Man Proposes, but God Disposes - Even the Devout Struggle

Chapter 19 - The Exercise of a Good Religious, deserves to be broken open because it is longer than many of the chapters, and because there is much to say here.

First, this chapter is a logical follow-on to the last several chapters, which are oriented toward those "religious" entering the monastery or cloister or convent.  For those of us who are lay persons, these chapters are a call to bring our devotion and obedience to the world...the world of our families, our workplaces, our daily paths.

The term "Religious" here speaks of the ordained ministers of the Church or those who have taken vows.  And for us lay-people, we should simply read the word "devout".  Thomas wrote mainly for the audience of the religious community, as he trained most of the men entering his monastery.

Secondly, in this chapter, Good Thomas calls us to reflect upon our actions, and to ask ourselves whether our inward and public lives match.  He then provides a simple prayer for us to open our day.

Last of all, Thomas sets the order of things for a devout life, giving us God's perspective in this famous line from Chapter 19:
 For man proposes, but God disposes; nor is the way of man in his own hands-Proverbs 16:9. 

In this, Thomas calls us to trust in the Lord, and in His Saving Grace.

Chapter 19

The Exercise of a Good Religious - The Devout of God

The life of a good religious-of one who is devoted to God- ought to be dominant in all virtues, such that you may be the same on the inside as you appear in outward behavior. And with good reason you ought to be much more virtuous in your interior life than you appear to others; because He who beholds us is God, of whom we ought especially to stand in awe, wherever we are, and like angels walk pure in His sight.

We ought every day to renew our resolution and excite ourselves to fervor as if this were the first day of our conversion, and to say: “Help me, O Lord God, in my good resolution and in Your holy service, and give me grace now this day perfectly to begin, for what I have done up to now is nothing."

We will progress and advance in accord with how we resolve to set our will; and whoever is diligent will advance significantly. Now, if someone who regularly and strongly makes such resolutions occasionally fails, what will happen to those who seldom make any resolutions or make only weak resolutions? The falling off from our resolution happens in different ways; and a small omission in our exercises seldom passes without some loss. The resolutions of the just depend on the grace of God, rather than on their own wisdom; and in God they always put their trust, whatever they take in hand:

For man proposes, but God disposes; nor is the way of man in his own hands-Proverbs 16:9.

So for now, I propose to resolve to work on my virtues inwardly, that these may show outwardly, and let The Lord dispose of the excesses of my self, making me more like Him.

Thanks for reading and praying along with me.

'Til next time, be imitators of Christ.
tim