lionti@ecs.umass.edu (09/04/90)
Just a few thoughts on our "rights" as followers of Christ.
"Jesus has many lovers of His kingdom of heaven, but He has few bearers
of His Cross. Many desire His consolation, but few desire His tribulation.
He finds many comrades in eating and drinking, but He finds few who will be
with Him in His abstinence and fasting. All men would joy with Christ, but
few will suffer anything for Christ. Many follow Him to the breaking of His
bread, for their bodily refreshment, but few will follow Him to drink a draft
of the chalice of His Passion. Many honor His miracles, but few will follow
the shame of His Cross and His other ignominies. Many love Jesus as long as
no adversity befalls them, and can praise and bless Him whenever they receive
any benefits from Him, but if Jesus withdraws a little from them and forsakes
them a bit, they soon fall into some great grumbling or excessive dejection
or into open despair."
-"The Imitation of Christ, Book II, part 11" by Thomas A Kempis,
Doubleday Image Books
Wow! I know I want to "party" with Jesus in heaven, but what is all this
pain and suffering stuff? :-). That doesn't sound like the Flower Power
"God is love" stuff you usually hear about now a days. Pretty convicting!
Some more:
"I often tell you, sisters,...not to forget that we in this house,
and for that matter anyone who would be perfect, must flee a thousand leagues
from such phrases as: 'I had right on my side;''they had no right to do this
to me'...God deliver us from such a false idea of right as that! Do you think
that is was right for our good Jesus to have to suffer so many insults, and
that those who heaped them on Him were right...I do not know why anyone is in
a convent who is willing to bear only the crosses she has a perfect right to
expect: such a person should return to the world, though even there such rights
will not be safeguarded...To desire to share in the Kingdom, and to enjoy it,
and yet not to be willing to have any part in His dishonors and trials, is
ridiculous." (St. Teresa, Way of Perfection)
-quoted in "Great Saints, Great Friends" by Mary Neill, OP and
Ronda Chervin, Alba House, Society of St. Paul, ISBN: 0-8189-0574-3
Just a few thoughts from some of the "Greats" to keep us on our toes!
Comments, suggestions for other readings, etc. welcome.
| "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Eric C. McClure --+-- Why are you so far from saving me, so far
lionti@umaecs.bitnet | from the words of my groaning?"
U Mass, Amherst | -Psalm 22:1 (read the rest!)