Disciple = Discipline

Thomas a'Kempis wraps up Chapter 25, of Book 1 (and therefore Book 1 is done!) with his final "useful admonitions" on how to amend our life.

In short, a disciple is disciplined.  It's obvious, you can see, that the two terms are related, not only to each other, but to the spiritual walk (Mi 6:8)

Thomas points out that when you take on the role of a follower of Jesus Christ, that you have a new standard to uphold, and that in order to uphold that standard, there are a few items you may want to try...some of which will be uncomfortable.  But the exchange comes when in adopting of the rules of the faith you reap the result of joy and spiritual refreshment.

7. Whoever is a sincere person receives and bears well those burdens laid upon him. Whoever is careless and lukewarm has numerous troubles, and suffers anguish upon every side, because there is no comfort within, and seeking outward comfort is forbidden. Whoever is living without discipline is exposed to dreadful ruin. Whenever you seek easier and lighter discipline you will be in distress, because one thing or another will inevitably displease you.

8. How do so many devout persons live under strict monastic discipline?
They seldom go abroad; they live very retired; their diet is very poor; their habit is coarse; they labor much; they speak little; they watch long; they rise early; they spend much time in prayer; they read often and keep themselves in all discipline.

Cistercian Coat of Arms

Consider the Carthusians, the Cistercians, and the monks and nuns of different Orders, how every night they rise to sing psalms to the Lord. It would, therefore, be a shame for you to be sluggish at so holy a time when such multitudes of devout disciples begin with joy and give praise to God.

9. O! if no other duty lay upon us but to praise the Lord our God with our whole heart and voice! Oh! if you never had need to eat or drink, or sleep, but were always able to praise God, and to give yourself over to spiritual exercises alone; then you should be far happier, when for so many necessities you must serve the flesh. O! that these necessities were not tied to the flesh, but only that we could taste the spiritual refreshments of the soul, which alas we taste too seldom.

11. When you have come to this, that you seek comfort from no created thing, then you will perfectly begin to enjoy God, then also will you be well contented with whatsoever shall happen to you. Then you will neither rejoice for much nor be sorrowful for little, but you shall know the commitment to yourself and with full trust in God, who is all in all to you, to whom nothing perishes nor dies, but all things live to Him and obey His every word without delay.

12. Always remember your end, and how the time which is lost does not return. Without care and diligence you shall never obtain virtue. If you begin to grow cold, it shall begin to go ill with you, but if you give yourself to zeal you shall find much peace, and shall find your labor the lighter because of the grace of God and the love of virtue. A zealous and diligent disciple is ready for all things. It is greater labor to resist sins and passions than to toil in bodily labors. He who does not shun venial faults falls little by little into greater faults. At eventide you shall always be glad if you spent the day profitably. Watch over yourself, stir yourself up, admonish yourself, and no matter how it is with others, do not neglect yourself. The more discipline you enter into yourself, the more you shall profit.

Amen.

And so we end Book 1, of the Imitation of Christ.

Thank you for reading, praying along with me in uncovering the keen insights of this great and holy disciple of Christ. 

May we all be Imitators of Christ!

Next month, I'll begin book 2, which is much shorter (12 chapters), and deals with the Interior life.

Until til then, pray hard, life is short.
tim

How to Clean A Messy Room: Curb Your Passions and Imitate Christ

As Thomas gets into the meat of Chapter 25,  we should recall the previous paragraph, where he tells us that what's holding us back from a closer walk with The Lord is often times the dread of difficulty. 

Not to minimize this, but I instantly thought of my children struggling with cleaning up their room.  Especially when you cannot see the floor for the dirty laundry.  So I tell them to spend fifteen minutes working on the clothes, put in a load, and repeat.  And soon the project will be well on its way to completion.

In the same manner we know what we need to do to walk closer with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit is groaning for us to do so (Rm 8:26).

So Chapter 25 continues to offer ways to amend our lives: Recognize our passions, our "bent" and work on curbing these excesses. Running away from sinful occasions.  Imitating holy people.  Note those things that bother us about other people and endeavor to NOT enter into that activity ourselves.

Thomas then reminds us to honor our baptismal promise to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul (Dt 6: 4-5, Mark 12:29-31).

Book 1, Chapter 25, Amendment of Life, continued.

4. But we all do have not the same passions to conquer and to subdue, yet those who are diligent shall see more progress, even though one person may have stronger passions than another person who is more temperate but less fervent in the pursuit of virtue.

Two things particularly bring about improvement in holiness: namely the ability to firmly withdraw ourselves from the sins to which we are most inclined by nature, and earnestly to work toward that good which one wants most.

Strive to guard against and conquer those faults of your own which bother you  – that you see most often in others.



St Juan Diego's Image in the Eye of
Our Lady of Guadalupe



5. Turn all occasions to your spiritual profit wherever you are, and whenever you see or hear good examples, tell yourself to imitate these actions. But where you see anything which is sinful, take care that you do not imitate these actions; or if at any time you have entered into it, strive quickly to amend yourself. As your eyes observe others, so also are the eyes of others observing you.

How sweet and pleasant is it to see devout and godly believers who are temperate and of good discipline; and how sad it is and serious to see them walking in a disorderly manner, not practicing the duties to which they are called. How hurtful a thing it is to neglect the purpose of their calling, and turn their inclinations to things which are none of their business.

 6. Be mindful of the duties which you have undertaken, and set before you always the remembrance of the Crucified Christ (1 Cor 2:2). Truly you ought to be remorseful as you look upon the life of Jesus Christ, because you have not yet tried to conform yourself more to His pattern, although you have been a long time in the way of God.  Those who are religious, who conduct spiritual exercises seriously and devoutly in the most holy life and passion of our Lord shall find there abundantly all things that are profitable and necessary. There is no need to seek anything better beyond Jesus. Oh! if Jesus crucified would come into our hearts, how quickly, and completely would we learn all that we need to know!

Next time we will finish Chapter 25 and Book 1!  Thomas will tell us an easy way to overcome our faults.

Until then, thanks for reading and praying along with me.

Be imitators of Christ!
tim

p.s.  Special prayers for my friend Greg, who is delivering a talk on metanoia today.