Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence

THE DISCIPLE
PATIENCE, O Lord God, is very necessary for me, I see, because there are many adversities in this life. No matter what plans I make for my own peace, my life cannot be free from struggle and sorrow.
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
My child, you are right, yet My wish is not that you seek that peace which is free from temptations or meets with no opposition, but rather that you consider yourself as having found peace when you have been tormented with many tribulations and tried with many adversities.
If you say that you cannot suffer much, how will you endure the fire of purgatory? Of two evils, the lesser is always to be chosen. Therefore, in order that you may escape the everlasting punishments to come, try to bear present evils patiently for the sake of God.
Do you think that men of the world have no suffering, or perhaps but little? Ask even those who enjoy the most delights and you will learn otherwise. "But," you will say, "they enjoy many pleasures and follow their own wishes; therefore they do not feel their troubles very much." Granted that they do have whatever they wish, how long do you think it will last? Behold, they who prosper in the world shall perish as smoke, and there shall be no memory of their past joys. Even in this life they do not find rest in these pleasures without bitterness, weariness, and fear. For they often receive the penalty of sorrow from the very thing whence they believe their happiness comes. And it is just. Since they seek and follow after pleasures without reason, they should not enjoy them without shame and bitterness.
How brief, how false, how unreasonable and shameful all these pleasures are! Yet in their drunken blindness men do not understand this, but like brute beasts incur death of soul for the miserly enjoyment of a corruptible life.
Therefore, My child, do not pursue your lusts, but turn away from your own will. "Seek thy pleasure in the Lord and He will give thee thy heart's desires." [Ps. 36:4] If you wish to be truly delighted and more abundantly comforted by Me, behold, in contempt of all worldly things and in the cutting off of all base pleasures shall your blessing be, and great consolation shall be given you. Further, the more you withdraw yourself from any solace of creatures, the sweeter and stronger comfort will you find in Me.
At first you will not gain these blessings without sadness and toil and conflict. Habit already formed will resist you, but it shall be overcome by a better habit. The flesh will murmur against you, but it will be bridled by fervor of spirit. The old serpent will sting and trouble you, but prayer will put him to flight and by steadfast, useful toil the way will be closed to him.

For your thoughtful and prayerful meditation and response.

1 posted on 10/29/2007 8:55:46 AM PDT by Salvation

To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; ...

Imitation of Christ Devotional Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Imitation of Christ Devotional Ping List.

Also, many Protestants have asked me to put them on this ping list. I have gladly done so, and will add your name if you FReepmail me. I reassure you that you will not get all the Catholic pings.

2 posted on 10/29/2007 8:57:07 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Heritage Dictionary

con·cu·pis·cence

n-ky

-s

ns) KEY

NOUN:
A strong desire, especially sexual desire; lust.

And synonyms from a second source:

See

3 posted on 10/29/2007 9:05:48 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

The Religion Moderator gave me permission to copy the rules from the Chambers' thread (with a few alterations) which I think are applicable. Thank you to the RM!

Come to these threads as you are; leave with what you have discovered.

Absolutely no flaming! These daily threads are intended to be devotional in nature. If a particular day's offering says nothing to you, please just go on and wait for the next day. Consider these threads a DMZ of sorts, a place where a perpetual truce is in effect and a place where all other arguments and disagreements from other times and places are left behind.

I can attest from personal experience (Salvation's) that reading from Imitation of Christ daily will almost certainly change - not one's faith - but one's perspective of his/her own faith, and open up new vistas in your spiritual life. If - when - this happens to a reader of these threads, and they choose to share what has happened within them - we are treading on hallowed ground. Be respectful.

- Religion Moderator

4 posted on 10/29/2007 9:06:49 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

Christ In The Garden Of Gethsemane art print by Heinrich Hofmann

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

BY
THOMAS KEMPIS
A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

5 posted on 10/29/2007 9:07:53 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

My goodness! That really hit home with me today.

6 posted on 10/29/2007 9:19:40 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture ™)

Also, many Protestants have asked me to put them on this ping list.

Bless them!

7 posted on 10/29/2007 9:21:08 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture ™)

There ARE some strong words in there for men. Is that what you are talking about?

Thinking -—

Oops, these words could be for women too. Just realized that.

8 posted on 10/29/2007 9:23:45 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

I am not troubled so much by the sexual temptations anymore (after much struggle), but do fall prey at times to envying those who enjoy riches and temporal pleasures in life. This passage reminds us that life’s hedonic pleasures are transitory and actually obstruct the greater joy with God beyond.

9 posted on 10/29/2007 9:27:48 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture Â™)

Thank you for posting this! I have a lot of struggles maintaining patience with those daily irritations and aggravations. I’ve struggled with being more patient all of my life (my patience level is usually just one level below a boiling tea kettle). Its intensified more as I’ve gotten older and after becoming Catholic (the latter I thin because of a greater awareness of patience as one of the major virtues and the struggles some of the great Saints had in obtaining this virtue under much greater trials than I have).

10 posted on 10/29/2007 9:34:50 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA (Hunter and Tancredo in '08! La Raza - the PLO of the Western Hemisphere)

To: Convert from ECUSA; steve86

My apologies!

I was more focused on the sexual part than on the patience part.

Yes, I strive for that patience also. It seems to escape me constantly.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!

11 posted on 10/29/2007 9:53:46 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

12 posted on 10/29/2007 8:47:42 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

13 posted on 10/29/2007 8:48:40 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794

Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ. Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29

A very powerful spiritual guidance for the soul who seeks to imitate Jesus Christ.

Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mat. 11:29