Lectio et Oratio

Episode 3 -- Introduction to the Devout Life I.2 -- The Nature and Excellence of Devotion

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Episode 2 -- Introduction to the Devout Life I.1 -- What True Devotion Is

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Episode 1 -- Introduction to the Devout Life -- Preface

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Episode 115 -- Imitation of Christ IV.18 -- A Man Should Not Subtly Pry into the Blessed Sacrament, but Follow Christ, Submitting the Evidence of His Senses to Holy Faith

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Episode 114 -- Imitation of Christ IV.17 -- On Burning Love and Eager Longing for Christ

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Episode 113 -- Imitation of Christ IV.16 -- We Should Tell Christ Our Needs and Beg His grace

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Episode 112 -- Imitation of Christ IV.15 -- The Grace of Devotion is Won by Humility and Self-Denial

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Episode 111 -- Imitation of Christ IV.14 -- On the Burning Desire that Some People have for Holy Communion

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Episode 110 -- Imitation of Christ IV.13 -- The Devout Soul Should Long For Union with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament

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Episode 109 -- Imitation of Christ IV.12 -- On the Great Care that Should be Taken in Preparing to Receive Christ in Holy Communion

Episode 108 -- Imitation of Christ IV.11 -- The Body of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul

Episode 107 -- Imitation of Christ IV.10 -- On Not Staying Away from Holy Communion

Episode 106 -- Imitation of Christ IV.9 -- We Should Offer Ourselves and All that Are to God and Pray for All Men

Episode 105 -- Imitation of Christ IV.8 -- On Offering Ourselves at Mass and Self-Surrender

Episode 104 -- Imitation of Christ IV.7 -- Examination of Conscience Before Mass

Should we examine our conscience before receiving Holy Communion?

Yes! Thomas a Kempis provides a fairly comprehensive examination of conscience in chapter 7. He points out areas of improvement that will touch everyone's lives. He encourages us to be sorry in general for our sins, to be sorry in particular for our daily faults, and to confess to the Lord how wayward our passions are. Of course, if we have serious sins on our souls, we need to go to the sacrament of Confession. "If you forgive the sins of any," Jesus told the Apostles, "they are forgiven."

Episode 103 -- Imitation of Christ IV.6 -- On Preperation for the Holy Eucharist

In chapter 6, Thomas a Kempis prays for the Lord to show him a brief exercise for preparing for Holy Communion. He begs the Lord to show him the right way to dispose his heart before this great moment. Inspired by this chapter, St Philip Neri used to prepare for Communion in this way: "Lord, I am ready, as far as I am concerned, to do all the evil in the world, if you do not help me." Humility and confidence in God's help!

Episode 102 -- Imitation of Christ IV.5 -- On the Dignity of this Sacrament and on the Priestly Office

Are there great benefits from frequent reception of Holy Communion?

Yes! Thomas a Kempis lays out some of the advantages of frequent reception of the Eucharist. He continues to lay out how the Eucharist is a remedy for so many of our faults. But he also highlights how it is the true means to being one with Christ in love.

Episode 101 -- Imitation of Christ IV.4 -- On The Benefits of Frequent and Devout Communion

Are there great benefits from frequent reception of Holy Communion?

Yes! Thomas a Kempis lays out some of the advantages of frequent reception of the Eucharist. He continues to lay out how the Eucharist is a remedy for so many of our faults. But he also highlights how it is the true means to being one with Christ in love.

Episode 100 -- Imitation of Christ IV.3 -- On the Advantage of Frequent Communion

In book 4, chapter 3, Thomas a Kempis stresses how the Eucharist is a remedy for our tendency to sin, our proclivity to sin. Baptism takes away original sin and all actual sins. Confession takes away sins committed after baptism. The Eucharist is Christ Himself. It contains the power to take away all sins. But it was not given to us as the means of forgiving serious sin. The Eucharist is a remedy against sin, however. It excites us to charity. By this charity, we are able to overcome and resist the pull to sin. The Eucharist keeps us from committing certain sins!

Episode 99 -- Imitation of Christ IV.2 -- On the Great Love Manifested in this Sacrament

In chapter 2, Thomas a Kempis wants to awaken a wonder in us for the Eucharist. Among his many points he stresses the connection between the Eucharist and the Annunciation. We should be a filled with wonder each day at Mass as the Word becomes flesh as Our Lady was on the day he first entered her Womb.