Lectio et Oratio

Episode 50 -- Imitation of Christ III.12 -- On Acquiring Patience and Resisting Evil Desires

Will there ever be a time in our spiritual lives when all trials and sufferings will end?

Not really, not in this life. Thomas a Kempis puts before us the importance of the virtue of patience. But he wants to make sure that we realize that the patience the Lord wants from us is consistent with trials and pains. In fact, he insists that we should never think that we will ever fully escape such situations. The patience He wills us to have is a patience in the midst of trials. No human person, even persons totally given to pleasures in this life, is without trials. But the Lord stands by us.

Episode 49 -- Imitation of Christ III.11 -- On the Need to Sift and Govern the Human Heart

We read about the need to sift and govern our our hearts. Thomas a Kempis insists that our desires need to be held back, kept in check. Because of original sin, we have a tendency to desire things more than we should and at times that are bad. We cannot live purely by our own likes and dislikes. We must seek to bring our desires in line with God"s will. And then there are times when we absolutely have to deny ourselves certain desires of the body. The body is not evil. Pleasure is not evil. But there are moments in our lives when we a choice for God and our vocation must be made. Such moments are moments of grace, moments when the Lord protects us and strengthens us.

Episode 48 -- Imitation of Christ III.10 -- Finding Joy in the Lord’s Service

What does Our Lord promise us even in this life?

Joy. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis explains why there is joy in the Lord's service. I came, Christ said, that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. The labours and service we offer Christ is not drudgery. There is a spiritual joy, a resting in the good, that he promises his friends.

Episode 47 -- Imitation of Christ III.9 -- Seeing All Things in Relation to Christ

What is the origin and end of all things?

The Lord God. In this reading, Christ speaks to us about the secret to true happiness: Himself. In so far as all things were created through Him, all things find their meaning in relation to Christ Jesus, the eternal Word. Not only is Christ as God the origin of all things, He is also the end, the goal. All things were made for Him. All things find their fulfillment in Him.

Episode 46 -- Imitation of Christ III.8 -- Humility before the Lord

What should we do when we discover how little humility is in our hearts?

Ask the Lord to turn us back to Himself. In tonight"s reading, Thomas a Kempis proposes various considerations for understanding true humility. He shows how love for God and humility are interrelated. He also offers suggestions for growing in humility.

Episode 45 -- Imitation of Christ III.7 -- On Concealing Grace and Making Humility Its Guardian

We read about what to do when the flame of devotion seems to be going out. How should we react when our spiritual lives do not match our expectations? How should we respond to our own lack of determination? Patience, humility, resignation.

Episode 44 -- Imitation of Christ III.6 -- On the Testing of a True Lover

We read about the various tests that God allows those who love him to undergo. Thomas a Kempis calls these the tests of true lovers. The Lord wants us to love Him with a pure love. These tests can take on many different forms. Let us not be surprised. Let us look to the example of the saints.

Episode 43 -- Imitation of Christ III.5 -- Effects of Divine Love

Will the love of God change our lives?

We read about the effects of divine love in our lives. When we begin to love Christ, such love overflows into many aspects of our lives. Being in love with God changes the way we look at everything. Life only truly begins when loving Christ becomes the most important aspect of our life. In the evening of life, a saint has said, we will be judged by our love. The goal of our lives is to become loving persons, sharing in God’s own way of loving.

Episode 42 -- Imitation of Christ III.4 -- Walking Humbly Before the Lord

Besides our regular time alone with the Lord, what else is necessary for a deep life of prayer?

Living humbly before Him. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis stresses the need to live in the right way. We pray as we live and we live as we pray. We cannot expect the Lord to give Himself to us and to speak words of consolation in prayer if we fail to honour Him during the day.

Episode 41 -- Imitation of Christ III.3 -- We Should Listen Humbly to God’s Words; Many People Fail to Appreciate them Properly

We read about the importance of asking Christ for things. Even in his lifetime, Our Lord heard and answered prayers made to him. Our Lord spent much time listening and talking to people. Book III teaches us, in the way it is written, that living in conversation, dialogue, with the Lord is absolutely necessary.

Episode 40 -- Imitation of Christ III.2 -- Truth Speaks Within Us Without the Outward Sound of Words

Is the human heart content only to hear the prophets speak?

No. Our hearts long to hear God speak to us. Our hearts long to hear the Word of the Lord in the flesh. Thomas a Kempis distinguishes the effects of the words of Moses and the other prophets from the effects of Christ Himself. He alone gives the strength to follow the path of God. Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.

Episode 39 -- Imitation of Christ III.1 -- On Hearing Christ Speak Inwardly

We begin book III of the Imitation of Christ. We read about the way Christ speaks inwardly in the heart. As we grow in his friendship, we learn to discern the still small voice of the Lord as he speaks through the conscience, the peaceful ideas in our minds, and the gentle movements of our hearts. We begin to know the signs of his peace and joy. All of our self-denial, all of our efforts to deny ourselves, and all our willingness to pick up the Cross have a goal: closer union with Christ. We say No to ourselves in order to say Yes to Christ. His friendship is the great Attraction.

Episode 38 -- Imitation of Christ II.12.2 -- The Royal Road of the Cross (Necessity)

Why is the Cross a Royal road?

Christ walked this road. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis explains why our carrying our own cross is a royal road. A road is royal that a King walks. To walk a royal road is to follow the steps of the king. Christ has shown us the path that leads to his Father in heaven. We must not be afraid to carry our Cross. There is no other road that Christ walked. There is no other road that leads to heaven.

Episode 37 -- Imitation of Christ II.12.1 -- On the Royal Road of the Cross (Ourselves)

What is the true path to heaven and holiness?

Carrying our Cross. In this final chapter of book II, Thomas a Kempis places before us all the advantages that come from carrying our crosses. He wants us to understand the true glory of sharing in Christ's cross. He wants us to understand that the power of Christ's own Cross enters our lives through the crosses we have to carry.

Episode 36 -- Imitation of Christ II.11 -- On the Fewness of Those who Love the Cross of Christ

We read about the fewness of those who actually want to carry the Cross. In particular, Thomas a Kempis points us to the main reason we try to avoid the Cross: our bad self-love. We tend to love ourselves, not with true self-love, not as God loves us, that is, in relation to Christ. But we tend to love ourselves as isolated from Christ.

Episode 35 -- Imitation of Christ II.10 -- On Being Thankful for God’s Grace

We read about the importance of gratitude, thanksgiving. The more grateful we are, the more disposed we are to receive more graces from God. Being ungrateful renders us unable to receive graces from God. God wants us to recognize what he has done for us. He wants us to make a response of love for his gifts of love. How? By joining ourselves to the human models of gratitude, Jesus and Mary.

Episode 34 -- Imitation of Christ II.9 -- On Lacking All Comfort

Why does Christ "mix things up," sometimes consoling us and sometimes seemingly withdrawing consolation from us?

To encourage us and to humble us. In this chapter, Thomas a Kempis explains why Christ allows us to go through periods of spiritual dryness, lacking all consolation. He explains why God also gives us comforts, consolations. Thomas a Kempis explains how we are to act in both times. His advice in this chapter is incredibly useful and has been of great influence on later saints, like St Philip and St Ignatius of Loyola. May we profit from this golden chapter!

Episode 33 -- Imitation of Christ II.8 -- On A Close Friendship with Jesus

What does Christ especially offer us?

His friendship. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis describes the advantages that Christ's friendship offers us. He describes the comfort, strength, and peace that we experience from his presence and his voice within us. Thomas a Kempis helps us understand our own experience of turning to outward things apart from the will of God. We seem to lose contact with the Lord. We pull away from being close friends with him. Our love for Christ must lead us to do the will of this greatest of friends. We love nothing with the absolute love we show to Christ. We love Christ in everything by following His will in all we do.

Episode 32 -- Imitation of Christ II.7 -- On Loving Jesus In and Above Everything

Is there any object to whom we can give our hearts completely?

Yes, Jesus. In this reading, Thomas Kempis proposes that there is only one object in this world that can be loved above all things. There is only One who will never let us down. There is One in whom all the love of our heart is designed to go towards. This is the One whom St Thomas the Apostle touched. This is the One he called, "My Lord and My God."

Episode 31 -- Imitation of Christ II.6 -- On the Satisfaction of a Good Conscience

Will the approval of other human beings ever give us true satisfaction?

No. In this reading, Thomas a Kempis tries to persuade us about the emptiness of mere human approval. He wants to persuade us of the great value of having a clear conscience. Conscience is the voice of God echoing in our minds. When God approves our actions, we have true satisfaction of heart.