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The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
The Twenty-Fifth Chapter
ZEAL IN AMENDING OUR LIVES
BE WATCHFUL and diligent in God's service and often think of why you left the
world and came here. Was it not that you might live for God and become a
spiritual man? Strive earnestly for perfection, then, because in a short time
you will receive the reward of your labor, and neither fear nor sorrow shall
come upon you at the hour of death.
Labor a little now, and soon you shall find great rest, in truth, eternal joy;
for if you continue faithful and diligent in doing, God will undoubtedly be
faithful and generous in rewarding. Continue to have reasonable hope of gaining
salvation, but do not act as though you were certain of it lest you grow
indolent and proud.
One day when a certain man who wavered often and anxiously between hope and fear
was struck with sadness, he knelt in humble prayer before the altar of a church.
While meditating on these things, he said: "Oh if I but knew whether I should
persevere to the end!" Instantly he heard within the divine answer: "If you knew
this, what would you do? Do now what you would do then and you will be quite
secure." Immediately consoled and comforted, he resigned himself to the divine
will and the anxious uncertainty ceased. His curiosity no longer sought to know
what the future held for him, and he tried instead to find the perfect, the
acceptable will of God in the beginning and end of every good work.
"Trust thou in the Lord and do good," says the Prophet; "dwell in the land and
thou shalt feed on its riches."[7]
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.
