Lectio et Oratio

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!