Thomas à Kempis: Imitation of Christ - Christian Classics Ethereal Library

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He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their <span class="pb" id="TWO.11-Page_75">75</span> own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus—love that is free from all self-interest and self-love! </p> <p id="TWO.11-p2">Do not those who always seek consolation deserve to be called mercenaries? Do not those who always think of their own profit and gain prove that they love themselves rather than Christ? Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature? His value is like that of things brought from the most distant lands. </p> <p id="TWO.11-p3">If a man give all his wealth, it is nothing; if he do great penance, it is little; if he gain all knowledge, he is still far afield; if he have great virtue and much ardent devotion, he still lacks a great deal, and especially, the one thing that is most necessary to him. What is this one thing? That leaving all, he forsake himself, completely renounce himself, and give up all private affections. Then, when he has done all that he knows ought to be done, let him consider it as nothing, let him make little of what may be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: “When you shall <span class="pb" id="TWO.11-Page_76">76</span> have done all these things that are commanded you, say: ‘we are unprofitable servants.’”<sup class="Note" id="fna_TWO.11-p3.1"><a class="Note" href="#fnf_TWO.11-p3.1">18</a></sup><span class="mnote" id="mnf_TWO.11-p3.1"><sup><a class="NoteRef" href="#fna_TWO.11-p3.1">18</a></sup> <span class="Footnote"> <a class="scripRef" id="TWO.11-p4.1" href="/ccel/bible/asv.Luke.17.html#Luke.17.10" onclick="return goBible('nt','Luke','17','10','17','10');" onmouseover="popupVerse(this, 'Luke 17:10 - 17:10')" onmouseout="leaveVerse()" name="_Luke_17_10_0_0">Luke 17:10</a>.</span> </span></p> <p id="TWO.11-p5">Then he will be truly poor and stripped in spirit, and with the prophet may say: “I am alone and poor.”<sup class="Note" id="fna_TWO.11-p5.1"><a class="Note" href="#fnf_TWO.11-p5.1">19</a></sup><span class="mnote" id="mnf_TWO.11-p5.1"><sup><a class="NoteRef" href="#fna_TWO.11-p5.1">19</a></sup> <span class="Footnote"> <a class="scripRef" id="TWO.11-p6.1" href="/ccel/bible/asv.Ps.24.html#Ps.24.16" onclick="return goBible('ot','Ps','24','16','24','16');" onmouseover="popupVerse(this, 'Ps 24:16 - 24:16')" onmouseout="leaveVerse()" name="_Ps_24_16_0_0">Ps. 24:16</a>.</span> </span> No one, however, is more wealthy than such a man; no one is more powerful, no one freer than he who knows how to leave all things and think of himself as the least of all. </p> <p id="TWO.11-p7"> </p> <p id="TWO.11-p8"> </p> <hr class="footnotes-hr" /> <div class="footnotes"> <div class="footer_note" id="fnf_TWO.11-p3.1"><sup><a class="NoteRef" href="#fna_TWO.11-p3.1">18</a></sup> <span class="Footnote"> <a class="scripRef" id="TWO.11-p4.1" href="/ccel/bible/asv.Luke.17.html#Luke.17.10" onclick="return goBible('nt','Luke','17','10','17','10');" onmouseover="popupVerse(this, 'Luke 17:10 - 17:10')" onmouseout="leaveVerse()" name="_Luke_17_10_0_0">Luke 17:10</a>.</span> </div> <div class="footer_note" id="fnf_TWO.11-p5.1"><sup><a class="NoteRef" href="#fna_TWO.11-p5.1">19</a></sup> <span class="Footnote"> <a class="scripRef" id="TWO.11-p6.1" href="/ccel/bible/asv.Ps.24.html#Ps.24.16" onclick="return goBible('ot','Ps','24','16','24','16');" onmouseover="popupVerse(this, 'Ps 24:16 - 24:16')" onmouseout="leaveVerse()" name="_Ps_24_16_0_0">Ps. 24:16</a>.</span> </div> </div> </div> <table xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="book_navbar" id="book_navbar_bottom"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="book_navbar_prev"><a href="imitation.TWO.10.html">« Prev</a></td> <td class="book_navbar_title">Few Love the Cross of Jesus</td> <td class="book_navbar_next"><a href="imitation.TWO.12.html">Next »</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> <div class="popover selection-popup no-select pt-2 pl-2 fade bs-popover-bottom show" role="tooltip" x-placement="top" style="display: none;"> <div class="arrow"></div> <div class="popover-body"> <button class="btn btn-warning mr-2 mb-2" title="Highlight selected text in yellow" data-annotation-action="highlight" data-annotation-color="yellow"> <i class="fa fa-fw fa-highlighter"></i> </button> <button class="btn btn-primary mr-2 mb-2" title="Highlight selected text in blue" data-annotation-action="highlight" data-annotation-color="blue"> <i class="fa fa-fw fa-highlighter"></i> </button> <button class="btn btn-success mr-2 mb-2" title="Highlight selected text in green" data-annotation-action="highlight" data-annotation-color="green"> <i class="fa fa-fw fa-highlighter"></i> </button> <button class="btn btn-danger position-relative mr-2 mb-2" data-annotation-action="remove" title="Remove highlighting from selected text"> <i class="fa fa-fw fa-highlighter"></i> <i class="fa fa-fw fa-times text-light position-absolute" style="bottom: 6px; right: 4px; text-shadow: 0 0 2px #000, 0 0 2px #000"></i></button> <div> Please <a href="/login">login</a> or <a href="/register">register</a> to save highlights and make annotations. </div> </div> </div> <span style="display:none;">VIEWNAME is <q> workSection </q></span> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://ccel.org/js/dru_themes_ccel2010/navbarMenu.js"> </script> <div id="content-foot" class="content-foot"> </div> </div> <br clear="both"> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>

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Thomas à Kempis: Imitation of Christ - Christian Classics Ethereal Library