Lectio et Oratio

Episode 90 -- Imitation of Christ III.52 -- Thinking We Deserve Punishment and Not Consolation

What should we think we deserve from God: consolation or punishment?

Based on all our personal sins: punishment. Thomas a Kempis lays out some reasons why we deserve punishment for our sins. To deserve is to be owed something. What do all our sins and infidelities deserve? What is due to us for turning from God? Punishment is not something primarily externally imposed. Punishment especially arises from the disorder of our actions. When we act contrary to what we are, made in the image of God, children of God, called to glory, then there are consequences that are painful. Painful consequences that follow bad actions and make up for the disorder of the action are called punishments.

Episode 89 -- Imitation of Christ III.51 -- Busy Ourselves with Humble Tasks When Consolation is Lacking

Thomas a Kempis gave us good advice on how to act when our longed for spiritual desires and prayer seem to escape us. He wants us to have the proper expectations about the Christian life. Much of the time we will not feel great desires for holiness. We will not be lost in contemplation. But we must ask the Lord to help us use our time well. We must busy ourselves with good and humble work.

Episode 88 -- Imitation of Christ III.50 -- Putting Ourselves in God’s Hands in Times of Trouble

Thomas a Kempis encourages us to turn to God in all our troubles. We will face troubles. We will face interior troubles and exterior troubles. Our hope cannot be in ourselves or any other mere man. Yes, God makes use of human instruments. Yes, Christ acts through his servants. But it is Christ, God the Son, in whom we must place boundless trust. He cannot deceive or be deceived.

Episode 87 -- Imitation of Christ III.49 -- On Longing for Eternal Life and the Trials that Lead There

Thomas a Kempis speaks to us about heavenly promises. He put before us the true glory of heaven. He wants us to think about heaven and what peace will be there so that we will desire it. The will desires what the mind, the intellect presents to it as worthy of love. Let us ponder heaven more and more. At the same time, we must be willing to fight for heaven. Our fight is against ourselves, our fallen nature. But the Lord is at our side to give the victory.

Episode 86 -- Imitation of Christ III.48 -- On the Joys of Eternal Life and the Troubles of This Life

What is the difference between eternity and our time in this world?

This life has many sufferings and changes. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis lays out many of the differences between the eternal life we long for and our life here below. Part of this chapter is an effort to encourage us to persevere in the fight. He admits his own constant distractions in prayer. He admits many of his own struggles. Let us take heart!

Episode 85 -- Imitation of Christ III.47 -- All Troubles Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life

We read about the need to bear all troubles for the sake of Christ. Having told us the secret to making the trials of this world more sweet, Thomas a Kempis urges us on with considerations of what heaven is like. The more we ponder the joy, the freedom, the peace of heaven, the more we will long for heaven in our hearts.

Episode 84 -- Imitation of Christ III.46 -- On Bearing Stinging Remarks from Others

We read about how to react to stinging comments from others. This chapter especially is useful for those who have a disordered concern for impressing other people. Thomas a Kempis helps us recognize the source of our excessive sadness upon receiving criticism.

Episode 83 -- Imitation of Christ III.45 -- We Should Not Believe Everyone and How Easily it is for Words to Slip Out

Thomas a Kempis warns us about putting too much trust in human beings. Christ alone is to be fully trusted. He alone will never let us down. Yes, we all need to be trusted. Yes, we can trust others. But in the end, we are trustworthy when we are close to Christ.

Episode 82 -- Imitation of Christ III.44 -- On Not Being Concerned with Outward Things

We read about trying to focus less on outward things and more to what pleases God within our hearts. How we need to know what things take away our peace of mind. How we need to be careful in what we think about, what we read about, and what we talk about. Our main concern is being concerned with God and His will for our lives.

Episode 81 -- Imitation of Christ III.43 -- A Condemnation of Useless and Wordly Learning

We read about the danger of useless and worldly learning. Thomas a Kempis longs for his readers to study their own hearts. He does not want us to study and learn just to be able to tell others about created realities. Such study is not bad in itself. What does it matter, however, if we know all about the stars and nothing about our own motivations. What if we know everything about the human body, but nothing about how the soul truly works? How we need to know how to direct our lives to eternity!

Episode 80 -- Imitation of Christ III.42 -- Our Peace of Mind Cannot Depend on Men

We read about the true source of peace of heart. We cannot make our peace of heart depend on one particular human person. Yes, we need friendships. Yes, we need one another's help. But friendship and human love cannot be sustained without the grace and love of Christ Jesus. He not only saves us from sin, but He saves our loves by his divine love.

Episode 79 -- Imitation of Christ III.41 -- On Despising this World’s Honours

We read about the need to despise worldly honours. Such honours are meant to recognize human excellence. Honours are not bad in themselves. But Thomas a Kempis is urging us onto holiness. He wants us to view all honours of this life in light of God. If we are to be honoured, how much more must God be honoured? If I want real appreciation, I must find it in God.

Episode 78 -- Imitation of Christ III.40 -- A Man has No Goodness of His Own and Nothing to Boast of

Does a human being have goodness in himself?

Yes and no. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis draws our attention to the constant tendency in our hearts to evil. He stresses what we are when we forget and ignore God. At the same time, he shows us the proper balance. He shows us what we are with God's help. Thus we have a capacity to be helped by God. He has made us for Himself. He has made us to share in the divine life of the Most Holy Trinity.

Episode 77 -- Imitation of Christ III.39 -- A Man Should Not be Unreasonably Anxious About His Affairs

Would it be wise to renounce one's own will in trivial things?

Often it is. In this reading Thomas a Kempis explains why even in small things self-renunciation is valuable. Our affections are so unstable that we often get thrown off course by small acts of self-indulgence. We think it is no big deal. We do this or that little thing. Before we know it, we are way off course! The devil knows this too. He loves to make us unfaithful in small things. This is why we need Christ. This is why we must entrust all our affairs to his power and love.

Episode 76 -- Imitation of Christ III.38 -- On A Good Rule of Life in Outward Things and on Turning To God in Times of Danger

What should be our way of acting in times of trouble?

Asking God for help! In this reading, Thomas a Kempis stresses the need for interior freedom amidst all of our outward activity. He stresses that we must guard our hearts from the slavery of various outward compulsions. We want to make use of every situation to draw closer to eternal life. This means that in difficult situations we must not judge by the standards of this world, but to judge in light of God. We never are left on our own to deal with our troubles. God is the real secret to bearing well the dangers of this life.

Episode 75 -- Imitation of Christ III.37 -- Sincere and Utter Self-Renunciation Wins us Freedom of Heart

We read about the goal of a close and happy friendship with Christ. How we must pray and long and strive for the power to break free of our self-seeking. The main enemy of our interior freedom is our egoism, our self-will. Even when we are set free from all kinds of sins, we discover a deeper hidden source of sin: self-seeking. But friends do the will of their great Friend.

Episode 74 -- Imitation of Christ III.36 -- Against the Vain Judgements of Men

We read about how vain the judgements of men are. Vain means empty, pointless, unreliable. We should want to be like St Paul and be all things to all men. We should want to please people in the Lord. But we cannot please everyone. We cannot avoid people thinking badly of us and speaking badly of us. There are times to be silent in the face of criticism and times to break silence. In all situations, our eyes must be on the Lord who has the power to save us and to defend us. He knows all things. He is to be trusted.

Episode 73 -- Imitation of Christ III.35 -- We are never Safe from Temptations in this Life

We look at Thomas a Kempis' teaching on the necessity of the spiritual combat for our whole life. We think that one day we will get to the point where temptations will cease. We are partly right. That day without temptations is in heaven. But we cannot seek heaven or expect the life of heaven to be perfectly realized in this world. Trials, desolations, troubles will be our lot here below. But the Lord is with us. He turns these to our sanctification and our glorification in heaven.

Episode 72 -- Imitation of Christ III.34 -- God Above all Things and in All Things is the Delight of the Loving Heart

We read about the importance that the eternal Word, the Son of God, our incarnate Lord has in our lives. He is our all. He is our God. He alone can make certain situations sweet and joyful. And in the end, everything turns sour if He is not involved. Who can make us love Him properly? Who can make us delight in Him and find our true consolation in Him? He can! He sends us the Holy Spirit. Let us not try to love God the Son by our own power. "No one can come to me," Jesus said, "unless the Father draws him." How does the Father draw us to the Son? By the Holy Spirit. "No one can say the Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor 12:3).

Episode 71 -- Imitation of Christ III.33 -- Inconstant Hearts Trying to Fix Our Gaze on Christ

Should we be surprised that our emotions fluctuate so much in our spiritual lives?

No. In thisreading, Thomas a Kempis explains the various changes our hearts feel from one moment to the next. He speaks of the inconstancy of our hearts. Our hearts are not constant in their good feelings and good resolutions. So quickly we pass from being cheerful to being depressed, from being peaceful to being upset. How we need to keep our gaze fixed on the Lord amidst the storms.