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← The Imitation of Christ/Book 3 · On Inward Consolation
Chapter 33Imit.3.33

De instabilitate cordis et de intentione finali ad Deum habenda.

The Single Eye of Intention

The chapter teaches that a pure and single intention steadies the soul amid life's disturbances, yet this inner eye is easily dimmed by self-seeking and mixed motives, so it must be continually cleansed and directed wholly toward God.

The purer the eye of intention is, the more steadily one moves through the various storms. But in many ways the eye of pure intention grows dim. For it quickly glances back at some pleasing thing that presents itself, and rarely is anyone found entirely free from the blemish of self-seeking.1 So the Jews once came to Martha and Mary at Bethany, "not only on account of Jesus, but in order to see Lazarus."✦2 The eye of intention must therefore be cleansed, so that it may be single and upright, and directed to me beyond all various intermediaries.✦3

Read the original Latin

Quanto autem purior fuerit intentionis oculus, tanto constantius inter diversas itur procellas. Sed in multis caligat oculus puræ intentionis. Respicit enim cito in aliquod delectabile quod occurrit et raro totus quis liber invenitur a nævo propriæ inquisitionis. Sic Judæi olim venerunt Bethaniam ad Martham et Mariam, non propter Jesum tantum, sed ut Lazarum viderent. Mundandus est ergo intentionis oculus, ut sit simplex et rectus atque ultra omnia varia media ad me dirigendus.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩John.12.9 — Then a great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came not only on account of Jesus, but also that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from among the dead.
  2. ↩Matt.6.22 — The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Propriæ inquisitionis rendered as 'self-seeking' — the sense is personal, self-directed curiosity or self-interest rather than neutral inquiry.
  2. 2 ↩Quoted span identified as John 12:9 (Vulg.): 'non propter Jesum tantum, sed ut Lazarum viderent.' Candidate scripture allusion; final resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
  3. 3 ↩Media rendered as 'intermediaries' — the sense is the many created things or secondary ends that can distract the soul from direct orientation to God.