with our
own whims and fancies, too taken up with passing things. Rarely do we completely
conquer even one vice, and we are not inflamed with the desire to improve
ourselves day by day; hence, we remain cold and indifferent. If we mortified our
bodies perfectly and allowed no distractions to enter our minds, we could
appreciate divine things and experience something of heavenly contemplation.
The greatest obstacle,
indeed, the only obstacle, is that we are not free from passions and lusts, so that
we do not try to follow the perfect way of the saints. Thus when we encounter
some slight difficulty, we are too easily dejected and turn to human
consolations. If we tried, however, to stand as brave men in battle, the help of
the Lord from heaven would surely sustain us. For He Who gives us the
opportunity of fighting for victory, is ready to help those who carry on and
trust in His grace.
If we let our progress in
religious life depend on the observance of its externals alone, our devotion
will quickly come to an end. Let us, then, lay the ax to the root that we may be
freed from our passions and thus have peace of mind.
If we were to uproot only one
vice each year, we should soon become perfect. The contrary, however, is often
the case -- we feel that we were better and purer in the first fervor of our
conversion than we are after many years in the practice of our faith. Our fervor
and progress ought to increase day by day; yet it is now considered noteworthy
if a man can retain even a part of his first fervor.
If we did a little violence
to ourselves at the start, we should afterwards be able to do all things with
ease and joy. It is hard to break old habits, but harder still to go against our
will.
If you do not overcome small,
trifling things, how will you overcome the more difficult? Resist temptations in
the beginning, and unlearn the evil habit lest perhaps, little by little, it
lead to a more evil one.
If you but consider what
peace a good life will bring to yourself and what joy it will give to others, I
think you will be more concerned about your spiritual progress.
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The Twelfth
Chapter
THE VALUE OF ADVERSITY
It is good for us to have
trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation
and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us sometimes to
suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men even though we do well and mean
well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to
all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of
us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man
ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of
men.
When a man of good will is
afflicted, tempted, and tormented by evil thoughts, he realizes clearly that his
greatest need is God, without Whom he can do no good. Saddened by his miseries
and sufferings, he laments and prays. He wearies of living longer and wishes for
death that he might be dissolved and be with Christ. Then he understands fully
that perfect security and complete peace cannot be found on earth.
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The
Thirteenth Chapter
RESISTING TEMPTATION
So long as we live in this
world we cannot escape suffering and temptation. Whence it is written in Job:
"The life of man upon earth is a warfare." [Job 7:1] Everyone, therefore, must
guard against temptation and must watch in prayer lest the devil, who never
sleeps but goes about seeking whom he may devour, find occasion to deceive him.
No one is so perfect or so holy but he is sometimes tempted; man cannot be
altogether free from temptation.
Yet temptations, though
troublesome and severe, are often useful to a man, for in them he is humbled,
purified, and instructed. The saints all passed through many temptations and
trials to profit by them, while those who could not resist became reprobate and
fell away. There is no state so holy, no place so secret that temptations and
trials will not come. Man is never safe from them as long as he lives, for they
come from within us -- in sin we were born. When one temptation or trial passes,
another comes; we shall always have something to suffer because we have lost the
state of original blessedness.
Many people try to escape
temptations, only to fall more deeply. We cannot conquer simply by fleeing, but
by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. The man
who only shuns temptations outwardly and does not uproot them will make little
progress; indeed they will quickly return, more violent than before.
Little by little, in patience
and long-suffering you will overcome them, by the help of God rather than by
severity and your own rash ways. Often take counsel when tempted; and do not be
harsh with others who are tempted, but console them as you yourself would wish
to be consoled.
The beginning of all
temptation lies in a wavering mind and little trust in God, for as a rudderless
ship is driven hither and yon by waves, so a careless and irresolute man is
tempted in many ways. Fire tempers iron and temptation steels the just. Often we
do not know what we can stand, but temptation shows us what we are.
Above all, we must be
especially alert against the beginnings of temptation, for the enemy is more
easily conquered if he is refused admittance to the mind and is met beyond the
threshold when he knocks.
Someone has said very aptly:
"Resist the beginnings; remedies come too late, when by long delay the evil has
gained strength." First, a mere thought comes to mind, then strong imagination,
followed by pleasure, evil delight, and consent. Thus, because he is not
resisted in the beginning, Satan gains full entry. And the longer a man delays
in resisting, so much the weaker does he become each day, while the strength of
the enemy grows against him. [See
Matthew 12:43-45]
Some suffer great temptations
in the beginning of their conversion, others toward the end, while some are
troubled almost constantly throughout their life. Others, again, are tempted but
lightly according to the wisdom and justice of Divine Providence Who weighs the
status and merit of each and prepares all for the salvation of His elect.
We should not despair,
therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the more fervently that He may
see fit to help us, for according to the word of Paul, He will make issue [make
a Way] with
temptation that we may be able to bear it. [See
1st Corinthians 10:9] Let us humble our souls under the
hand of God in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble
in spirit.
In temptations and trials the
progress of a man is measured; in them opportunity for merit and virtue is made
more manifest.
When a man is not troubled it
is not hard for him to be fervent and devout, but if he bears up patiently in
time of adversity, there is hope for great progress.
Some, guarded against great
temptations, are frequently overcome by small ones in order that, humbled by
their weakness in small trials, they may not presume on their own strength in
great ones.
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The
Fourteenth Chapter
AVOIDING RASH JUDGMENT
Turn your attention upon
yourself and beware of judging the deeds of other men, for in judging others a
man labors vainly, often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging
and taking stock of himself he does something that is always profitable. [1st
Corinthians 11:30-32]
We frequently judge that
things are as we wish them to be, for through personal feeling true perspective
is easily lost.
If God were the sole object
of our desire, we should not be disturbed so easily by opposition to our
opinions. But often something lurks within or happens from without to draw us
along with it.
Many, unawares, seek
themselves in the things they do. They seem even to enjoy peace of mind when
things happen according to their wish and liking, but if otherwise than they
desire, they are soon disturbed and saddened. Differences of feeling and opinion
often divide friends and acquaintances, even those who are religious and devout.
An old habit is hard to
break, and no one is willing to be led farther than he can see.
If you rely more upon your
intelligence or industry than upon the virtue of submission to Jesus Christ, you
will hardly, or in any case slowly, become an enlightened man. God wants us to
be completely subject to Him and, through ardent love, to rise above all human
wisdom.
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The
Fifteenth Chapter
WORKS DONE IN CHARITY
Never do evil for anything in
the world, or for the love of any man. For one who is in need, however, a good
work may at times be purposely left undone or changed for a better one. This is
not the omission of a good deed but rather its improvement.
Without charity external work
is of no value, but anything done in charity, be it ever so small and trivial,
is entirely fruitful inasmuch as God weighs the love with which a man acts
rather than the deed itself.
He does much who loves much.
He does much who does a thing well. He does well who serves the common good
rather than his own interests.
Now, that which seems to be
charity is oftentimes really sensuality, for man's own inclination, his own
will, his hope of reward, and his self-interest, are motives seldom absent. On
the contrary, he who has true and perfect charity seeks self in nothing, but
searches all things for the glory of God. Moreover, he envies no man, because he
desires no personal pleasure nor does he wish to rejoice in himself; rather he
desires the greater glory of God above all things. He ascribes to man nothing
that is good but attributes it wholly to God from Whom all things proceed as
from a fountain, and in Whom all the blessed shall rest as their last end and
fruition.
If man had but a spark of
true charity he would surely sense that all the things of earth are full of
vanity! [See
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3,12:13-14]
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The
Sixteenth Chapter
BEARING WITH THE FAULTS OF
OTHERS
Until God ordains otherwise,
a man ought to bear patiently whatever he cannot correct in himself and in
others. Consider it better thus -- perhaps to try your patience and to test you,
for without such patience and trial your merits are of little account.
Nevertheless, under such difficulties you should pray that God will consent to
help you bear them calmly.
If, after being admonished
once or twice, a person does not amend, do not argue with him but commit the
whole matter to God that His will and honor may be furthered in all His
servants, for God knows well how to turn evil to good. Try to bear patiently
with the defects and infirmities of others, whatever they may be, because you
also have many a fault which others must endure.
If you cannot make yourself
what you would wish to be, how can you bend others to your will? We want them to
be perfect, yet we do not correct our own faults. We wish them to be severely
corrected, yet we will not correct ourselves. Their great liberty displeases us,
yet we would not be denied what we ask. We would have them bound by laws, yet we
will allow ourselves to be restrained in nothing. Hence, it is clear how seldom
we think of others as we do of ourselves.
If all were perfect, what
should we have to suffer from others for God's sake? But God has so ordained,
that we may learn to bear with one another's burdens, for there is no man
without fault, no man without burden, no man sufficient to himself nor wise
enough. Hence we must support one another, console one another, mutually help,
counsel, and advise, for the measure of every man's virtue is best revealed in
time of adversity -- adversity that does not weaken a man but rather shows what
he is.
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The
Seventeenth Chapter
MONASTIC LIFE
If you wish peace and concord
with others, you must learn to break your will in many things. To live in
monasteries or religious communities, to remain there without complaint, and to
persevere faithfully till death is no small matter. Blessed indeed is he who
there lives a good life and there ends his days in happiness.
If you would persevere in
seeking perfection, you must consider yourself a pilgrim, an exile on earth. If
you would become a religious, you must be content to seem a fool for the sake of
Christ. Habit and tonsure change a man but little; it is the change of life, the
complete mortification of passions that endow a true religious.
He who seeks anything but God
alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who
does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for
long.
You have come to serve, not
to rule. You must understand, too, that you have been called to suffer and to
work, not to idle and gossip away your time. Here men are tried as gold in a
furnace. Here no man can remain unless he desires with all his heart to humble
himself before God.
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The
Eighteenth Chapter
THE EXAMPLE SET US BY THE
HOLY FATHERS
Consider the lively examples
set us by the saints, who possessed the light of true perfection and religion,
and you will see how little, how nearly nothing, we do. What, alas, is our life,
compared with theirs? The saints and friends of Christ served the Lord in hunger
and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in work and fatigue, in vigils and fasts, in
prayers and holy meditations, in persecutions and many afflictions. How many and
severe were the trials they suffered -- the Apostles, martyrs, confessors,
virgins, and all the rest who willed to follow in the footsteps of Christ! They
hated their lives on earth that they might have life in eternity.
How strict and detached were
the lives the holy hermits led in the desert! What long and grave temptations
they suffered! How often were they beset by the enemy! What frequent and ardent
prayers they offered to God! What rigorous fasts they observed! How great their
zeal and their love for spiritual perfection! How brave the fight they waged to
master their evil habits! What pure and straightforward purpose they showed
toward God! By day they labored and by night they spent themselves in long
prayers. Even at work they did not cease from mental prayer. They used all their
time profitably; every hour seemed too short for serving God, and in the great
sweetness of contemplation, they forgot even their bodily needs.
They renounced all riches,
dignities, honors, friends, and associates. They desired nothing of the world.
They scarcely allowed themselves the necessities of life, and the service of the
body, even when necessary, was irksome to them. They were poor in earthly things
but rich in grace and virtue. Outwardly destitute, inwardly they were full of
grace and divine consolation. Strangers to the world, they were close and
intimate friends of God. To themselves they seemed as nothing, and they were
despised by the world, but in the eyes of God they were precious and beloved.
They lived in true humility and simple obedience; they walked in charity and
patience, making progress daily on the pathway of spiritual life and obtaining
great favor with God.
They were given as an example
for all religious, and their power to stimulate us to perfection ought to be
greater than that of the lukewarm to tempt us to laxity.
How great was the fervor of
all religious in the beginning of their holy institution! How great their
devotion in prayer and their rivalry for virtue! What splendid discipline
flourished among them! What great reverence and obedience in all things under
the rule of a superior! The footsteps they left behind still bear witness that
they indeed were holy and perfect men who fought bravely and conquered the
world.
Today, he who is not a
transgressor and who can bear patiently the duties which he has taken upon
himself is considered great. How lukewarm and negligent we are! We lose our
original fervor very quickly and we even become weary of life from laziness! Do
not you, who have seen so many examples of the devout, fall asleep in the
pursuit of virtue!
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The
Nineteenth Chapter
THE PRACTICES OF A GOOD
RELIGIOUS
The life of a good religious
ought to abound in every virtue so that he is interiorly what to others he
appears to be. With good reason there ought to be much more within than appears
on the outside, for He who sees within is God, Whom we ought to reverence most
highly wherever we are and in Whose sight we ought to walk pure as the angels.
Each day we ought to renew
our resolutions and arouse ourselves to fervor as though it were the first day
of our religious life. We ought to say: "Help me, O Lord God, in my good
resolution and in Your holy service. Grant me now, this very day, to begin
perfectly, for thus far I have done nothing."
As our intention is, so will
be our progress; and he who desires perfection must be very diligent. If the
strong-willed man fails frequently, what of the man who makes up his mind seldom
or half-heartedly? Many are the ways of failing in our resolutions; even a
slight omission of religious practice entails a loss of some kind.
Just men depend on the grace
of God rather than on their own wisdom in keeping their resolutions. In Him they
confide every undertaking, for man, indeed, proposes but God disposes, and God's
way is not man's. If a habitual exercise is sometimes omitted out of piety or in
the interests of another, it can easily be resumed later. But if it be abandoned
carelessly, through weariness or neglect, then the fault is great and will prove
hurtful. Much as we try, we still fail too easily in many things. Yet we must
always have some fixed purpose, especially against things which beset us the
most. Our outward and inward lives alike must be closely watched and well
ordered, for both are important to perfection.
If you cannot recollect
yourself continuously, do so once a day at least, in the morning or in the
evening. In the morning make a resolution and in the evening examine yourself on
what you have said this day, what you have done and thought, for in these things
perhaps you have often offended God and those about you.
Arm yourself like a man
against the devil's assaults. Curb your appetite and you will more easily curb
every inclination of the flesh. Never be completely unoccupied, but read or
write or pray or meditate or do something for the common good. Bodily
discipline, however, must be undertaken with discretion and is not to be
practiced indiscriminately by everyone. [See
1st Corinthians 9:25-27.]
Devotions not common to all
are not to be displayed in public, for such personal things are better performed
in private. Furthermore, beware of indifference to community prayer through love
of your own devotions. If, however, after doing completely and faithfully all
you are bound and commanded to do, you then have leisure, use it as personal
piety suggests.
Not everyone can have the
same devotion. One exactly suits this person, another that. Different exercises,
likewise, are suitable for different times, some for feast days and some again
for weekdays. In time of temptation we need certain devotions. For days of rest
and peace we need others. Some are suitable when we are sad, others when we are
joyful in the Lord.
About the time of the
principal feasts good devotions ought to be renewed and the intercession of the
saints more fervently implored. From one feast day to the next we ought to fix
our purpose as though we were then to pass from this world and come to the
eternal holyday.
During holy seasons, finally,
we ought to prepare ourselves carefully, to live holier lives, and to observe
each rule more strictly, as though we were soon to receive from God the reward
of our labors. If this end be deferred, let us believe that we are not well
prepared and that we are not yet worthy of the great glory that shall in due
time be revealed to us. Let us try, meanwhile, to prepare ourselves better for
death.
"Blessed is the servant,"
says Christ, "whom his master, when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say
to you: he shall make him ruler over all his goods." [Luke 12:43-44.]
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The
Twentieth Chapter
THE LOVE OF SOLITUDE AND
SILENCE
Seek a suitable time for
leisure and meditate often on the favors of God. Leave curiosities alone. Read
such matters as bring sorrow to the heart rather than occupation to the mind. If
you withdraw yourself from unnecessary talking and idle running about, from
listening to gossip and rumors, you will find enough time that is suitable for
holy meditation.
Very many great saints
avoided the company of men wherever possible and chose to serve God in
retirement. "As often as I have been among men," said one writer, "I have
returned less a man." We often find this to be true when we take part in long
conversations. It is easier to be silent altogether than not to speak too much.
To stay at home is easier than to be sufficiently on guard while away. Anyone,
then, who aims to live the inner and spiritual life must go apart, with Jesus,
from the crowd.
No man appears in safety
before the public eye unless he first relishes obscurity. No man is safe in
speaking unless he loves to be silent. No man rules safely unless he is willing
to be ruled. No man commands safely unless he has learned well how to obey.
[See
Matthew 8:5-10] No
man rejoices safely unless he has within him the testimony of a good conscience.
More than this, the security
of the saints was always enveloped in the fear of God, nor were they less
cautious and humble because they were conspicuous for great virtues and graces.
The security of the wicked, on the contrary, springs from pride and presumption,
and will end in their own deception.
Never promise yourself
security in this life, even though you seem to be a good religious, or a devout
hermit. It happens very often that those whom men esteem highly are more
seriously endangered by their own excessive confidence. Hence, for many it is
better not to be too free from temptations, but often to be tried lest they
become too secure, too filled with pride, or even too eager to fall back upon
external comforts.
If only a man would never
seek passing joys or entangle himself with worldly affairs, what a good
conscience he would have. What great peace and tranquility would be his, if he
cut himself off from all empty care and thought only of things divine, things
helpful to his soul, and put all his trust in God.
No man deserves the
consolation of heaven unless he persistently arouses himself to holy contrition.
If you desire true sorrow of heart, seek the privacy of your cell and shut out
the uproar of the world, as it is written: "In your chamber bewail your sins."
There you will find what too often you lose abroad.
Your cell will become dear to
you if you remain in it, but if you do not, it will become wearisome. If in the
beginning of your religious life, you live within your cell and keep to it, it
will soon become a special friend and a very great comfort.
In silence and quiet the
devout soul advances in virtue and learns the hidden truths of Scripture. There
she finds a flood of tears with which to bathe and cleanse herself nightly, that
she may become the more intimate with her Creator the farther she withdraws from
all the tumult of the world. For God and His holy angels will draw near to him
who withdraws from friends and acquaintances.
It is better for a man to be
obscure and to attend to his salvation than to neglect it and work miracles. It
is praiseworthy for a religious seldom to go abroad, to flee the sight of men
and have no wish to see them.
Why wish to see what you are
not permitted to have? "The world passes away and the concupiscence thereof."
Sensual craving sometimes entices you to wander around, but when the moment is
past, what do you bring back with you save a disturbed conscience and heavy
heart? A happy going often leads to a sad return, a merry evening to a mournful
dawn. Thus, all carnal joy begins sweetly but in the end brings remorse and
death.
What can you find elsewhere
that you cannot find here in your cell? Behold heaven and earth and all the
elements, for of these all things are made. What can you see anywhere under the
sun that will remain long? [See
Ecclesiastes 1:9] Perhaps you think you will completely satisfy
yourself, but you cannot do so, for if you should see all existing things, what
would they be but an empty vision?
Raise your eyes to God in
heaven and pray because of your sins and shortcomings. Leave vanity to the vain.
Set yourself to the things which God has commanded you to do. Close the door
upon yourself and call to you Jesus, your Beloved. Remain with Him in your cell,
for nowhere else will you find such peace. If you had not left it, and had not
listened to idle gossip, you would have remained in greater peace. But since you
love, sometimes, to hear news, it is only right that you should suffer sorrow of
heart from it.
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The
Twenty-First Chapter
SORROW OF HEART
If you wish to make progress
in virtue, live in the fear of the Lord, do not look for too much freedom,
discipline your senses, and shun inane silliness. Sorrow opens the door to many
a blessing which dissoluteness usually destroys.
It is a wonder that any man
who considers and meditates on his exiled state and the many dangers to his
soul, can ever be perfectly happy in this life. Lighthearted and heedless of our
defects, we do not feel the real sorrows of our souls, but often indulge in
empty laughter when we have good reason to weep. No liberty is true and no joy
is genuine unless it is founded in the fear of the Lord and a good conscience.
Happy is the man who can
throw off the weight of every care and recollect himself in holy contrition.
Happy is the man who casts from him all that can stain or burden his conscience.
Fight like a man. Habit is
overcome by habit. If you leave men alone, they will leave you alone to do what
you have to do. Do not busy yourself about the affairs of others and do not
become entangled in the business of your superiors. Keep an eye primarily on
yourself and admonish yourself instead of your friends.
If you do not enjoy the favor
of men, do not let it sadden you; but consider it a serious matter if you do not
conduct yourself as well or as carefully as is becoming for a servant of God and
a devout religious.
It is often better and safer
for us to have few consolations in this life, especially comforts of the body.
Yet if we do not have divine consolation or experience it rarely, it is our own
fault because we seek no sorrow of heart and do not forsake vain outward
satisfaction.
Consider yourself unworthy of
divine solace and deserving rather of much tribulation. When a man is perfectly
contrite, the whole world is bitter and wearisome to him.
A good man always finds
enough over which to mourn and weep; whether he thinks of himself or of his
neighbor he knows that no one lives here without suffering, and the closer he
examines himself the more he grieves.
The sins and vices in which
we are so entangled that we can rarely apply ourselves to the contemplation of
heaven are matters for just sorrow and inner remorse.
I do not doubt that you would
correct yourself more earnestly if you would think more of an early death than
of a long life. And if you pondered in your heart the future pains of hell or of
purgatory, I believe you would willingly endure labor and trouble and would fear
no hardship. But since these thoughts never pierce the heart and since we are
enamored of flattering pleasure, we remain very cold and indifferent. Our
wretched body complains so easily because our soul is altogether too lifeless.
Pray humbly to the Lord,
therefore, that He may give you the spirit of contrition and say with the
Prophet: "Feed me, Lord, with the bread of mourning and give me to drink of
tears in full measure." [Psalm 79:6.]
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The
Twenty-Second Chapter
THOUGHTS ON THE MISERY OF
MAN
Wherever you are, wherever
you go, you are miserable unless you turn to God. So why be dismayed when things
do not happen as you wish and desire? Is there anyone who has everything as he
wishes? No -- neither I, nor you, nor any man on earth. There is no one in the
world, be he Pope or king, who does not suffer trial and anguish.
Who is the better off then?
Surely, it is the man who will suffer something for God. Many unstable and
weak-minded people say: "See how well that man lives, how rich, how great he is,
how powerful and mighty." But you must lift up your eyes to the riches of heaven
and realize that the material goods of which they speak are nothing. These
things are uncertain and very burdensome because they are never possessed
without anxiety and fear. Man's happiness does not consist in the possession of
abundant goods; a very little is enough.
Living on earth is truly a
misery. The more a man desires spiritual life, the more bitter the present
becomes to him, because he understands better and sees more clearly the defects,
the corruption of human nature. To eat and drink, to watch and sleep, to rest,
to labor, and to be bound by other human necessities is certainly a great misery
and affliction to the devout man, who would gladly be released from them and be
free from all sin. Truly, the inner man is greatly burdened in this world by the
necessities of the body, and for this reason the Prophet prayed that he might be
as free from them as possible, when he said: "From my necessities, O Lord,
deliver me." [Psalm. 24:17.]
But woe to those who know not
their own misery, and greater woe to those who love this miserable and
corruptible life. Some, indeed, can scarcely procure its necessities either by
work or by begging; yet they love it so much that, if they could live here
always, they would care nothing for the kingdom of God.
How foolish and faithless of
heart are those who are so engrossed in earthly things as to relish nothing but
what is carnal! Miserable men indeed, for in the end they will see to their
sorrow how cheap and worthless was the thing they loved.
The saints of God and all
devout friends of Christ did not look to what pleases the body nor to the things
that are popular from time to time. Their whole hope and aim centered on the
everlasting good. Their whole desire pointed upward to the lasting and invisible
realm, lest the love of what is visible drag them down to lower things.
Do not lose heart, then, my
brother, in pursuing your spiritual life. There is yet time, and your hour is
not past. Why delay your purpose? Arise! Begin at once and say: "Now is the time
to act, now is the time to fight, now is the proper time to amend."
When you are troubled and
afflicted, that is the time to gain merit. You must pass through water and fire
before coming to rest. Unless you do violence to yourself you will not overcome
vice.
So long as we live in this
fragile body, we can neither be free from sin nor live without weariness and
sorrow. Gladly would we rest from all misery, but in losing innocence through
sin we also lost true blessedness. Therefore, we must have patience and await
the mercy of God until this iniquity passes, until mortality is swallowed up in
life. [See
2nd Corinthians 5:4 and Isaiah 25:8.]
How great is the frailty of
human nature which is ever prone to evil! Today you confess your sins and
tomorrow you again commit the sins which you confessed. One moment you resolve
to be careful, and yet after an hour you act as though you had made no
resolution.
We have cause, therefore,
because of our frailty and feebleness, to humble ourselves and never think
anything great of ourselves. Through neglect we may quickly lose that which by
God's grace we have acquired only through long, hard labor. What, eventually,
will become of us who so quickly grow lukewarm? [See
Revelation 3:15-18] Woe to us if we presume to rest
in peace and security when actually there is no true holiness in our lives. It
would be beneficial for us, like good novices, to be instructed once more in the
principles of a good life, to see if there be hope of amendment and greater
spiritual progress in the future.
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The
Twenty-Third Chapter
THOUGHTS ON DEATH
Very soon your life here will
end; consider, then, what may be in store for you elsewhere. Today we live;
tomorrow we die and are quickly forgotten. Oh, the dullness and hardness of a
heart which looks only to the present instead of preparing for that which is to
come!
Therefore, in every deed and
every thought, act as though you were to die this very day. If you had a good
conscience you would not fear death very much. It is better to avoid sin than to
fear death. If you are not prepared today, how will you be prepared tomorrow?
Tomorrow is an uncertain day; how do you know you will have a tomorrow?
What good is it to live a
long life when we amend that life so little? Indeed, a long life does not always
benefit us, but on the contrary, frequently adds to our guilt. Would that in
this world we had lived well throughout one single day. Many count up the years
they have spent in religion but find their lives made little holier. If it is so
terrifying to die, it is nevertheless possible that to live longer is more
dangerous. Blessed is he who keeps the moment of death ever before his eyes and
prepares for it every day.
If you have ever seen a man
die, remember that you, too, must go the same way. In the morning consider that
you may not live till evening, and when evening comes do not dare to promise
yourself the dawn. Be always ready, therefore, and so live that death will never
take you unprepared. Many die suddenly and unexpectedly, for in the unexpected
hour the Son of God will come. When that last moment arrives you will begin to
have a quite different opinion of the life that is now entirely past and you
will regret very much that you were so careless and remiss.
How happy and prudent is he
who tries now in life to be what he wants to be found in death. Perfect contempt
of the world, a lively desire to advance in virtue, a love for discipline, the
works of penance, readiness to obey, self-denial, and the endurance of every
hardship for the love of Christ, these will give a man great expectations of a
happy death.
You can do many good works
when in good health; what can you do when you are ill? Few are made better by
sickness. Likewise they who undertake many pilgrimages seldom become holy.
Do not put your trust in
friends and relatives, and do not put off the care of your soul till later, for
men will forget you more quickly than you think. It is better to provide now, in
time, and send some good account ahead of you than to rely on the help of
others. If you do not care for your own welfare now, who will care when you are
gone?
The present is very precious;
these are the days of salvation; now is the acceptable time. [See
2nd Corinthians
6:2] How sad that you do
not spend the time in which you might purchase everlasting life in a better way.
The time will come when you will want just one day, just one hour in which to
make amends, and do you know whether you will obtain it?
See, then, dearly beloved,
the great danger from which you can free yourself and the great fear from which
you can be saved, if only you will always be wary and mindful of death. Try to
live now in such a manner that at the moment of death you may be glad rather
than fearful. Learn to die to the world now, that then you may begin to live
with Christ. Learn to spurn all things now, that then you may freely go to Him.
Chastise your body in penance now, that then you may have the confidence born of
certainty.
Ah, foolish man, why do you
plan to live long when you are not sure of living even a day? How many have been
deceived and suddenly snatched away! How often have you heard of persons being
killed by drowning, by fatal falls from high places, of persons dying at meals,
at play, in fires, by the sword, in pestilence, or at the hands of robbers!
Death is the end of everyone and the life of man quickly passes away like a
shadow.
Who will remember you when
you are dead? Who will pray for you? Do now, beloved, what you can, because you
do not know when you will die, nor what your fate will be after death. Gather
for yourself the riches of immortality while you have time. Think of nothing but
your salvation. Care only for the things of God. Make friends for yourself now
by honoring the saints of God, by imitating their actions, so that when you
depart this life they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
Keep yourself as a stranger
here on earth, a pilgrim whom its affairs do not concern at all. Keep your heart
free and raise it up to God, for you have not here a lasting home. To Him direct
your daily prayers, your sighs and tears, that your soul may merit after death
to pass in happiness to the Lord.
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The
Twenty-Fourth Chapter
JUDGMENT AND THE PUNISHMENT
OF SIN
In all things consider the
end; how you shall stand before the strict Judge from Whom nothing is hidden and
Who will pronounce judgment in all justice, accepting neither bribes nor
excuses. And you, miserable and wretched sinner, who fear even the countenance
of an angry man, what answer will you make to the God Who knows all your sins?
Why do you not provide for yourself against the day of judgment when no man can
be excused or defended by another because each will have enough to do to answer
for himself? In this life your work is profitable, your tears acceptable, your
sighs audible, your sorrow satisfying and purifying.
The patient man goes through
a great and salutary purgatory when he grieves more over the malice of one who
harms him than for his own injury; when he prays readily for his enemies and
forgives offenses from his heart; when he does not hesitate to ask pardon of
others; when he is more easily moved to pity than to anger; when he does
frequent violence to himself and tries to bring the body into complete
subjection to the spirit.
It is better to atone for sin
now and to cut away vices than to keep them for purgation in the hereafter. In
truth, we deceive ourselves by our ill-advised love of the flesh. What will that
fire feed upon but our sins? The more we spare ourselves now and the more we
satisfy the flesh, the harder will the reckoning be and the more we keep for the
burning.
For a man will be more
grievously punished in the things in which he has sinned. There the lazy will be
driven with burning prongs, and gluttons tormented with unspeakable hunger and
thirst; the wanton and lust-loving will be bathed in burning pitch and foul
brimstone; the envious will howl in their grief like mad dogs.
Every vice will have its own
proper punishment. The proud will be faced with every confusion and the
avaricious pinched with the most abject want. One hour of suffering there will
be more bitter than a hundred years of the most severe penance here. In this
life men sometimes rest from work and enjoy the comfort of friends, but the
damned have no rest or consolation.
You must, therefore, take
care and repent of your sins now so that on the day of judgment you may rest
secure with the blessed. For on that day the just will stand firm against those
who tortured and oppressed them, and he who now submits humbly to the judgment
of men will arise to pass judgment upon them. The poor and humble will have
great confidence, while the proud will be struck with fear. He who learned to be
a fool in this world and to be scorned for Christ will then appear to have been
wise.
In that day every trial borne
in patience will be pleasing and the voice of iniquity will be stilled; the
devout will be glad; the irreligious will mourn; and the mortified body will
rejoice far more than if it had been pampered with every pleasure. Then the
cheap garment will shine with splendor and the rich one become faded and worn;
the poor cottage will be more praised than the gilded palace. In that day
persevering patience will count more than all the power in this world; simple
obedience will be exalted above all worldly cleverness; a good and clean
conscience will gladden the heart of man far more than the philosophy of the
learned; and contempt for riches will be of more weight than every treasure on
earth.
Then you will find more
consolation in having prayed devoutly than in having fared daintily; you will be
happy that you preferred silence to prolonged gossip.
Then holy works will be of
greater value than many fair words; strictness of life and hard penances will be
more pleasing than all earthly delights.
Learn, then, to suffer little
things now that you may not have to suffer greater ones in eternity. Prove here
what you can bear hereafter. If you can suffer only a little now, how will you
be able to endure eternal torment? If a little suffering makes you impatient
now, what will hell fire do? In truth, you cannot have two joys: you cannot
taste the pleasures of this world and afterward reign with Christ.
If your life to this moment
had been full of honors and pleasures, what good would it do if at this instant
you should die? All is vanity, therefore, except to love God and to serve Him
alone.
He who loves God with all his
heart does not fear death or punishment or judgment or hell, because perfect
love assures access to God. [See
1st John
4:17-18.]
It is no wonder that he who
still delights in sin fears death and judgment.
It is good, however, that
even if love does not as yet restrain you from evil, at least the fear of hell
does. The man who casts aside the fear of God cannot continue long in goodness
but will quickly fall into the snares of the devil.
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The
Twenty-Fifth Chapter
ZEAL IN AMENDING OUR LIVES
Be watchful and diligent in
God's service and often think of why you left the world and came here. Was it
not that you might live for God and become a spiritual man? Strive earnestly for
perfection, then, because in a short time you will receive the reward of your
labor, and neither fear nor sorrow shall come upon you at the hour of death.
Labor a little now, and soon
you shall find great rest, in truth, eternal joy; for if you continue faithful
and diligent in doing, God will undoubtedly be faithful and generous in
rewarding. Continue to have reasonable hope of gaining salvation, but do not act
as though you were certain of it lest you grow indolent and proud.
One day when a certain man
who wavered often and anxiously between hope and fear was struck with sadness,
he knelt in humble prayer before the altar of a church. While meditating on
these things, he said: "Oh if I but knew whether I should persevere to the end!"
Instantly he heard within the divine answer: "If you knew this, what would you
do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite secure." Immediately
consoled and comforted, he resigned himself to the divine will and the anxious
uncertainty ceased. His curiosity no longer sought to know what the future held
for him, and he tried instead to find the perfect, the acceptable will of God in
the beginning and end of every good work.
"Trust thou in the Lord and
do good," says the Prophet; "dwell in the land and thou shalt feed on its
riches." [Psalm 36:3.]
There is one thing that keeps
many from zealously improving their lives, that is, dread of the difficulty, the
toil of battle. Certainly they who try bravely to overcome the most difficult
and unpleasant obstacles far outstrip others in the pursuit of virtue. A man
makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in those matters
wherein he gains the greatest victories over self and most mortifies his will.
True, each one has his own difficulties to meet and conquer, but a diligent and
sincere man will make greater progress even though he have more passions than
one who is more even-tempered but less concerned about virtue.
Two things particularly
further improvement -- to withdraw oneself forcibly from those vices to which
nature is viciously inclined, and to work fervently for those graces which are
most needed.
Study also to guard against
and to overcome the faults which in others very frequently displease you. Make
the best of every opportunity, so that if you see or hear good example you may
be moved to imitate it. On the other hand, take care lest you be guilty of those
things which you consider reprehensible, or if you have ever been guilty of
them, try to correct yourself as soon as possible. As you see others, so they
see you.
How pleasant and sweet to
behold brethren fervent and devout, well mannered and disciplined! How sad and
painful to see them wandering in dissolution, not practicing the things to which
they are called! How hurtful it is to neglect the purpose of their vocation and
to attend to what is not their business!
Remember the purpose you have
undertaken, and keep in mind the image of the Crucified. Even though you may
have walked for many years on the pathway to God, you may well be ashamed if,
with the image of Christ before you, you do not try to make yourself still more
like Him.
The religious who concerns
himself intently and devoutly with our Lord's most holy life and passion will
find there an abundance of all things useful and necessary for him. He need not
seek for anything better than Jesus.
If the Crucified should come
to our hearts, how quickly and abundantly we would learn!
A fervent religious accepts
all the things that are commanded him and does them well, but a negligent and
lukewarm religious has trial upon trial, and suffers anguish from every side
because he has no consolation within and is forbidden to seek it from without.
The religious who does not live up to his rule exposes himself to dreadful ruin,
and he who wishes to be more free and untrammeled will always be in trouble, for
something or other will always displease him.
How do so many other
religious who are confined in cloistered discipline get along? They seldom go
out, they live in contemplation, their food is poor, their clothing coarse, they
work hard, they speak but little, keep long vigils, rise early, pray much, read
frequently, and subject themselves to all sorts of discipline. Think of the
Carthusians and the Cistercians, the monks and nuns of different orders, how
every night they rise to sing praise to the Lord. It would be a shame if you
should grow lazy in such holy service when so many religious have already begun
to rejoice in God.
If there were nothing else to
do but praise the Lord God with all your heart and voice, if you had never to
eat, or drink, or sleep, but could praise God always and occupy yourself solely
with spiritual pursuits, how much happier you would be than you are now, a slave
to every necessity of the body! Would that there were no such needs, but only
the spiritual refreshments of the soul which, sad to say, we taste too seldom!
When a man reaches a point
where he seeks no solace from any creature, then he begins to relish God
perfectly. Then also he will be content no matter what may happen to him. He
will neither rejoice over great things nor grieve over small ones, but will
place himself entirely and confidently in the hands of God, Who for him is all
in all, to Whom nothing ever perishes or dies, for Whom all things live, and
Whom they serve as He desires.
Always remember your end and
do not forget that lost time never returns. Without care and diligence you will
never acquire virtue. When you begin to grow lukewarm, you are falling into the
beginning of evil; but if you give yourself to fervor, you will find peace and
will experience less hardship because of God's grace and the love of virtue.
A fervent and diligent man is
ready for all things. It is greater work to resist vices and passions than to
sweat in physical toil. He who does not overcome small faults, shall fall little
by little into greater ones.
If you have spent the day
profitably, you will always be happy at eventide. Watch over yourself, arouse
yourself, warn yourself, and regardless of what becomes of others, do not
neglect yourself. The more violence you do to yourself, the more progress you
will make.
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