De imitatione sanctissimae vitae Domini nostri Iesu Christi
The Sacramental Life of Charity
Acts of kindness and service toward one's neighbor are presented as direct encounters with the person of Jesus.
Whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me. Take note of the words; mark the mysteries; imitate the examples. Whoever helps a brother in need is holding Jesus by the hand. Whoever patiently bears the burden placed upon them is carrying Jesus, and him crucified, on their own shoulders. Whoever offers a comforting word to a brother who is sad gives a loving kiss to the mouth of Jesus. Whoever laments another’s fault and asks for mercy on their behalf is washing and drying the feet of Jesus. Whoever restores an angry person to peace is preparing a flowery bed for Jesus in their soul. Whoever serves a brother better food at the table than they take for themselves is feeding Jesus with the delicacies of charity and a honeycomb. Whoever takes up good meditations on God brings Jesus into the inner chamber of their heart. When you offer a brother a book of holy reading, you serve the finest wine to the lips of Jesus. When you forbid idle talk, you chase the flies away from the table of Jesus. When you refuse to listen to gossip and correct those who speak dishonestly, you strike the black dog with a staff and drive it from the house of Jesus. When you read well and clearly during a meal, you gladden those dining at the table of Jesus with a heavenly cup and intoxicate the thirsty. When you read poorly, you diminish the flavor of the food; and when you stumble often, you stain the cloth of Jesus. Whoever hears of another's faults and feels deep sorrow and groans over them touches and anoints the sacred wounds of Jesus. When you speak of the good examples and virtues of your neighbor, you present beautiful flowers to the eyes of Jesus.
Walking in the Footsteps of the Lord
The believer is called to imitate the life of Christ through patience, prayer, and participation in the mysteries of his earthly ministry.
Whoever reads and proclaims the words of Jesus with devotion scatters sweet spices in the nostrils of those who hear. Whoever patiently bears and excuses the failings of another will quickly obtain the mercy of Jesus. Whoever hides the defamation of another and the scandal of a neighbor covers the naked limbs of Jesus with clothing. Whoever diligently thinks about and sweetly reflects on the divine miracles and the humble works of Christ receives milk and honey from the mouth of Jesus. For this is what the most blessed Agnes said and did, who even shed her own blood for the love of Jesus. Whoever reads or sings for a weak and infirm brother plays the harp joyfully with the angels before the cradle of Jesus. Whoever prays with devotion, abstains from delicate foods, and renounces his own possessions offers three precious gifts to the hands of Jesus along with the saints. Whoever washes the heads and clothes of his brothers baptizes Jesus along with Saint John the Baptist. Anyone who stays in their cell and keeps silent enters the desert with Jesus. Anyone who resists their vices and disciplines their body fasts with Jesus. Anyone who speaks a word of salvation to a brother preaches the kingdom of God with Jesus. Anyone who prays faithfully for the sick and the tempted visits Lazarus with Jesus, and weeps with Mary and Martha. Anyone who celebrates Masses and reads vigils for the faithful departed travels with Jesus to the tomb of Lazarus, praying that he might mercifully free their souls from punishment. Anyone who goes with their brothers to the common refectory to hear the holy reading dines and drinks with Jesus and his disciples. Anyone who stores up in their heart the words of God read at the table reclines with the holy apostle John upon the breast of Jesus at the supper. Anyone who obeys humbly and promptly in times of adversity truly follows Jesus with the disciples to the Mount of Olives, where he was betrayed and captured.
Dying and Rising with Christ
The path of the disciple involves a mystical union with Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection through the renunciation of self.
Whoever prays urgently and fervently during their own tribulation and temptation fights alongside Jesus in his agony against the devil. Whoever completely lets go of their own will and resistance fulfills the will of their Father with Jesus, gladly carrying the cross to Calvary. Whoever prays for their adversaries and willingly forgives those who sin pleads with Jesus for his enemies, so they don't perish in their evil, but are converted to God and live. Whoever willingly renounces everything of the world and consigns all visible things to oblivion dies on the cross with Jesus and is caught up into paradise with Paul. Whoever keeps their heart clean and quiet wraps Jesus in a clean linen shroud and buries him in their heart. Whoever perseveres in the service of Jesus until the end will sleep and rest sweetly in the tomb with Jesus. Whoever suffers with the blessed Virgin Mary in her sorrows deserves to be comforted again by her in their own distress, along with her pious Son, Jesus. Whoever keeps all the words and deeds of Jesus in mind and reflects on them prepares sweet spices for him, which are excellent for the comfort of a sad soul. Whoever humbly and devoutly gives thanks for the blessings bestowed upon them comes with Mary Magdalene to the tomb of Jesus with spices. Whoever, after contrition and confession of sins, firmly resolves to amend their life rises with Jesus from the death of guilt. Anyone who casts off mental sluggishness and embraces a new fervor celebrates a new Passover in the spirit with Jesus, singing Alleluia with him in the choir, rejoicing. Anyone who scorns the joys of the world, flees from danger, and seeks out the religious life enters the closed upper room with Jesus and his disciples, so that in secret they may serve God more freely, live more purely, and receive the Holy Spirit more fully. Anyone who neglects all temporal things and burns entirely for heavenly things in holy meditation journeys and ascends to the heavens with Jesus. Blessed is the soul for whom Christ is life, and for whom dying with Christ is gain. Anyone who wants to live for Christ must die to themselves. Anyone who finds Christ to be their wisdom and sweetness must leave behind everything that fades.
The Eternal Goal of Union
The chapter concludes with a longing for the beatific vision and a final exhortation to follow Christ in love until the end.
There is labor in letting go, and pain in dying; but there is eternal salvation and life in reigning happily with Christ. Oh, when will it be that God alone is everything to me, and I am entirely intent upon Him and united to Him? For as long as a faithful soul is not united to God in glory, it cannot be fully blessed. Follow Christ, then, in your life with the steps of love, through a faith that burns with charity, so that you may be worthy to see Him who makes the angels blessed, face to face. May Jesus Christ, who endured the bitter cross for us all, deign to lead us all to behold that vision after death. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Quod uni de fratribus meis minimis fecistis: mihi fecistis. Notate verba; signate mysteria: imitamini exempla. Qui fratri indigenti subvenit: Iesum per manum retinet. Qui onus sibi impositum patienter sustinet: Iesum et hunc crucifixum in umeris suis portat. Qui fratri contristato solaciosum verbum respondet: osculum amorosum ori Iesu tribuit. Qui alterius culpam plangit, et pro eo veniam petit: pedes Iesu lavat et extergit. Qui irascentem ad pacem reformat: lectulum floridum Iesu in anima parat. Qui fratri in mensa meliora quam sibi apponit: Iesum caritatis dapibus et favo mellis pascit.
Qui bonas meditationes de Deo assumit: Iesum in thalamum cordis sui introducit. Qui fratri librum sacrae lectionis porrigit: vinum optimum ori Iesu propinat. Qui otiosa verba loqui prohibet: muscas de mensa Iesu expellit. Qui detractiones audire renuit et loquentes inhonesta corripit: nigrum canem de domo Iesu baculo ferit et fugat. Qui infra refectionem bene et distincte legit: convivantes in mensa Iesu poculo caelesti laetificat et sitientes inebriat. Qui male legit saporem cibi minuit; et qui saepe titubat: mappam Iesu maculat. Qui mala alterius audit et multum inde dolet et gemit: sacra Iesu vulnera tangit et perungit. Qui bona exempla et virtutes de proximo suo narrat pulchros flores oculis Iesu repraesentat.
Qui verba Iesu devote legit et praedicat: in naribus audientium dulcia aromata spargit. Qui defectus alterius pie portat et excusat: misericordiam Iesu cito impetrabit. Qui diffamiam alterius et scandalum proximi occultat: nuda Iesu membra vestibus tegit. Qui divina miracula et humilia Christi opera sedule cogitat et suaviter ruminat: mel et lac ex ore Iesu accipit. Sic enim beatissima Agnes dixit et fecit: quae etiam pro amore Iesu sanguinem suum fudit. Qui pro debili et infirmo fratre legit aut cantat: ante cunabulum Iesu cum angelis iucunde citharizat. Qui devote orat, et a delicatis cibis abstinet, et propriis rebus renuntiat: cum sanctis magis tria pretiosa munera Iesu manibus offert. Qui capita fratrum ac vestes lavat: cum sancto Iohanne Baptista Iesum baptizat.
Qui cellam suam custodit et tacet: cum Iesu desertum intrat. Qui vitiis resistit et corpus castigat: cum Iesu ieiunat. Qui fratri salutare verbum dicit: cum Iesu regnum Dei praedicat. Qui pro infirmo et temptato fideliter orat; cum Iesu Lazarum visitat: et cum Maria et Martha plorat. Qui pro fidelibus defunctis missas celebrat et vigilias legit; cum Iesu ad monumentum Lazari transit: orans ut animas a poenis misericorditer liberet. Qui cum fratribus ad commune refectorium vadit, ut sacram lectionem audiat: cum Iesu et discipulis eius cenat et bibit. Qui eloquia Dei in mensa lecta in corde suo recondit: cum sancto Iohanne apostolo supra pectus Iesu in cena recumbit. Qui in adversis humiliter et prompte oboedit: Iesum veraciter cum discipulis in montem Oliveti sequitur: ubi traditus et captus fuit.
Qui in tribulatione sua et temptatione instanter et ferventer orat: cum Iesu in agonia contra diabolum pugnat. Qui suum velle et nolle totaliter relinquit; cum Iesu voluntatem Patris sui gratanter implet: et crucem in Calvariam portat. Qui pro adversariis suis orat et peccantibus libenter indulget; cum Iesu pro inimicis rogat ne male pereant: sed convertantur ad Deum et vivant. Qui omnibus quae sunt mundi sponte renuntiat et cuncta visibilia oblivioni tradit; cum Iesu in cruce moritur: et cum Paulo in paradisum rapitur. Qui cor suum mundum et quietum servat; Iesum in sindone munda volvit: et in corde sepelit. Qui in servitio Iesu usque in finem perseverat: cum Iesu in sepulchro suaviter dormiet et requiescet. Qui beatae virgini Mariae in doloribus suis compatitur: hic iterum ab ea in angustiis suis cum pio filio suo Iesu consolari meretur. Qui omnia verba et gesta Iesu mente recolit et dente conterit; dulces aromatum species illi praeparat: quae ad solacium animae tristis optime valent.
Qui de beneficiis sibi collatis humiliter et devote gratias agit: cum Maria Magdalena ad monumentum Iesu cum aromatibus venit. Qui post contritionem et confessionem peccatorum firmiter se emendare proponit: cum Iesu a morte culpae resurgit. Qui torporem mentis abicit et novum fervorem arripit; novum pascha in spiritu cum Iesu celebrat: et alleluia cum eo in choro iubilans cantat. Qui omnia saeculi gaudia spernit, pericula fugit, religiosam vitam quaerit et acceptat: cum Iesu et discipulis eius cenaculum clausum intrat; ut in secreto liberius Deo serviat, purius vivat: et Spiritum sanctum plenius accipiat. Qui omnia temporalia neglegit, et in meditatione sancta ad caelestia totus inardescit: cum Iesu ad caelos pergit et ascendit. Beata anima cui Christus vivere est: et mori cum Christo lucrum. Oportet quod sibi ipsi moriatur: qui Christo vivere desiderat. Oportet quod omnia caduca relinquat: cui Christus sapere et dulcescere debet.
Labor est in relinquendo; dolor in moriendo: sed aeterna salus et vita cum Christo feliciter regnando. O quando hoc erit ut solus Deus mihi totus sit: et ego illi totus intentus et unitus. Quamdiu enim anima fidelis non est Deo unita in gloria: non potest plene esse beata. Sequere ergo Christum passibus amoris in vita tua per fidem caritate ferventem: ut dignus fias videre cum facie ad faciem angelos beatificantem. Ad quam intuendam nos omnes perducere dignetur Iesus Christus post mortem: qui pro omnibus nobis amaram pertulit crucem. Amen.
The Little Garden of Roses & The Valley of Lilies companion
Fourteen readings down. The other 39 chapters are waiting.
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