The Spiritual Combat; The Imitation of Christ

Reading two spiritual books for the new year.

The first is a very old Catholic Classic , written back in the 16th century by an Italian priest and religious, available on Kindle for just 99 p , 'The Spiritual Combat', by Lorenzo Scuploi.

I've never read this before though it is referred to by many writers and saints and had been through who knows how many editions down through the centuries.

Reading through the first page it looks like I am in for a real treat. He speaks of the outwards from of religion and the inward forms. He comments that a person dressing like a monk and having his head shaved means little. It is in the inward spiritual path things count.

When we look at the Church at the present day when we see folks who are sexual perverts and heretics pretty well running the Church it is a good reminder of what Jesus said. That some people are like marble white tombs. All fine from the outside but inside full of rotting bones. Whited sepulchers.

But more importantly it is a warning not to rest on our laurels so to speak. Not to think because we go to mass and communion every day and go to confession every week we have it made. These are only aids on the Spiritual Path; not the path itself.

That the outer path is not the inner path. The out path is only an outward sign of the inner one. It is the inner path that counts.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IHJQG18/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 

Also I found a beautiful old leather edition of the 'Imitation of Christ' by Thomas A Kempis which needs no introduction. It has the most beautiful full colour pictures and has its very own cardboard sheath. A real treasure. I have been reading this on and off from childhood but now intend to get buried up to my neck in it.

There was a Catholic legend that anyone who read this book and put it into practice would become a saint. .St Therese of Liseaux comments just before her death that she only then read tow books this one and Scripture , but latterly only scripture.

It is as though my father left me his richest treasure. So looking forward to delving back into this:

 

BOOK ONE
THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL




The First Chapter
IMITATING CHRIST AND DESPISING ALL VANITIES ON EARTH
HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord.[1] By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.

The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.

What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.

This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.

Often recall the proverb: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing."[2] Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.

https://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imb1c01-10.html

 

Well I got to read the first Chapter of the Imitation in the peace and quiet of Clonard Monastery, just after mass. No better time, no better place.

The thing about such a hugely condensed master piece like this is to take time and read it as Lectio Divina. In other words like slow food. A littl piece at a time , chewed slowly.

Well anyway it reminded me of when I was much younger and my mother and father used to read the Lengthy death notices in the , 'Irish News' every day. It was amazing! They always seemed to know one or several people who had just died sometimes quite well. If often seemed to me that they knew half the people on the little island of Ireland. Now they are both dead themselves along with many of my family.

How passing life is!! I see this now. Man is indeed like the grass that springs up in the morning and at evening withers and dies.

 

I remember a piece in the Universe (a UK Catholic newspaper) sometime in the sixties or seventies in which they reported the responses of all the bishops of England, Wales and Scotland about what their Christmas reading would be and a majority said that they would spend time reading the Imitation of Christ. I would have to wonder how many of the current episcopate have ever opened the book or perhaps have ever even heard of it. I suspect that a couple do know it well and that the others would profit greatly from a serious reading of it.

Much as I like the Imitation, it seems to be so far above my spiritual level that I fear despairing when I do open it. It was written primarily for priests and religious so perhaps I should read it with less trepidation and more readiness to try at least to think about the Eucharist, sin and life's problems more like the author. I have often been surprised, when opening it at random, that the advice I read seems to fit the situation that I am in or someone else that I am praying for is in. (Try it, I would personally love to hear any responses).

 

I have loved this wonderful book for years. It's time to dust it off and begin to read and meditate again.

 

It is so helpful to take in the wisdom of a wonderful book. I have begun to take in Cardinal Sarah's book: The Power of Silence. Even the dedication page which honors a martyred African archbishop, the Carthusians, and Pope Benedict XVI, carries a certain depth to it. This speaks of a "silence" which is incompatible with the "silence" of the current Papacy. I will meditate on this and share gems every now and then.

I have found a profound need to do this. I have discovered how draining my call to chaplaincy is as I journey with many souls who descend through the various stages of dementia and appear to enter an empty silence. This past Sunday, I was praying with a spouse whose resident loved one has accused him of unfaithfulness and pornography. Yet this gentleman so grief stricken chooses to remain faithful and returns most days to absorb such "abuse." His is a terrible silence! But the Holy Spirit placed in my mind a picture of Jesus enthroned and speaking to His heavenly court:

Do you see this gem in my crown. It is Irv who suffers so, yet remains faithful and true to his beloved Frances. In his heart is a terrible suffering; and so the shimmering of this gem glorifies me in this heavenly court far more than the learned and lofty ones in my Church.

It is proper to remain silent and yet, profoundly joyful, before my friend Irv, who found some encouragement when I shared what the Spirit had shown me. What a sweet reunion it will be when the loving and true Frances is reunited with her faithful husband beyond the veil. Secondly, I am reminded of garcia's faithfulness to her husband! Prayers for both Irv and garcia!


May such reflection on silence and the gems from Thomas a Kempis help us all to avoid being too caught up in the events of our day. Better to rest in the Love of the Two Hearts!

 

I have Cardinal Sarah's book as well, but have not cracked it open. I know there is great value in silence, especially in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord. It is in silence of the heart when God speaks. All the mystics and prophets understood this. Mary was the first to ponder in her heart what the greeting of the angel Gabrielle said to her. Jesus would go into the desert in the silence of prayer to know the Fathers will. I have other books I have not cracked open as well, but I believe there will be time to read them during the heart of the storm if not before.

 

Don't wait too long, Fatima; the book is arranged in such a way to be digested in small amounts.

Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!

 

Our former pastor placed copies of The Imitation in our chapel. Sometimes at Adoration I would open it at random and
be surprised, as you were, at how the reading fit what I needed to hear, exactly. I, too, found it far above my spiritual level sometimes. It was intimidating but challenging at the same time, if that makes sense.

 

The Imitation is so like Scripture in this. Perhaps because the Imitation is simply Scripture texts woven together?

 

I kee going back to it and back to it. Its nice to have such a wonderful leather bound edition with colour prints. It makes me feel proud to own it. Makes me feel like a King.

 

In the gospel this morning it speaks of Jesusrsing, 'Just ebfor dawn' and heading to a lonely place to pray. How Jesus seems to have loved being alone in silence. He was constantly doing this. He also encouraged the disciples to do like wise.

 

It is so far above me it makes me laugh.
For instance today it gives the advice,

'Think of yourself as more frail than everyone else'.

If only. I laughed when I read this because I tend to do the exact reverse. Being a crank in fact. But I have read and heard the Eastern Spiritual Masters say that thsi is the highest form of Charity. TO always impute charitable motives in the actions of others. It just reminds me how hopelessly I am reliant on the grace of God.

 

The Second Chapter
HAVING A HUMBLE OPINION OF SELF
EVERY man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men.

If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds?

Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.

Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.

The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?

If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.

 

It is so striking that both Thomas A Kempis and Fr Lorenzo both home in right away at the start of thier books on the huge importance of,

'Man know thyself'.

It reminds me of a talk I heard recently on Guardian Angels given by Fr Rippenger. One thing the Father advises is to ask your Guardian Angel to tell you a home truth about yourself. He assures us that our good angel will do this right away and with great relish.

Scarey So with considerable trepidation I did so while walking the dogs . As I did so I kept looking sky wards looking to the sky waiting for the thunderbolt to descend.

Silence.

I asked my Guardian Angel why he had not the shocking deed and he replied that he did not need to do so. That I was about to be so humiliated in life itself that he did not need to point out faults that others would do so for him.

So it turned out to be , humiliation after crushing humiliation at work. Non stop. It reminds me that the Holy Spirit is the main architect of our spiritual life.

How I have come to love humiliations. They are the salt on the chips of our spiritual life.

 

By the way Fr Lorenzo Scupoli was the mainstay of St Francis De Sales and so of all Salesian spirituality.

Thomas A Kempis is the main product of a very distinctive Flemish school of Spirituality .

It is nice to have a drones eye view sometimes.

The colour photos in my father's , 'Imitation', remind me so much of the Ghent Altar Piece.

This artwork is kind of like the Imitation in art.

 

Padraig, how are things going with the issues at work? I have been meaning to ask.

 

The spiritual combat. I am fascinated with this book but have yet to read it through.