‘WHAT SHOULD BE THE LIFE OF A TRUE RELIGIOUS PERSON…’ ~ Thomas A Kempis; 1872; Book I; Chapters 16-17; pages 26-27
[Thomas a Kempis – XIV-XV Century AD; Kempen, Holy Roman Empire/Zwolle, Holy Roman Empire; aged 90-91; Canon, Regular]“16 ~ OF THE SUFFERING OF OTHER MEN’S DEFAULTS.
SUCH defaults as we cannot amend in ourselves nor in others, we must patiently suffer, till our Lord of His goodness will otherwise dispose. And we shall think that haply it so is best to be for proving of our patience, without which our merits are but little to be pondered.
Nevertheless thou shalt pray heartily for such impediments, that our Lord of His great mercy and goodness vouchsafe to help thee, that thou mayest patiently bear them.
If thou admonish any person once or twice, and he will not take it, strive not over much with him, but commit all to God, that His will be done, and His honour in all His servants, for He can well by His goodness turn evil into good.
Study always that thou mayest be patient in suffering of other men’s defaults, for thou hast many things in thee that others do suffer of thee: and if thou canst not make thyself to be as thou wouldst, how mayest thou then look to have another to be ordered in all things after thy will? We would gladly have others perfect, but will not amend our own defaults.
We would that others should be straitly corrected for their offences, but we will not be corrected. It misliketh us that others have liberty, but we will not be denied of that we ask. We would also that others should be restrained according to the statutes, but we in nowise will be restrained.
Thus it appeareth evidently that we seldom ponder our neighbour, as we do ourselves. If all men were perfect, what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God?
Therefore God hath so ordained that each one of us shall learn to bear another’s burden: for in this world no man is without default, no man without burden, no man sufficient to himself, nor no man wise enough of himself. Wherefore it behoveth each one of us to bear the burden of others, to comfort others, to help others, to inform others, and to instruct and admonish others in all charity. Who is of most virtue appeareth best in time of adversity. Occasions make not a man frail, but they shew openly what he is.
17 ~ WHAT SHOULD BE THE LIFE OF A TRUE RELIGIOUS PERSON.
IT beoveth thee to break thine own will in many things, if thou wilt have peace and concord with others. It is no little thing to be in monasteries or in congregations, and to continue there without complaining or missaying, and faithfully to persevere there unto the end: blessed are they that there live well and make a good end. If thou wilt stand surely in grace, and much profit in virtue, hold thyself as an outlaw and as a pilgrim here in this life, and be glad for the love of God to be holden as a fool, and as a vile person, as thou art.
The habit and the tonsure help little, but the changing of life and the mortifying of the passions make a person a perfect and true religious. He that seeketh any other thing in religion than purely God and the health of his soul, shall find nothing there but trouble and sorrow, and he may not long stand there in peace and quietness that laboureth not to be least and subject to all.
It is good, therefore, that thou remember oft, that thou comest to religion to serve and not to be served, and that thou art called thither to suffer and to labour, and not to be idle or tell vain tales. In religion a man shall be proved as gold in a furnace, and no man may stand long there in grace and virtue, but he will with all his heart meek himself for the love of God.”
Image: Giovanni Lanfranco ~ Glory of Paradise, detail