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← The Imitation of Christ/Book 3 · On Inward Consolation
Chapter 21Imit.3.21

Quod in Deo super omnia bona et dona requiescendum est.

God Above All Gifts

The soul is called to rest in God alone, who surpasses every good, every creature, and every name we can give.

Above all things and in all things you will rest, my soul, in the Lord always, because he himself is the eternal rest of the saints.1 Grant me, sweetest and most loving Jesus, in you above every salvation and beauty, above every glory and honor, above every power and dignity, above every knowledge and subtlety, and above all riches and arts, above every joy and exultation, above every fame and praise, above every sweetness and consolation, above every hope and promise, above every merit and desire, above all gifts and endowments that can be given and poured in, above every gladness and jubilation that the mind can grasp and perceive.23 Finally, above all angels and archangels, and above every host of heaven, and all visible and invisible things, and above everything, my God, that you are not — because you, my God, are above all things, the best.4

God Alone Is Sufficient

God alone is wholly sufficient; no gift or creature can satisfy the heart that is made for God alone.

You alone are the highest; you alone are the most powerful; you alone are the most sufficient and the most full; you alone are the most sweet and the most comforting; you alone are the most beautiful and the most loving; you alone are the most noble and the most glorious above all things — in whom all good things are at once perfected, have been, and will be. And so whatever you give me beyond yourself, and whatever you reveal or promise concerning yourself — while you are not yet seen nor fully obtained — is less and insufficient: since my heart cannot truly rest, nor be wholly satisfied, unless it rests in you and rises above all gifts and every creature.56

Longing for the Bridegroom

The soul yearns for freedom to fly to Christ, to be united with Him, and groans under the hindrances of this pilgrim life.

O my most beloved Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, purest lover, ruler of all creation — who will give me the wings of true freedom, so that I may fly to you and rest in you? O, when will it be granted me to be fully free, and to see how sweet you are, Lord my God?✦ When will I gather myself fully into you, so that because of love for you I no longer feel myself, but you alone — above every sense and measure, in a way not known to everyone?7 But now I often groan and bear my unhappiness with grief, because many evils befall me in this valley of sorrows. They frequently disturb me, sadden me, and cloud my vision; they often impede me, distract me, entice me, and entangle me, so that I cannot have free access to you, nor enjoy your delightful embraces — embraces that are always at hand with the blessed spirits.✦8 Let my sigh move you, and my manifold desolation in this land.

The Cry of Absence

In wordless silence the soul cries out to Jesus, begging Him to come, to deliver, and to restore joy and freedom.

O Jesus, splendor of eternal glory, comfort of my soul's pilgrimage — with you my mouth has no voice, and my silence speaks to you.9 How long does my God delay in coming?10 Let him come to me, his poor one, and make him joyful; let him send forth his hand, and snatch the wretched one from every distress.1112 Come, come — because without you no day or hour will be peaceful, for you are my joy, and without you my table is empty.13 I am wretched — and in a way imprisoned, fettered, and burdened — until the light of your presence refreshes me, and you grant me freedom, and restore and show a friendly face.1415

Exclusive Devotion and Persistent Prayer

The soul resolves to seek nothing but God and vows not to cease pleading until grace returns.

Let others seek whatever else they please; as for me, nothing else appeals to me now, nor ever will, except my God, my hope, my eternal salvation.16 I will not keep silent, nor will I stop pleading with you, until your grace returns to me — because you will speak within me.1718

God Draws the Soul to Himself

The soul responds to God's call, and God reveals that the soul's tears and contrition have drawn His compassion.

Here I am — I am coming to you, because you called on me. Your tears, the longing of your soul, your humility, and your heart's contrition have moved me and drawn me to you.1920

Humility, Praise, and Doxology

The soul blesses God for His mercy, humbles itself in confession, and joins all creation in praising the Father's Wisdom.

And I said: Lord, I called upon you, and I longed to enjoy you, ready to give up everything for your sake; for you were the first to stir me up so that I might seek you. Therefore be blessed, Lord, who have shown this goodness to your servant, according to the abundance of your mercy. What more has your servant to say before you, except to humble himself greatly before you, ever mindful of his own iniquity, weakness, and vileness? For there is none like you among all the wonders of heaven and earth. Your works are very good, Lord; your judgments are true, and by your providence all things are governed. Praise and glory to you, therefore, O Wisdom of the Father; let my tongue praise you, and let my soul bless you, together with all created things.

Read the original Latin

Super omnia et in omnibus requiesces, anima mea, in Domino semper, quia ipse est Sanctorum æterna requies. Da mihi, dulcissime et amantissime Jesus, in te super omnem salutem, et pulchritudinem, super omnem gloriam et honorem, super omnem potentiam et dignitatem, super omnem scientiam et subtilitatem, et super omnes divitias et artes, super omnem lætitiam et exultationem, super omnem famam et laudem, super omnem suavitatem, et consolationem, super omnem spem et promissionem, super omne meritum et desiderium, super omnia dona et munera quæ potest dare et infundere, super omne gaudium et jubilationem, quam potest mens capere et sentire. Denique super omnes Angelos et Archangelos, et super omnem exercitum cæli et super omnia visibilia et invisibilia, et super omne, Deus meus, quod tu, non es: quia tu, Deus meus, super omnia optimus es.

Tu solus altissimus, tu solus potentissimus, tu solus sufficientissimus et plenissimus, tu solus suavissimus et solatiosissimus, tu solus pulcherrimus et amantissimus, tu solus nobilissimus et gloriosissimus super omnia; in quo bona cuncta simul perfecta sunt, fuerunt et erunt. Atque ideo minus est et insufficiens quidquid præter te ipsum mihi donas, et de te ipso revelas, vel promittis, te non viso nec plene adepto: quoniam quidem non potest cor meum veraciter requiescere, nec totaliter contentari, nisi in te requiescat, et omnia dona omnemque creaturam transcendat.

O, mi dilectissime sponse Jesu Christe, amator purissime, dominator universæ creaturæ, quis mihi det pennas veræ libertatis, ad volandum et pausandum in te? O, quando ad plenum dabitur vacare mihi, et videre quam suavis es, Domine Deus meus? Quando ad plenum recolligam me in te, ut præ amore tuo non sentiam me, sed te solum supra omnem sensum et modum in modo non omnibus noto? Nunc autem frequenter gemo, et infelicitatem meam cum dolore porto, quia multa mala in hac valle miseriarum occurrunt, quæ me sæpius conturbant, et contristant et obnubilant, sæpius impediunt, et distrahunt, alliciunt et implicant, ne liberum accessum habeam ad te, et ne jucundis fruar amplexibus, præsto semper cum beatis spiritibus. Moveat te suspirium meum, et desolatio multiplex in terra.

O, Jesu splendor æternæ gloriæ, solamen peregrinationis animæ meæ, apud te est os meum sine voce, et silentium meum loquitur tibi. Usquequo tardat Deus meus venire? Veniat ad me pauperculum suum, et lætum faciat, mittat manum suam, et miserum eripiat de omni angustia. Veni, veni, quia nulla erit sine te quieta dies aut hora, quia tu lætitia mea, et sine te vacua est mensa mea. Miser sum, et quodammodo incarceratus, et compeditus ac gravatus, donec luce præsentiæ tuæ me reficias, ac libertati dones, et vultum amicabilem reddas ac demonstres.

Quærant alii pro te aliud quodcumque libuerit, et mihi aliud interim nihil placet, nec placebit, nisi Deus meus, spes mea, salus æterna. Non reticebo nec depræcari cessabo, donec gratia tua revertatur mihi, quia tu intus loquaris.

Ecce adsum, ecce ego ad te venio, quia invocasti me. Lacrymæ tuæ, et desiderium animæ tuæ, humiliatio tua, et contritio cordis inclinaverunt me, et adduxerunt ad te.

Et dixi: Domine, invocavi te, et desideravi te frui, paratus omnia respuere propter te: tu enim prior excitasti me, ut quærerem te; sis ergo benedictus, Domine, qui fecisti hanc bonitatem cum servo tuo, secundum multitudinem misericordiæ tuæ. Quid habet ultra dicere, Domine, servus tuus coram te, nisi ut humiliet se valde ante te, memor semper propriæ iniquitatis, et infirmitatis et vilitatis. Non enim est similis tui in cunctis mirabilibus cæli, et terræ. Sunt opera tua bona valde, Domine, judicia vera, et providentia tua reguntur universa. Laus ergo tibi et gloria, o Patris sapientia, te laudet et benedicat os meum, anima mea, et cuncta creata simul.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.33.9 — For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
  2. ↩Ps.83.7 — the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,

Notes

  1. 1 ↩requiesces: future indicative with imperative/exhortatory force, rendered as 'you will rest' to capture both the assurance and the gentle command.
  2. 2 ↩munera: rendered as 'endowments' to distinguish from dona ('gifts') in the same clause, preserving the Latin distinction between the two terms.
  3. 3 ↩desiderium: rendered as 'desire' in the sense of heart's longing, consistent with approved lexicon.
  4. 4 ↩quod tu non es: a deliberately paradoxical construction — 'everything that you are not' — affirming God's transcendence beyond all created categories, even the highest. The clause is rendered literally to preserve the apophatic force.
  5. 5 ↩te non viso nec plene adepto: ablative absolute rendered circumstantially ('while you are not yet seen nor fully obtained') to preserve the participial force without over-literalizing.
  6. 6 ↩contentari rendered 'be satisfied' rather than 'be contented' to preserve the theological weight of full sufficiency in God.
  7. 7 ↩In modo non omnibus noto: the mystic's union with God transcends ordinary categories of perception and measurement; the phrase signals a mode of experience not accessible to all.
  8. 8 ↩In hac valle miseriarum: a conventional medieval image of earthly life as a valley of tears/sorrows, echoing Psalm 83:7 (Vulgate) and the tradition of the pilgrim soul.
  9. 9 ↩anima rendered as soul per lexeme policy; peregrinationis animæ meæ rendered 'my soul's pilgrimage' to capture the devotional sense of earthly life as pilgrimage.
  10. 10 ↩usquequo tardat — the subjunctive tardat in an impatient direct question; rendered as a plain question to preserve the emotional urgency.
  11. 11 ↩pauperculum suum — 'his poor one,' the diminutive conveying tender self-abasement before God.
  12. 12 ↩miserum — 'the wretched one,' continuing the speaker's self-description in the third person as a suppliant.
  13. 13 ↩mensa mea — 'my table,' a concrete image for the speaker's daily life, meals, and fellowship; rendered literally to preserve the domestic metaphor.
  14. 14 ↩incarceratus, compeditus, gravatus — a tricolon of bondage imagery ('imprisoned, fettered, burdened') conveying the soul's captivity without God's consolation.
  15. 15 ↩vultum amicabilem — 'a friendly face,' i.e., a gracious, welcoming countenance; rendered to preserve the relational warmth.
  16. 16 ↩salus rendered as 'salvation' rather than 'health' or 'well-being' to preserve the theological sense of eternal salvation.
  17. 17 ↩depræcari (deponent infinitive) rendered as 'pleading with you' to capture the sense of averting by prayer, i.e., earnest petition.
  18. 18 ↩quia rendered as 'because' to preserve the causal force; the subjunctive loquaris in the quia-clause is taken as expressing the content/reason of the petition.
  19. 19 ↩desiderium animæ rendered as 'longing of your soul' to capture devotional yearning; animæ is genitive of possession.
  20. 20 ↩contritio cordis rendered as 'heart's contrition' — cor (heart) as the seat of inner life and will.