The first thing I do each day is usually to mediate over the Gospels. Right now I'm in John 15, and am taking a slow stroll through the Upper Room discourse. The next thing I do is read a chapter from "The Imitation of Christ", which I've mentioned in several emails over the years. Here was part of the reading today:
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JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting.
All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion.
Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross.
Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation.
Imitation of Christ. Book 2, Chapter 11.
Link: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/kempis/imitation.TWO.11.html
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If I want to have a true relationship with Christ, I need to embrace all of Him, and not just the parts I like. I need to love Him as much when He sends me trials as when He sends me consolation. I need to love his Passion as much as I love his Resurrection. I need to love the suffering as much as I love the joy.
That's the only way through the narrow gate and down the constricted path.
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JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting.
All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion.
Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross.
Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation.
Imitation of Christ. Book 2, Chapter 11.
Link: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/kempis/imitation.TWO.11.html
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If I want to have a true relationship with Christ, I need to embrace all of Him, and not just the parts I like. I need to love Him as much when He sends me trials as when He sends me consolation. I need to love his Passion as much as I love his Resurrection. I need to love the suffering as much as I love the joy.
That's the only way through the narrow gate and down the constricted path.
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