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The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
The Twenty-First Chapter
SORROW OF HEART
IF YOU wish to make progress in virtue, live in the fear of the Lord, do not
look for too much freedom, discipline your senses, and shun inane silliness.
Sorrow opens the door to many a blessing which dissoluteness usually destroys.
It is a wonder that any man who considers and meditates on his exiled state and
the many dangers to his soul, can ever be perfectly happy in this life.
Lighthearted and heedless of our defects, we do not feel the real sorrows of our
souls, but often indulge in empty laughter when we have good reason to weep. No
liberty is true and no joy is genuine unless it is founded in the fear of the
Lord and a good conscience.
Happy is the man who can throw off the weight of every care and recollect
himself in holy contrition. Happy is the man who casts from him all that can
stain or burden his conscience.
Fight like a man. Habit is overcome by habit. If you leave men alone, they will
leave you alone to do what you have to do. Do not busy yourself about the
affairs of others and do not become entangled in the business of your superiors.
Keep an eye primarily on yourself and admonish yourself instead of your friends.
If you do not enjoy the favor of men, do not let it sadden you; but consider it
a serious matter if you do not conduct yourself as well or as carefully as is
becoming for a servant of God and a devout religious.
It is often better and safer for us to have few consolations in this life,
especially comforts of the body. Yet if we do not have divine consolation or
experience it rarely, it is our own fault because we seek no sorrow of heart and
do not forsake vain outward satisfaction.
Consider yourself unworthy of divine solace and deserving rather of much
tribulation. When a man is perfectly contrite, the whole world is bitter and
wearisome to him.
A good man always finds enough over which to mourn and weep; whether he thinks
of himself or of his neighbor he knows that no one lives here without suffering,
and the closer he examines himself the more he grieves.
The sins and vices in which we are so entangled that we can rarely apply
ourselves to the contemplation of heaven are matters for just sorrow and inner
remorse.
I do not doubt that you would correct yourself more earnestly if you would think
more of an early death than of a long life. And if you pondered in your heart
the future pains of hell or of purgatory, I believe you would willingly endure
labor and trouble and would fear no hardship. But since these thoughts never
pierce the heart and since we are enamored of flattering pleasure, we remain
very cold and indifferent. Our wretched body complains so easily because our
soul is altogether too lifeless.
Pray humbly to the Lord, therefore, that He may give you the spirit of
contrition and say with the Prophet: "Feed me, Lord, with the bread of mourning
and give me to drink of tears in full measure."[5]
