The Imitation of
Christ, Thomas Kempis
Book I, The
Eleventh Chapter
Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection
I 1 We should enjoy
much peace if we did not concern ourselves with what others say and
do, for these are no concern of ours.
2 How can a man who
meddles in affairs not his own, who seeks strange distractions, and
who is little or seldom inwardly recollected, live long in peace?
3
Blessed are the simple of heart for they shall enjoy peace in
abundance. (Ps 37 (36):11)
II 4 Why were some
of the saints so perfect and so given to contemplation?
5 Because they tried
to mortify entirely in themselves all earthly desires, and thus they
were able to attach themselves to God with all their heart and freely
to concentrate their innermost thoughts.
6 We are too
occupied with our own whims and fancies, too taken up with passing
things.
7 Rarely do we
completely conquer even one vice, and we are not inflamed with the
desire to improve ourselves day by day; hence, we remain cold and
indifferent.
III 8 If we
mortified our bodies perfectly and allowed no distractions to enter
our minds, we could appreciate divine things (Mt 16:23) and
experience something of heavenly contemplation.
9 The greatest
obstacle, indeed, the only obstacle, is that we are not free from
passions and lusts, that we do not try to follow the perfect way
of the saints (Heb 9:8).
10 Thus when we
encounter some slight difficulty, we are too easily dejected and turn
to human consolations.
IV 11 If we tried,
however, to stand as brave men in battle, the help of the Lord from
heaven would surely sustain us (Ger 41:16; 2 Chr 20:17).
12 For He Who gives
us the opportunity of fighting for victory, is ready to help those
who carry on and trust in His grace.
13 If we let our
spiritual progress depend on the observance of its externals alone,
our devotion will quickly come to an end.
14 Let us, then, lay
the ax to the root (Mt 3:10) that we may be freed from our passions
and thus have peace of mind.
V 15 If we were to
uproot only one vice each year, we should soon become perfect.
16 The contrary,
however, is often the case—we feel that we were better and purer in
the first fervor of our conversion than we are after many years in
the practice of our faith.
17 Our fervor and
progress ought to increase day by day; yet it is now considered
noteworthy if a man can retain even a part of his first fervor.
18 If we did a
little violence to ourselves at the start, we should afterwards be
able to do all things with ease and joy. It is hard to break old
habits, but harder still to go against our will.
VI 19 If you do not
overcome small, trifling things, how will you overcome the more
difficult?
20 Resist
temptations in the beginning, and unlearn the evil habit lest
perhaps, little by little, it lead to a more evil one.
22 If you but
consider what peace a good life will bring to yourself and what joy
it will give to others, I think you will be more concerned about your
spiritual progress.
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