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About the "Imitation" - first published anonymously in A.D. 1418 |
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THE IMITATION OF CHRIST | |||
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By Thomas � Kempis |
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Book THREE. Internal Consolation (cont) |
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35. There is No Security from Temptation in This Life |
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The Voice of Christ My child, in this life you are never safe, and as long as you live the weapons of the spirit will ever be necessary to you. You dwell among enemies. You are subject to attack from the right and the left. If, therefore, you do not guard yourself from every quarter with the shield of patience, you will not remain long unscathed. Moreover, if you do not steadily set your heart on Me, with a firm will to suffer everything for My sake, you will not be able to bear the heat of this battle or to win the crown of the blessed. You ought, therefore, to pass through all these things bravely and to oppose a strong hand to whatever stands in your way. For to him who triumphs heavenly bread is given, while for him who is too lazy to fight there remains much misery. If you look for rest in this life, how will you attain to everlasting rest? Dispose yourself, then, not for much rest but for great patience. Seek true peace, not on earth but in heaven; not in men or in other creatures but in God alone. For love of God you should undergo all things cheerfully, all labors and sorrows, temptations and trials, anxieties, weaknesses, necessities, injuries, slanders, rebukes, humiliations, confusions, corrections, and contempt. For these are helps to virtue. These are the trials of Christ's recruit. These form the heavenly crown. For a little brief labor I will give an everlasting crown, and for passing confusion, glory that is eternal. Do you think that you will always have spiritual
consolations as you desire? My saints did not always
have them. Instead, they had many afflictions,
temptations of various kinds, and great desolation.
Yet they bore them all patiently. They placed their
confidence in God rather than in themselves, knowing
that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be
compared with the glory that is to come. And you --
do you wish to have at once that which others have
scarcely obtained after many tears and great labors? |
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The Voice of Christ MY CHILD, trust firmly in the Lord, and do not fear the judgment of men when conscience tells you that you are upright and innocent. For it is good and blessed to suffer such things, and they will not weigh heavily on the humble heart that trusts in God rather than in itself. Many men say many things, and therefore little faith is to be put in them. Likewise, it is impossible to
satisfy all men. Although Paul tried to please all in the Lord,
and became all things to all men, yet he made little of their
opinions. He labored abundantly for the edification and salvation
of others, as much as lay in him and as much as he could, but he
could not escape being sometimes judged and despised by others.
Therefore, he committed all to God Who knows all things, and
defended himself by his patience and humility against the tongues
of those who spoke unjustly or thought foolish things and lies, or
made accusations against him. Sometimes, indeed, he did answer
them, but only lest his silence scandalize the weak. |
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