BY
Thomas Ë Kempis
TRANSLATED
FROM
THE LATIN INTO
MODERN ENGLISH
Digitized by Harry
Plantinga, planting@cs.pitt.edu, 1994.
This etext is in the public
domain.
IN PREPARING this edition of The Imitation of
Christ, the aim was to achieve a simple, readable text which would ring
true to those who are already lovers of this incomparable book and would
attract others to it. For this reason we have attempted to render the text into
English as it is spoken today rather than the cloudy, archaic terminology that
encumbers so many translations of Christian classics. The result, we feel, has
achieved a directness and conciseness which will meet the approval of modern
readers. In the second place, we have made use of the familiar paragraph form,
doing away with the simple statement or verse form of the original and of many
translations. This was done in the interest of easier reading, and in order to
bring out more clearly the connection between the single statements.
No claim of literary excellence over the many
English versions now extant is here advanced, nor any attempt to solve in
further confusion the problem of the book's authorship.
Theories most popular at the moment ascribe the Imitation
to two or three men, members of the Brethren of the Common Life, an association
of priests organized in the Netherlands in the latter half of the fourteenth
century. That Thomas Hemerken of Kempen, or Thomas Ë Kempis as he is now known,
later translated a composite of their writings, essentially a spiritual diary,
from the original Netherlandish into Latin is generally admitted by scholars.
This Thomas, born about the year 1380, was educated by the Brethren of the
Common Life, was moved to join their community, and was ordained priest. His
career thereafter was devoted to practicing the counsels of spiritual
perfection and to copying books for the schools. From both pursuits evolved The
Imitation of Christ. As editor and translator he was not without faults,
but thanks to him the Imitation became and has remained, after the
Bible, the most widely read book in the world. It is his edition that is here
rendered into English, without deletion of chapters or parts of them because
doubts exist as to their authorship, or because of variants in style, or for
any of the other more or less valid reasons.
There is but one major change. The treatise on Holy
Communion, which Ë Kempis places as Book Three, is here titled Book Four. The
move makes the order of the whole more logical and agrees with the thought of
most editors.
The Translators
Aloysius Croft
Harold Bolton
Foreword
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
1 Meditation
2 Humility
3 Goodness and Peace in Man
4 Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose
5 Ourselves
6 The Joy of a Good Conscience
7 Loving Jesus Above All Things
8 The Intimate Friendship of Jesus
9 Wanting No Share in Comfort
10 Appreciating God's Grace
11 Few Love the Cross of Jesus
12 The Royal Road of the Holy Cross
1 The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul
2 Truth Speaks Inwardly without the Sound of Words
3 Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them
4 We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth
5 The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love
6 The Proving of a True Lover
7 Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility
8 Self-Abasement in the Sight of God
9 All Things Should be Referred to God as their Last End
10 To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet
11 The Longings of Our Hearts Must Be Examined and Moderated
12 Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence
13 The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to the Example of Jesus
Christ
14 Consider the Hidden Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud of
Your Own Good Deeds
15 How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing
16 True Comfort is to be Sought in God Alone
17 All Our Care is to be Placed in God
18 Temporal Sufferings Should be Borne Patiently, After the Example
of Christ
19 True Patience in Suffering
20 Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life
21 Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God
22 Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God
23 Four Things Which Bring Great Peace
24 Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others
25 The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress
26 The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer Rather Than
by Study
27 Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good
28 Strength Against Slander
29 How We Must Call Upon and Bless the Lord When Trouble Presses
30 The Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace
31 To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures
32 Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites
33 Restlessness of Soul -- Directing Our Final Intention Toward God
34 God is Sweet Above All Things and in All Things to Those Who
Love Him
35 There is No Security from Temptation in This Life
36 The Vain Judgments of Men
37 Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart
38 The Right Ordering of External Affairs; Recourse to God in
Dangers
39 A Man Should Not be Unduly Solicitous about his Affairs
40 Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing
41 Contempt for All Earthly Honor
42 Peace is not to be Placed in Men
43 Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge
44 Do Not be Concerned About Outward Things
45 All Men Are Not To Be Believed, For It is Easy To Err in Speech
46 Trust in God Against Slander
47 Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life
48 The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of this Life
49 The Desire of Eternal Life; The Great Rewards Promised to Those
Who Struggle
50 How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself into the Hands of
God
51 When We Cannot Attain to the Highest, We Must Practice the
Humble Works
52 A Man Ought Not to Consider Himself Worthy of Consolation, But
Rather Deserving of Chastisement
53 God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded
54 The Different Motions of Nature and Grace
55 The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace
56 We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing
the Cross
57 A Man Should Not Be Too Downcast When He Falls Into Defects
58 High Matters and the Hidden Judgments of God Are Not To Be
Scrutinized
59 All Hope and Trust Are To Be Fixed in God Alone
1 The Great Reverence With Which We Should Receive Christ
2 God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This
Sacrament
3 It Is Profitable To Receive Communion Often
4 Many Blessings Are Given Those Who Receive Communion Worthily
5 The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood
6 An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to do Before Communion
7 The Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend
8 The Offering of Christ on the Cross; Our Offering
9 We Should Offer Ourselves and All That We Have to God, Praying
for All
10 Do Not Lightly Forego Holy Communion
11 The Body of Christ and Sacred Scripture Are Most Necessary to a
Faithful Soul
12 The Communicant Should Prepare Himself for Christ with Great
Care
13 With All Her Heart the Devout Soul Should Desire Union with
Christ in the Sacrament
14 The Ardent Longing of Devout Men for the Body of Christ
15 The Grace of Devotion is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial
16 We Should Show Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace
17 The Burning Love and Strong Desire to Receive Christ
18 Man Should Not Scrutinize This Sacrament in Curiosity, But
Humbly Imitate Christ and Submit Reason to Holy Faith
HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says
the Lord. 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." 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.
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?
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. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more
frail than yourself.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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." 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.
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 with temptation that we may
be able to bear it. 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.
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.
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, and 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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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."
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. 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 tranquillity 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? 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. 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."
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."
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. 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? 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. 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. 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 drownings,
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. 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. 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. 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."
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. THE kingdom of God is within you," says the
Lord.
Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this
wretched world and your soul shall find rest. Learn to despise external things,
to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the kingdom of
God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
gifts not given to the impious. Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if
you prepare a fit dwelling for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory,
wherein He takes delight, are all from within. His visits with the inward man
are frequent, His communion sweet and full of consolation, His peace great, and
His intimacy wonderful indeed. Therefore, faithful soul, prepare your heart for
this Bridegroom that He may come and dwell within you; He Himself says:
"If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him."
Give place, then, to Christ, but deny entrance to
all others, for when you have Christ you are rich and He is sufficient for you.
He will provide for you. He will supply your every want, so that you need not
trust in frail, changeable men. Christ remains forever, standing firmly with us
to the end. Do not place much confidence in weak and mortal man,
helpful and friendly though he be; and do not grieve too much if he sometimes
opposes and contradicts you. Those who are with us today may be against us
tomorrow, and vice versa, for men change with the wind. Place all your trust in
God; let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you; He will do
what is best for you. You have here no lasting home. You are a stranger
and a pilgrim wherever you may be, and you shall have no rest until you are
wholly united with Christ. Why do you look about here when this is not the
place of your repose? Dwell rather upon heaven and give but a passing glance to
all earthly things. They all pass away, and you together with them. Take care,
then, that you do not cling to them lest you be entrapped and perish. Fix your
mind on the Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ. If you do not know how to meditate on heavenly
things, direct your thoughts to Christ's passion and willingly behold His
sacred wounds. If you turn devoutly to the wounds and precious stigmata of
Christ, you will find great comfort in suffering, you will mind but little the
scorn of men, and you will easily bear their slanderous talk. When Christ was in the world, He was despised by
men; in the hour of need He was forsaken by acquaintances and left by friends
to the depths of scorn. He was willing to suffer and to be despised; do you
dare to complain of anything? He had enemies and defamers; do you want everyone
to be your friend, your benefactor? How can your patience be rewarded if no
adversity test it? How can you be a friend of Christ if you are not willing to
suffer any hardship? Suffer with Christ and for Christ if you wish to reign
with Him. Had you but once entered into perfect communion with
Jesus or tasted a little of His ardent love, you would care nothing at all for
your own comfort or discomfort but would rejoice in the reproach you suffer;
for love of Him makes a man despise himself. A man who is a lover of Jesus and of truth, a truly
interior man who is free from uncontrolled affections, can turn to God at will
and rise above himself to enjoy spiritual peace. He who tastes life as it really is, not as men say
or think it is, is indeed wise with the wisdom of God rather than of men. He who learns to live the interior life and to take
little account of outward things, does not seek special places or times to
perform devout exercises. A spiritual man quickly recollects himself because he
has never wasted his attention upon externals. No outside work, no business
that cannot wait stands in his way. He adjusts himself to things as they
happen. He whose disposition is well ordered cares nothing about the strange,
perverse behavior of others, for a man is upset and distracted only in
proportion as he engrosses himself in externals. If all were well with you, therefore, and if you
were purified from all sin, everything would tend to your good and be to your
profit. But because you are as yet neither entirely dead to self nor free from
all earthly affection, there is much that often displeases and disturbs you.
Nothing so mars and defiles the heart of man as impure attachment to created
things. But if you refuse external consolation, you will be able to contemplate
heavenly things and often to experience interior joy. BE NOT troubled about those who are with you or
against you, but take care that God be with you in everything you do. Keep your
conscience clear and God will protect you, for the malice of man cannot harm
one whom God wishes to help. If you know how to suffer in silence, you will
undoubtedly experience God's help. He knows when and how to deliver you;
therefore, place yourself in His hands, for it is a divine prerogative to help
men and free them from all distress. It is often good for us to have others know our
faults and rebuke them, for it gives us greater humility. When a man humbles
himself because of his faults, he easily placates those about him and readily
appeases those who are angry with him. It is the humble man whom God protects and
liberates; it is the humble whom He loves and consoles. To the humble He turns
and upon them bestows great grace, that after their humiliation He may raise
them up to glory. He reveals His secrets to the humble, and with kind
invitation bids them come to Him. Thus, the humble man enjoys peace in the
midst of many vexations, because his trust is in God, not in the world. Hence,
you must not think that you have made any progress until you look upon yourself
as inferior to all others. FIRST keep peace with yourself; then you will be
able to bring peace to others. A peaceful man does more good than a learned
man. Whereas a passionate man turns even good to evil and is quick to believe
evil, the peaceful man, being good himself, turns all things to good. The man who is at perfect ease is never suspicious,
but the disturbed and discontented spirit is upset by many a suspicion. He
neither rests himself nor permits others to do so. He often says what ought not
to be said and leaves undone what ought to be done. He is concerned with the
duties of others but neglects his own. Direct your zeal, therefore, first upon yourself;
then you may with justice exercise it upon those about you. You are well versed
in coloring your own actions with excuses which you will not accept from
others, though it would be more just to accuse yourself and excuse your
brother. If you wish men to bear with you, you must bear with them. Behold, how
far you are from true charity and humility which does not know how to be angry
with anyone, or to be indignant save only against self! It is no great thing to associate with the good and
gentle, for such association is naturally pleasing. Everyone enjoys a peaceful
life and prefers persons of congenial habits. But to be able to live at peace
with harsh and perverse men, or with the undisciplined and those who irritate
us, is a great grace, a praiseworthy and manly thing. Some people live at peace with themselves and with
their fellow men, but others are never at peace with themselves nor do they
bring it to anyone else. These latter are a burden to everyone, but they are
more of a burden to themselves. A few, finally, live at peace with themselves
and try to restore it to others. Now, all our peace in this miserable life is found
in humbly enduring suffering rather than in being free from it. He who knows
best how to suffer will enjoy the greater peace, because he is the conqueror of
himself, the master of the world, a friend of Christ, and an heir of heaven. A MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings --
simplicity and purity. There must be simplicity in his intention and purity in
his desires. Simplicity leads to God, purity embraces and enjoys Him. If your heart is free from ill-ordered affection, no
good deed will be difficult for you. If you aim at and seek after nothing but
the pleasure of God and the welfare of your neighbor, you will enjoy freedom within. If your heart were right, then every created thing
would be a mirror of life for you and a book of holy teaching, for there is no
creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of
God. If inwardly you were good and pure, you would see all things clearly and
understand them rightly, for a pure heart penetrates to heaven and hell, and as
a man is within, so he judges what is without. If there be joy in the world,
the pure of heart certainly possess it; and if there be anguish and affliction
anywhere, an evil conscience knows it too well. As iron cast into fire loses its rust and becomes
glowing white, so he who turns completely to God is stripped of his
sluggishness and changed into a new man. When a man begins to grow lax, he fears
a little toil and welcomes external comfort, but when he begins perfectly to
conquer himself and to walk bravely in the ways of God, then he thinks those
things less difficult which he thought so hard before. WE MUST not rely too much upon ourselves, for grace
and understanding are often lacking in us. We have but little inborn light, and
this we quickly lose through negligence. Often we are not aware that we are so
blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At
times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for
small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to
feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of
how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and
rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others. The interior man puts the care of himself before all
other concerns, and he who attends to himself carefully does not find it hard
to hold his tongue about others. You will never be devout of heart unless you
are thus silent about the affairs of others and pay particular attention to
yourself. If you attend wholly to God and yourself, you will be little
disturbed by what you see about you. Where are your thoughts when they are not upon
yourself? And after attending to various things, what have you gained if you
have neglected self? If you wish to have true peace of mind and unity of
purpose, you must cast all else aside and keep only yourself before your eyes. You will make great progress if you keep yourself
free from all temporal cares, for to value anything that is temporal is a great
mistake. Consider nothing great, nothing high, nothing pleasing, nothing
acceptable, except God Himself or that which is of God. Consider the
consolations of creatures as vanity, for the soul that loves God scorns all
things that are inferior to Him. God alone, the eternal and infinite, satisfies
all, bringing comfort to the soul and true joy to the body. THE glory of a good man is the testimony of a good
conscience. Therefore, keep your conscience good and you will always enjoy
happiness, for a good conscience can bear a great deal and can bring joy even
in the midst of adversity. But an evil conscience is ever restive and fearful. Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not
reproach you. Do not rejoice unless you have done well. Sinners
never experience true interior joy or peace, for "there is no peace to the
wicked," says the Lord. Even if they say: "We
are at peace, no evil shall befall us and no one dares to hurt us," do not
believe them; for the wrath of God will arise quickly, and their deeds will be
brought to naught and their thoughts will perish. To glory in adversity is not hard for the man who
loves, for this is to glory in the cross of the Lord. But the glory given or
received of men is short lived, and the glory of the world is ever companioned
by sorrow. The glory of the good, however, is in their conscience and not in
the lips of men, for the joy of the just is from God and in God, and their
gladness is founded on truth. The man who longs for the true, eternal glory does
not care for that of time; and he who seeks passing fame or does not in his
heart despise it, undoubtedly cares little for the glory of heaven. He who minds neither praise nor blame possesses
great peace of heart and, if his conscience is good, he will easily be
contented and at peace. Praise adds nothing to your holiness, nor does blame
take anything from it. You are what you are, and you cannot be said to be
better than you are in God's sight. If you consider well what you are within,
you will not care what men say about you. They look to appearances but God
looks to the heart. They consider the deed but God weighs the motive. It is characteristic of a humble soul always to do
good and to think little of itself. It is a mark of great purity and deep faith
to look for no consolation in created things. The man who desires no
justification from without has clearly entrusted himself to God: "For not
he who commendeth himself is approved," says St. Paul, "but he whom
God commendeth."
To walk with God interiorly, to be free from any
external affection -- this is the state of the inward man. BLESSED is he who appreciates what it is to love
Jesus and who despises himself for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love
for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all things. Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant,
but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will
fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be
strengthened. Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not
leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you
will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus
in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you
when all others fail. Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what
belongs to another -- He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned
therein as King in His own right. If you but knew how to free yourself entirely
from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell within you. You will find, apart from Him, that nearly all the trust
you place in men is a total loss. Therefore, neither confide in nor depend upon
a wind-shaken reed, for "all flesh is grass" and all its glory, like the
flower of grass, will fade away. You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the
outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek
comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will
surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself -- to
your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater
harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do. WHEN Jesus is near, all is well and nothing seems
difficult. When He is absent, all is hard. When Jesus does not speak within,
all other comfort is empty, but if He says only a word, it brings great
consolation. Did not Mary Magdalen rise at once from her weeping
when Martha said to her: "The Master is come, and calleth for thee"? Happy is the hour when
Jesus calls one from tears to joy of spirit. How dry and hard you are without Jesus! How foolish
and vain if you desire anything but Him! Is it not a greater loss than losing
the whole world? For what, without Jesus, can the world give you? Life without
Him is a relentless hell, but living with Him is a sweet paradise. If Jesus be
with you, no enemy can harm you. He who finds Jesus finds a rare treasure, indeed, a
good above every good, whereas he who loses Him loses more than the whole
world. The man who lives without Jesus is the poorest of the poor, whereas no
one is so rich as the man who lives in His grace. It is a great art to know how to converse with
Jesus, and great wisdom to know how to keep Him. Be humble and peaceful, and
Jesus will be with you. Be devout and calm, and He will remain with you. You
may quickly drive Him away and lose His grace, if you turn back to the outside
world. And, if you drive Him away and lose Him, to whom will you go and whom
will you then seek as a friend? You cannot live well without a friend, and if
Jesus be not your friend above all else, you will be very sad and desolate.
Thus, you are acting foolishly if you trust or rejoice in any other. Choose the
opposition of the whole world rather than offend Jesus. Of all those who are
dear to you, let Him be your special love. Let all things be loved for the sake
of Jesus, but Jesus for His own sake. Jesus Christ must be loved alone with a special love
for He alone, of all friends, is good and faithful. For Him and in Him you must
love friends and foes alike, and pray to Him that all may know and love Him. Never desire special praise or love, for that
belongs to God alone Who has no equal. Never wish that anyone's affection be
centered in you, nor let yourself be taken up with the love of anyone, but let
Jesus be in you and in every good man. Be pure and free within, unentangled
with any creature. You must bring to God a clean and open heart if you
wish to attend and see how sweet the Lord is. Truly you will never attain this
happiness unless His grace prepares you and draws you on so that you may
forsake all things to be united with Him alone. When the grace of God comes to a man he can do all
things, but when it leaves him he becomes poor and weak, abandoned, as it were,
to affliction. Yet, in this condition he should not become dejected or despair.
On the contrary, he should calmly await the will of God and bear whatever
befalls him in praise of Jesus Christ, for after winter comes summer, after
night, the day, and after the storm, a great calm. IT IS not hard to spurn human consolation when we
have the divine. It is, however, a very great thing indeed to be able to live
without either divine or human comforting and for the honor of God willingly to
endure this exile of heart, not to seek oneself in anything, and to think
nothing of one's own merit. Does it matter much, if at the coming of grace, you
are cheerful and devout? This is an hour desired by all, for he whom the grace
of God sustains travels easily enough. What wonder if he feel no burden when
borne up by the Almighty and led on by the Supreme Guide! For we are always
glad to have something to comfort us, and only with difficulty does a man
divest himself of self. The holy martyr, Lawrence, with his priest,
conquered the world because he despised everything in it that seemed pleasing
to him, and for love of Christ patiently suffered the great high priest of God,
Sixtus, whom he loved dearly, to be taken from him. Thus, by his love for the
Creator he overcame the love of man, and chose instead of human consolation the
good pleasure of God. So you, too, must learn to part with an intimate and
much-needed friend for the love of God. Do not take it to heart when you are
deserted by a friend, knowing that in the end we must all be parted from one
another. A man must fight long and bravely against himself
before he learns to master himself fully and to direct all his affections
toward God. When he trusts in himself, he easily takes to human consolation.
The true lover of Christ, however, who sincerely pursues virtue, does not fall
back upon consolations nor seek such pleasures of sense, but prefers severe
trials and hard labors for the sake of Christ. When, therefore, spiritual consolation is given by
God, receive it gratefully, but understand that it is His gift and not your
meriting. Do not exult, do not be overjoyed, do not be presumptuous, but be the
humbler for the gift, more careful and wary in all your actions, for this hour
will pass and temptation will come in its wake. When consolation is taken away, do not at once
despair but wait humbly and patiently for the heavenly visit, since God can
restore to you more abundant solace. This is neither new nor strange to one who knows
God's ways, for such change of fortune often visited the great saints and
prophets of old. Thus there was one who, when grace was with him, declared:
"In my prosperity I said: 'I shall never be moved.'" But when grace
was taken away, he adds what he experienced in himself: "Thou didst hide
Thy face, and I was troubled." Meanwhile he does not despair; rather he
prays more earnestly to the Lord, saying: "To Thee, O Lord, will I cry;
and I will make supplication to my God." At length, he receives the fruit
of his prayer, and testifying that he was heard, says "The Lord hath heard,
and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper." And how was he
helped? "Thou hast turned," he says, "my mourning into joy, and
hast surrounded me with gladness."
If this is the case with great saints, we who are
weak and poor ought not to despair because we are fervent at times and at other
times cold, for the spirit comes and goes according to His will. Of this the
blessed Job declared: "Thou visitest him early in the morning, and Thou
provest him suddenly." In what can I hope, then, or in whom ought I trust,
save only in the great mercy of God and the hope of heavenly grace? For though
I have with me good men, devout brethren, faithful friends, holy books,
beautiful treatises, sweet songs and hymns, all these help and please but
little when I am abandoned by grace and left to my poverty. At such times there
is no better remedy than patience and resignation of self to the will of God. I have never met a man so religious and devout that
he has not experienced at some time a withdrawal of grace and felt a lessening
of fervor. No saint was so sublimely rapt and enlightened as not to be
The Twentieth Chapter
The
Love of Solitude and Silence
The Twenty-First Chapter
Sorrow
of Heart
The Twenty-Second Chapter
Thoughts
on the Misery of Man
The Twenty-Third Chapter
Thoughts
on Death
The Twenty-Fourth Chapter
Judgment
and the Punishment of Sin
The Twenty-Fifth Chapter
Zeal
in Amending our Lives
BOOK TWO
THE INTERIOR LIFE
The First Chapter
Meditation
The Second Chapter
Humility
The Third Chapter
Goodness
and Peace in Man
The Fourth Chapter
Purity
of Mind and Unity of Purpose
The Fifth Chapter
Ourselves
The Sixth Chapter
The
Joy of a Good Conscience
The Seventh Chapter
Loving Jesus Above All Things
The Eighth Chapter
The
Intimate Friendship of Jesus
The Ninth Chapter
Wanting
No Share in Comfort