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Posted on 12/19/2007 8:24:05 AM PST by Salvation
We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing the Cross
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THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, the more you depart from yourself, the more you will be able to enter into Me. As the giving up of exterior things brings interior peace, so the forsaking of self unites you to God. I will have you learn perfect surrender to My will, without contradiction or complaint. Follow Me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without the Way, there is no going. Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way which you must follow, the Truth which you must believe, the Life for which you must hope. I am the inviolable Way, the infallible Truth, the unending Life. I am the Way that is straight, the supreme Truth, the Life that is true, the blessed, the uncreated Life. If you abide in My Way you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free, and you shall attain life everlasting. If you wish to enter into life, keep My commandments. If you will know the truth, believe in Me. If you will be perfect, sell all. If you will be My disciple, deny yourself. If you will possess the blessed life, despise this present life. If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself on earth. If you wish to reign with Me, carry the Cross with Me. For only the servants of the Cross find the life of blessedness and of true light. THE DISCIPLE Lord Jesus, because Your way is narrow and despised by the world, grant that I may despise the world and imitate You. For the servant is not greater than his Lord, nor the disciple above the Master. Let Your servant be trained in Your life, for there is my salvation and true holiness. Whatever else I read or hear does not fully refresh or delight me. THE VOICE OF CHRIST My child, now that you know these things and have read them all, happy will you be if you do them. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me. And I will love him and will show Myself to him, and will bring it about that he will sit down with Me in My Father's Kingdom. THE DISCIPLE Lord Jesus, as You have said, so be it, and what You have promised, let it be my lot to win. I have received the cross, from Your hand I have received it. I will carry it, carry it even unto death as You have laid it upon me. Truly, the life of a good religious man is a cross, but it leads to paradise. We have begun -- we may not go back, nor may we leave off. Take courage, brethren, let us go forward together and Jesus will be with us. For Jesus' sake we have taken this cross. For Jesus' sake let us persevere with it. He will be our help as He is also our leader and guide. Behold, our King goes before us and will fight for us. Let us follow like men. Let no man fear any terrors. Let us be prepared to meet death valiantly in battle. Let us not suffer our glory to be blemished by fleeing from the Cross. |
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Actual Title
We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing the Cross
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**I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.**
So we should follow Christ and carry our own Cross without complaining, actually in thankfulness for having a Cross to bear.
Offer it up for the poor souls in Purgatory, the unchurched and for the reparation of sinners who continue to deny Christ.
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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
Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 3, The Doctrine of Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 4, Prudence in Action [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1, 5, Reading the Holy Scripture [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 6, Unbridled Affections [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 7, Avoiding False Hope and Pride [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 8, Shunning Over- Familiarity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 9, Obedience and Subjection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 10, Avoiding Idle Talk [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 11, Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 12, The Value of Adversity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 13, Resisting Temptation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 14, Avoiding Rash Judgment [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 15, Works Done in Charity [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 16, Bearing With the Faults of Others [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1. 17, Monastic Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 18, The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 19, The Practices of a Good Religious [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 20, The Love of Solitude and Silence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 21, Sorrow of Heart [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 22, Thoughts on the Misery of Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 23, Thoughts on Death [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 24, Judgment and the Punishment of Sin [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 25, Zeal in Amending Our Lives [Devotional]
Book Two -- The Interior Life
Imitation of Christ: 2, 1, (26), Meditation [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 2, (27) Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 3, (28) Goodness and Peace in Man [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 4, (29) Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 5, (30) Ourselves [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 6, (31) The Joy of a Good Conscience [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 7. (32) Loving Jesus Above All Things [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 8, (33) The Intimate Friendship of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 9, (34) Wanting No Share in Comfort [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 10, (35) Appreciating God's Grace [Devcotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 11, (36) Few Love the Cross of Jesus [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 2, 12, (37) The Royal Road of the Holy Cross [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,1, (38) The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 2, (39) Truth Speaks Inwardly without the Sound of Words [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 3, (40) Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 4, (41) We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 5, (42) The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 6, (43) The Proving of a True Lover {Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 3, 7, (44) Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 8, (45) Self-Abasement in the Sight of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 9, (46) All Things Should be Referred to God as their Last End [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 10 (47) To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 11 (48) The Longings of Our Hearts Must Be Examined & Moderated [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 12, (49) Acquiring Patience in the Fight against Concupiscence [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,13,(50) The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to...Jesus Christ [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,14(51)Consider...Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud...Deeds [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 15 (52) How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,16, (53) True Comfort is to be Sought in God Alone [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 17, (54) All Our Care is to be Placed in God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:3,18(55)Temporal Sufferings..be Borne Patiently,..Example of Christ [Devotional}
Imitation of Christ: 3, 19, (56) True Patience in Suffering [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 20, (57) Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 21 (58) Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,22 (59) Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3 23, (60) Four Things Which Bring Great Peace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 24, (61) Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 25 (62) The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,26,(63)The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer ... [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 27, (64) Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 28, (65) Strength Against Slander [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,29(66)How We Must Call Upon ... the Lord When Trouble Presses [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 30 (67) Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 31 (68) To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 32, (69) Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,33,(70)Restlessness of Soul:Directing Final Intention Toward God[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 34, (71) God is ... in All Things to Those Who Love Him [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 35, (72) There is No Security from Temptation in This Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 36, (73) The Vain Judgments of Men [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 37 (74) Pure...Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,38,(75)...Right Ordering of External Affairs; Recourse to God... [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,39, (76) A Man Should Not be Unduly Solicitous about his Affairs[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 40 (77) Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 41, (78) Contempt for All Earthly Honor [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 42 (79) Peace is not to be Placed in Men [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 43 (80) Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 44 (81) Do Not be Concerned About Outward Things [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 45 (82) ...Men...Not To Be Believed, ...Easy To Err in Speech [Devotional]
Imitation of Chirst: 3, 46, (83) Trust in God Against Slander [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 47, (84) Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 48 (85) The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of this Life [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,49(86)...Desire of Eternal Life;...Rewards...Those Who Struggle [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 50 (87) How a Desolate Person... Commit...into the Hands of God [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3,51,(88)When We Cannot Attain...Highest,...Practice...Humble Works[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:3,52(89)A Man Ought Not Consider Himself Worthy...Consolation, ...[Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 53, (90) God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 54 (91) The Different Motions of Nature and Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ:3,55 (92)The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 3, 56 (93) We...Deny Ourselves... Imitate Christ...Bearing Cross [Devotional]
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