Book 1, Chapter 10

Thomas a'Kempis advises us to use our words sparingly and carefully.  Stay away from chatter and chatterboxes. That we can enter into conversations that are not worth much, or seeking after gossip.

Avoiding a Superfluity of Words

Don't Talk Too Much

1. Fly the tumult of others as much as you can; for talking of worldly affairs, regardless of your good intention, hinders the spiritual life.


This is because we are quickly defiled and ensnared with vanity.


Oftentimes I wish I had been silent and not been in the company of others.

But why are we so willing to talk and discourse with one another, since we seldom return to silence without prejudice to our conscience.

The reason why we are so willing to talk is, by talking with one another we seek comfort from one another; and we would gladly ease the heart, wearied by various worldly thoughts.

And we are very willing to talk and think of such things as we most love and desire, or which we imagine contrary to us.

This last sentence of paragraph one is interesting in that Good Thomas points right at our intent...our tendency to seek out gossip or complain of our imaginary enemies.  People don't talk about us as much as we imagine...and that too, is vanity!

In paragraph 2, below, Thomas starts out by telling us that we are our own worst enemy when it comes to growing closer to the Lord.  Indeed, Jesus tells us to "Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one. (Matt 5:37)"

2. But, alas! It is often in vain and to no purpose: for this outward consolation is no small hindrance to interior and divine comfort.




"Watch and Pray"



Therefore, we must each watch and pray (Matt 26:41) that our time may not pass away without fruit.

If it be lawful and expedient to speak, speak those things of God which may edify.


A bad use or habit, and the neglect of our spiritual advancement, are a great cause of our keeping so little guard upon our mouth.


But devout conversations concerning spiritual things help advance you toward spiritual progress, especially where persons of the same mind and spirit are associated together in God.

So what's a talker to do?  "Watch and Pray" is advice worth noting.  Not only because it is from Christ Himself, but because it is good advice in any situation.  If you are praying, you aren't talking...you are in conversation with God.

Speaking for myself, we all have a tendency to quibble or fill the silence with the noise of our words.  Praying affords us an opportunity to be present without the obligation of saying anything.  And the Lord will help us in filling that "void," with Himself.

Finally, in letting my "yes" be "yes" and "no" be "no" keeps things simple.  Why always explain everything?  This keeps words at a minimum.  It's an exercise of a new habit.  Try it out and see what He does when you talk to Him through Knee Mail!

Til next time....thanks for reading and praying along with me!
tim

Bob Dylan and Thomas A' Kempis say: "you're gonna have to serve somebody."

Book 1, Chapter 9:  On Obedience and Subjection

First, a little music to set the tone for this post, from Bob Dylan's "Slow Train Comin'" -Gonna have to serve somebody

Here, it's a pretty good guess that Thomas has a model in mind for us, in Christ's subjection and obedience.  The Creator of the universe humbles Himself to take on not just the form of a man, but of a helpless child, and later a boy.  This boy learned a trade, washed dishes, helped garden and feed the animals, etc.  Subjection here is a cooperation with and humble obedience to an authority even though not necessarily one "superior" to you.  And Thomas describes this sense below.


Jesus Willingly Subjected Himself
to Joseph and Mary

 1. It is a very great thing to be under obedience(1) to live under a superior and not be at our own disposal.  It is much more secure to be in a state of subjection than in authority.  Many are under obedience more out of necessity than for the love of God; and such as these are in pain and grumble easily.  Nor will they gain freedom of mind unless they submit themselves with their whole heart for God's sake.  Running here or there, you will find no rest, but in an humble subjection under the government of a superior.

Now Thomas takes us to an examination of our favorite opinions...our own.  He's counseling us to keep our thoughts to ourselves (once in awhile at least to begin with, for those of us, including me, who think we have a corner on the insightful comments!) .  If we listen more, perhaps we will hear God more!

Opinions & Belly Buttons

2.  It is true that everyone desires to act according to his own liking; and is more inclined to his own opinions of his own mind.  But if God is among us, we must sometimes give up our own opinions for the sake of peace.  Who is so wise as to be able to know all things?  Therefore, do not trust your own thoughts too much, but be willing to hear the sentiments of others.  Although your opinion may be good, yet for God's sake leave it to follow that of another and it will be more profitable to you.



Capturing a Swarm of Bees

 As a beekeeper, bees will teach you humility quickly.  And beekeepers learn this very fast.  We often share stories of our humiliation at the "hands" of these little creatures.  Listening to a seasoned beekeeper is well worth the subjection of our own opinion, even though all of us beekeepers think we know all about bees.
   Recently, having read all about swarms, I tried to capture one on my own.  I knew how to do it, even had opinions on the best way to approach the swarm.  But I was smart enough (and scared enough!) to call my friend Dave, for help.  And thank goodness I did!  Dave had the bees in a box in no time.  I learned a lot that day that added to my opinion and knowledge. Sacrificing a bit of humility along the way helped get the bees into the box.  Thanks, Dave! 


Yield!

 3.  For I have often heard that it is safer to listen to and take counsel than to give it.  It may also happen that each one's thoughts may be good; but to refuse to yield to others when reason or a just cause requires it, is a sign of your pride and willfulness.

Final comment:  as Bob Dylan says, "you're gonna have to serve somebody."
  You might as well bring it to the Lord and find the joy during the service and in the obedience.

Thanks for praying along with me.
Til next time, be imitators of Christ!

1. "He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart." Luke 2:51

What Business Are You In? A Daily Meditation

Today's meditation:  From The Imitation of Christ, Book 1, Ch 3, para 3.



Strength Through Prayer

 "And this must be our business, to strive to overcome ourselves, and daily to  gain strength over ourselves, and to grow better and better."

Meditation for Today: What's your Favorite Vice?

"If every year we rooted out one vice we should soon become perfect."


Favorite Vices


 Thomas a'Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Ch 11, ¶ 5.

My question for you:  What favorite vice will you root out this year?  Thomas doesn't define his year, and the way I count it, I can root out the one between now and Dec 31!

Time to get started.

Now, quit picking your ......................

Keep Praying, Keep Imitating Christ!
tim

How Familiar is this to You? Flattery, Intimacy and Imitation

Book 1: Chapter 8. Shunning Too Much Familiarity



Too Familiar!

 In this chapter, Thomas discusses familiarity in the sense of being overly familiar in situations that are better avoided. It’s that notion of avoiding the near-occasion of sin. Rather, we should guard our hearts and secrets. Thomas spends a few sentences on flattery – which is a concept related to imitation, isn’t it? Oftentimes flattery is false and disingenuous, whereas imitation is a true attempt at faithful mimicry. The language in this chapter was challenging in that it did not lend itself to direct equivalencies....luckily, Thomas gave us some biblical references to get a grip on what he was trying to teach us!

“Open not your heart readily to any man ”(Sirach 8:19), but handle your affairs with those who are wise and fear God.


Keep regular company with mature people but not with strangers.

Do not be a flatterer with the rich, nor willingly appear before the great.

Associate yourself with the humble and the simple, with the devout and the virtuous and deal with those things which edify one another (Rom 14:19).

Do not be overly familiar with a person of the opposite sex, but recommend them in their goodness, to God.

Therefore, desire to be familiar only with God and His angels, and avoid the acquaintance of others.

And from here, Thomas takes us int the next logical step, that of distinguishing charity from familiarity. But again, when we over-do it, people see through the flattery and this ruins their otherwise good reputation.

2. We must have charity for all, but familiarity is not advisable.

It sometimes happens that a person, when not know, shines by a good reputation, who, when he is present, is disagreeable to them that sees him.


We think sometimes to please others by being with them; and we begin, rather to disgust them by the evil behavior which they discover in us.

Thanks for praying with me.

Until next time, be Imitators of Christ!

Check out my web site: faithandfidelity.com
tim

Pride vs Humility: From Cain to Aslan to Samson to Mary

Chapter 7. Of fleeing from vain hope and pride.

Thomas offers us a simple warning and a promise:  if we put our faith in anyone or anything other than The Lord, we face futility.  However, God will honor our efforts and intentions if the rationale for these are in accord with His Will.

Cain & Abel

Life is vain for the one who puts trust in the children of Adam or in any created thing (Jer 17:5, Ps 146:2-4).  Do not be ashamed to be the servant of others for the love of Jesus Christ, and to be reckoned poor in this life. (2 Cor 4:5)

Build your refuge in God (Ps 73:28), not upon your own capabilities. Do what is within your power, and God will help your good intent.
Trust in the favour of God, who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, and do not trust in your learning, nor in the cleverness of others.

Next, Thomas cautions us to build our relationship with God.  He does not say that we should not have wealth or powerful friends, but rather to keep these in perspective: put God first as only He can break the Stone Table.

Aslan & The Stone Table

 It is easy to think our selves as not needing Him when we are in the flower of youth and health.  But this talent is from God Himself.  Think of Samson here.

2. If you have wealth, take no glory in your riches.  If you have powerful friends, do not rely upon that relationship, but in your relationship with God, who gives all things, and in addition to all things, He desires to give even Himself. (1 Cor 1:31).



Sampson & Delilah

 Boasting because of your strength or beauty of body is futile since it takes only a slight sickness for it to fail and wither away. Pride in your skilfulness or ability for fear that it will displease God, from Whom emanates every good gift and talent which we have.

Thomas concludes this chapter with an admonition to stay humble in all of your efforts. With Mary as a model of humility, we can practice our humility and obtain peace and quiet strength.  This does not ever amount to being a punching bag.

3. Do not count yourself better than others, since you will then be accounted worse in the sight of God, who knows what is in a man's heart.


Be humble about your good works, for God's judgments are of another sort than the judgments of man, and what pleases others is ofttimes displeasing to Him (Is 55:6-9).

Mary's Fiat

If you have any good qualities, believe that others have more, and so you may preserve your humility. It is no harm to you if you place yourself below all others; but it is great harm if you place yourself above even one other person. Peace is ever with the humble, but in the heart of the proud there is envy and continual wrath.

Will This Spaghetti Make Me Restless?

Chapter 6: Of Inordinate Affections (Too much of a good thing).  

Today, Thomas tells us an obvious truth:  that if we eat too much, we will get indigestion; that if we drink too much alcohol, we will suffer a hang-over; that any blessing can be perverted into a curse.  The root of the problem lies in controlling our desires:

1. Whenever you desire more than you should reasonably expect, immediately you become restless. The proud and the self-interested are never at rest; while the poor of spirit and humble of heart abide in peace. Whoever is not wholly dead to self is soon tempted, and is overcome in small and unimportant matters. It is hard for the weak in spirit, especially those who are still in part of the carnal and inclined to the pleasures of the flesh, to withdraw altogether from worldly desires. When withdrawing from these inclinations, he is often sad, and easily angered too if anyone thwarts his will.

From here, good Thomas tells us how to get out of our self-dug hole:  resist these passions by filling your desires with fruits of the Spirit rather than worldliness.

It is OK to enjoy a thing so long as desire for that thing does not turn into an unhealthy desire - be it for more spaghetti, more ale, or more sex, more ______ (there's more to the list...just think of your favorite sins and fill in the blank). 

God does not have laws against charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generousity, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.  Of these we can have as much as we desire.  Let our passions be for these fruits of the Spirit.

2. On the other hand, if you yield to your tendencies, immediately you are weighed down by the conviction of your conscience; for you have followed your own desires, and yet in no way attained the hoped for peace by yielding to these temptations. For true peace of heart is to be found in resisting your passions, not in yielding to those passions. There is no peace in your heart when you are focused on the flesh. Nor is there peace for you who are given up to the things that are outside of you. Peace rests with you who are fervent towards God and living the life of the Spirit (see Gal 5:16-25).

Thanks for praying along with me,
'til next time, be Imitators of Christ!

Check out my new site!  faithandfidelity.com