It's Just a Silly Excuse: Your Obstacle to Peace

When looking for peace either within our homes or within ourselves, our first step should be to to quit making excuses for our own behaviors.  Wouldn't it be interesting, as Thomas suggests, if we didn't know how to be angry?

Further, its easy to identify the "non peaceful" as they like to stir the pot so no one is happy around them, as they cannot be at peace themselves. 

But Thomas warns us that to achieve a peaceful state, we may have to suffer:  Our suffering emanates from conquering our selfish natures. 

Until next time, be imitators of Christ!
tim

Book 2, Chapter 3,

Of the good, peaceful disciple, continued..

2. You know well how to excuse and to color your own doings, but you will not accept the excuses of others. It would be more just to accuse yourself and excuse your brother. If you expect that others bear with you, you need to bear with others.


See how far you are as yet from the true charity and humility which does not know how to be angry or indignant against any one except one’s own self.

It is no great thing to mingle with the good and the meek, (Matt 5:43-48) for
this is naturally pleasing to all, and every one of us willingly enjoys peace and likes best those who agree with us: but to be able to live peaceably with the hard and perverse, or with the disorderly, or those who oppose us - this is a great grace and highly commended and most courageous.

3. There are who keep themselves in peace and keep peace also with others, and there are who neither have peace nor allow others to have peace; they are troublesome to others, but always more troublesome to themselves.

And there are those who hold themselves in peace, and study to bring others to peace; nevertheless, all our peace in this sad life lies in humble suffering rather than in not dealing with these adversities. Whoever knows how to suffer shall possess the most peace; that disciple is conqueror of himself and lord of the world, the friend of Christ, and the heir of heaven.

How Can I Get Others To Be Peaceful?

"Put up thy sword..." Jn 18:11, Keep yourself at peace and they you will be able to bring peace to others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book 2, CHAPTER III:   The good, peaceful disciple.

 

Thomas opens this short chapter with a directive to be peaceful, so that others will "catch" the peace of your spirit.

He then tells us that we cannot let our passions rule us.  In modern parlance, to be "passionate" about something is good.  And so it is.  But here, Thomas is talking about a heated, unnatural lack of control, which turns into a sort of madness.  Thomas then compares the peaceful with the passionate, and advises us to take steps toward the peaceful, for ourselves and for others.  Lastly, he admonishes us to get our own act together before we start working on others.  Good advice.  I think I'll get started, what about you?

 

Keep yourself in peace, and then you will be able to bring peace to others.  The peaceful disciple does more good than those who are learned. 

Those who are passionate turn even good into evil and easily believe evil; whereas one who is good and peaceful converts all things into good. 

The disciple who dwells in peace, is not suspicious of anyone.

Jas: 5:16

But if you are discontent and restless, you are tossed about with many suspicions, and are neither quiet yourself nor allow others to be quiet.

You often say what you should not say, and omit what would be more expedient for you to do.  You consider what duties others are bound to perform, and yet neglect those to which you yourself are bound to perform.

Therefore be zealous first over yourself, and then you may righteously be zealous concerning your neighbors.

Until next time, thank you for praying with me, and reading along.  Be of peaceful hearts, and be imitators of Christ!
tim

How do you win the humility award?

The Humilty of Jesus, by Ariel Agemian

One of the shortest chapters in all four books, Chapter II of Book 2, is, appropriately, about humility. 

Good Thomas takes through a quick lesson on this key concept. Thomas prompts us to rely on The Lord to keep us humble: For example, keeping our mouth shut is easier than apologizing for an errant comment.  Ultimately, Thomas calls us to rely on God's deliverance when we are under attack. Thomas warns against being overly defensive, and says its OK to admit your defects, even having some trusted friends hold you accountable for your faulty behavior.

When we go this way of humility, God shelters us with His mantle of grace: protecting us, lifting us out of our dour moods from the pit and redirecting our eyes to Him (see, e.g.Psalms 40, and 27).

Finally, Thomas puts a "p.s." at the end of this chapter, telling us not to get too puffed up in what a great job we are doing being humble!

 

Book 2, CHAPTER II

 Humble Submission

Do not worry yourself with counting who is for you or who is against you, but be mindful only of the present and take steps for God to be with you in whatever you do (Rm 8:31).  Have a good conscience and God will sufficiently defend you. For those whom God will help no man's malice can hurt.  If you know how to hold your peace and to endure suffering, you shall, without doubt, see the help of the Lord. God knows the time and the way to deliver you, therefore you must resign yourself to Him.  It belongs to God to help you and to deliver you from all confusion.  When others know and hold us accountable for our faults, it is often very helpful for keeping us in greater humility.

2. When you humble yourself for your defects, you then easily

pacify others and quickly satisfy those that are angry with you.  God protects and delivers the humble, He loves and comforts the humble, to the humble He inclines Himself, on the humble He bestows great grace(Prov 29:23): and when you are cast down God raises you to glory.

God reveals His secrets to the humble, and sweetly draws and invites you to Himself.  The humble, having received reproach, are yet sufficiently at peace, because the humble fix their gaze on God and not on the world.

Never think you have made any progress in the interior life until you look upon yourself inferior to all others.

Enjoy your weekend, and until next time, keep praying.
Be imitators of Christ!
tim