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← The Imitation of Christ/Book 2 · Counsels on the Inner Life
Chapter 8Imit.2.8

De familiari amicitia Jesu.

The Presence of Jesus

Jesus' presence transforms all things, and to lose him is to lose more than the whole world.

When Jesus is present, everything is good, and nothing seems difficult. But when Jesus isn't present, everything is hard. When Jesus doesn't speak within, any consolation is worth little. But if Jesus speaks even one word, you feel great consolation. Didn't Mary Magdalene rise up at once from the place where she'd been weeping, when Martha said to her, "The Teacher is here and is calling you"?✦1 What a blessed hour when Jesus calls you from tears to the joy of the Spirit. How dry and hard you are without Jesus. How foolish and empty to want anything beyond Jesus. Isn't this a greater loss than if you were to lose the whole world?✦

With Jesus or Without

To be with Jesus is paradise and true wealth; to be without him is hell and utter poverty.

What does the world have to offer without Jesus? To be without Jesus is a grievous hell, and to be with Jesus is a sweet paradise. If Jesus is with you, you find a fine treasure — indeed, a good beyond every good. And whoever has lost Jesus has lost exceedingly much — more than the whole world. The poorest person is the one who lives without Jesus, and the richest is the one who is well with Jesus.

Keeping Jesus Close

Humility, stillness, and detachment from outward things are the way to keep Jesus as your dearest friend.

It takes real skill to know how to live with Jesus, and real wisdom to know how to hold on to him. Be humble and at peace, and Jesus will be with you. Be devout and quiet, and Jesus will remain with you. You can quickly drive Jesus away and lose his grace if you turn your attention to outward things. And if you've driven him away and lost him, who will you turn to then, and who will you seek as a friend? Without a friend, you can't go on for long. And if Jesus is not your friend above all others, you will be exceedingly sad and desolate. You're being foolish, then, if you put your trust and your joy in anyone else. You should rather choose to have the whole world against you than to have offended Jesus. So let Jesus be the beloved above all your dear ones.

Loving Jesus Above All

Jesus alone is to be loved for his own sake, and all others are to be loved in him and for his sake.

People are loved for Jesus' sake, but Jesus for his own sake. Jesus Christ alone is to be loved above all, for he alone is found to be good and faithful before all friends. For his sake and in him, may friends and enemies alike be dear to you, and you must pray for all of them, so that they may all come to know and love him. Never desire to be praised and loved for your own sake alone, because that belongs to God alone, who has no equal. Don't want anyone else to take up residence in your heart alongside you, and don't let yourself be taken up with love for anyone else. Let Jesus dwell in you, and in every good person.

A Naked Heart for the Lord

Purity of heart and inward detachment open the way to taste the sweetness of the Lord, sustained through every season by his grace.

Be pure within, and free from every entanglement with created things. You must bring a bare and pure heart to Jesus if you want to be free and to discover how sweet the Lord is.✦2 And you won't reach this point unless his grace has met you and drawn you inward, so that with everything emptied out and let go, you may be united with God alone.34 When God's grace comes to a person, that person becomes capable of anything. And when it withdraws, that person is left poor and weak, as if abandoned to the scourge alone. In all this you should not be cast down or despair, but stand steady before God's will and endure whatever comes for the praise of Jesus Christ. After winter comes summer; after night, the day returns; and after the storm, great calm.

Read the original Latin

Quando Jesus adest, totum bonum est, nec quicquam difficile videtur. Quando vero Jesus non adest, totum durum est. Quando Jesus intus non loquitur, consolatio vilis est. Si autem Jesus unum verbum loquitur tantum, magna consolatio sentitur. Nonne ne Maria Magdalena statim surrexit de loco, in quo flevit, quando Martha illi dixit, Magister adest et vocat te? Felix hora quando Jesus vocat te de lacrymis ad gaudium spiritus. Quam aridus et durus es sine Jesu. Quam insipiens et vanus, si cupis aliquid extra Jesum. Nonne hoc est majus damnum, quam si totum perderes mundum?

Quid habet mundus conferre sine Jesu? Esse sine Jesu est gravis infernus, et esse cum Jesu dulcis paradisus. Si fuerit tecum Jesus, invenit thesaurum bonus, immo bonum super omne bonum. Et qui perdidit Jesum, perdidit nimis multum et plus quam totum mundum. Pauperrimus est qui vivit sine Jesu, ditissimus est qui bene est cum Jesu.

Magna ars est scire conversari cum Jesu, et scire Jesum tenere, magna prudentia. Esto humilis et pacificus, et erit tecum Jesus. Sis devotus et quietus, et permanebit tecum Jesus. Potes cito fugare Jesum, et gratiam ejus perdere, si volueris ad exteriora declinare. Et si illum effugaveris et perdideris, ad quem tunc fugies, et quem tunc quæres amicum? Sine amico non potes diu vivere. Et si Jesus non fuerit tibi præ omnibus amicus, eris nimis tristis, et desolatus. Fatue igitur agis, si in aliquo altero confidis et lætaris. Eligendum est magis habere totum mundum contrarium, quam Jesum offensum. Ex omnibus ergo charis sit Jesus dilectus specialis.

Diligantur homines propter Jesum, Jesus autem propter se ipsum. Solus Jesus Christus singulariter est amandus, qui bonus solus et fidelis invenitur præ omnibus amicis. Propter ipsum et in ipso tam amici quam inimici tibi sint chari et pro omnibus his exorandus est, ut omnes ipsum cognoscant et diligant. Nunquam cupias singulariter laudari et amari, quia hoc solius Dei est, qui similem sibi non habet. Nec velis quod aliquis in corde tuo tecum occupetur, neque tu cum alicujus occuperis amore. Sed sit Jesus in te, et in omni bono homine.

Esto purus, et liber intus, sine alicujus creaturæ implicamento. Oportet te esse nudum, et purum cor ad Jesum gerere, si vis vacare, et videre, quam suavis est Dominus. Et revera ad hoc non pervenies, nisi gratia ejus fueris præventus, et introtractus, ut omnibus evacuatis et licentiatis, solus cum Deo uniaris. Quando enim gratia Dei venit ad hominem, tunc potens sit ad omnia. Et quando recedit, tunc pauper et infirmus erit, et quasi tantum ad flagella relictus. In his non debes dejici, nec desperare, sed ad voluntatem Dei æquanimiter stare, et cuncta supervenientia tibi ad laudem Jesu Christi perpeti. Quia post hiemem sequitur æstas, post nectem redit dies, et post tempestatem serenitas magna.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩John.11.28 — After she had said this, she went away and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."
  2. ↩Mark.8.36 — For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
  3. ↩Ps.33.9 — For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Allusion to John 11:28 (Vulgate): Magister adest et vocat te. Final resolution deferred to Moses stage.
  2. 2 ↩The quoted phrase echoes Psalm 33:9 (Vulg. 34:9), 'Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus.' Final resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  3. 3 ↩introtractus: rare/medieval form of intractus; here with prefix intro- suggesting being drawn into the interior life.
  4. 4 ↩licentiatis: rare/medieval form; literally 'dismissed' or 'given leave,' i.e., released from attachment.