Where Are You When You Are Not Present to Yourself?

Thomas a'Kempis advises us that self reflection is a good use of our time.  To do otherwise is to waste that time,  and to lose opportunities for Grace.  In short, Thomas is warning us that as we spend time on the pursuits of the affairs of others...especially to the point where we are ignoring our spiritual growth in Christ, we are acting vain and foolish.  Why go for the crumbs when you can have the cake?  If we practice now, that what we pray and hope to become as His disciples, then we will "get there" ready and willing and able to be His instrument.

Until next time, Be Imitators of Christ!

Book 2, Chapter V.  The Consideration of One’s Self

We cannot trust too much in ourselves, because we are often lacking grace and understanding. There is little light within us, and what light we do have we quickly lose by our own negligence.

We often do not perceive how inwardly blind we are.

We often do evil and then make that evil worse by excusing ourselves.

We often are moved by passion* and mistake it for zeal.

We pick out little faults in others and over look great faults in ourselves.

We are quick enough  in assigning guilt and making lists of what we suffer at the hands of others, but we think little of what others have to bear from us.

Whenever you measure your own deeds, be careful to not judge harshly or even to measure others at all(Luke 6:37-38).

2. The spiritually-minded disciple prefers self-reflective care before all other cares; and whoever diligently attends to the interior self easily keeps silence concerning others.

You will never be spiritually minded and godly unless you are silent concerning other’s affairs and take full heed to yours.

If you think wholly upon yourself and upon God, what you see outside of your life shall move you little.

Where are you when you are not present to yourself? And when you have considered all these outward things, what has it profited you, this neglecting of yourself (Mt 16:26)?

If you would have peace and true union within, you must set aside all other distractions, and turn your gaze only upon yourself alone.

3. You will make great progress if you keep yourself free from worldly cares.
However, if you set a value upon any of these worldly things you will lamentably fail. 

Let nothing be great, nothing high, nothing pleasing, nothing acceptable to you, except God Himself or the things that come from God.

Think it all vanity whatsoever consolation comes to you from any creature.

The soul that loves God  does not look to anything that is beneath God. God alone is eternal and incomprehensible, filling all things, the solace of the soul, and the true joy of the heart.

*[A short note on language: the word "passion" in The Imitation of Christ, as used below, is a negative. In modern usage, we see "having a passion" for something as a positive, and this is where Thomas uses the word "zeal." Passion, as used above, is that negative connotation more toward obsessive, unhealthy interest.]