Been reading, reflecting, and meditating in Thomas à Kempis’ “Imitation of Christ.” Here are three of the paragraphs
from the seven in the section “chewed on” . . . so from “ruminating on
temptation” I’ve put my considerations into a video-clip. JCD
Why not read Thomas’ thought; then engage the video rumination . . . Thomas who lived from 1380 to 1471 writes with
relevance to life in our 21st century . . .
“Imitation of Christ”
Book 1: Thirteenth Chapter
ON RESISTING TEMPTATION
So long as we live in this world we cannot escape suffering and temptation. Whence it is written in Job: "The life of man upon earth is a warfare."
Everyone, therefore, must guard against temptation and must watch in prayer lest the devil, who
never sleeps but goes about seeking
whom he may devour, find occasion to deceive him. No one is so perfect or so holy but he is sometimes
tempted; man cannot be altogether free from temptation.
Many people try to escape temptations, only to fall more deeply. We cannot
conquer simply by fleeing, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. The
man who only shuns temptations outwardly and does not uproot them will make
little progress; indeed they will quickly return, more violent than before.
We should not despair, therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the
more fervently that He may see fit to help us, for according to the word of
Paul, “God will make issue with
temptation that we may be able to bear it.” Let us humble our souls under the hand of God
in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble in spirit.
Why not do some reading in à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ for yourself?
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