THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST

BOOK THREE
INTERNAL CONSOLATION

Liber Tertius
De interna consolatine.

Chapter 10 TO DESPISE THE WORLD AND SERVE GOD IS SWEET THE DISCIPLE - NOW again I will speak, Lord, and will not be silent. I will speak to the hearing of my God, my Lord, and my King Who is in heaven. How great, O Lord, is the multitude of Your mercies which You have stored up for those who love You. But what are You to those who love You? What are You to those who serve You with their whole heart? Truly beyond the power of words is the sweetness of contemplation You give to those who love You. To me You have shown the sweetness of Your charity, especially in having made me when I did not exist, in having brought me back to serve You when I had gone far astray from You, in having commanded me to love You.	Cap. 10. Quod spreto mundo dulce est servire Deo. 1. Nunc iterum loquar, Domine, et non silebo. Dicam in auribus Dei mei, et Regis mei qui est in excelso. O, quam magna est multitudo dulcedinis tuæ, Domine, quam abscondisti timentibus te. Sed quid es amantibus te? Quid toto corde tibi servientibus? Vere ineffabilis dulcedo contemplationis tuæ, quam largiris amantibus te. In hoc maxime ostendisti dulcedinem charitatis tuæ, quia cum no essem, fecisti me, et cum errarem longe a te, reduxisti me, ut servirem tibi, et præcepisti ut diligam te.
O Fountain of unceasing love, what shall I say of You? How can I forget You, Who have been pleased to remember me even after I had wasted away and perished? You have shown mercy to Your servant beyond all hope, and have exhibited grace and friendship beyond his deserving. What return shall I make to You for this grace? For it is not given every man to forsake all things, to renounce the world, and undertake the religious life. Is it anything great that I should serve You Whom every creature is bound to serve? It should not seem much to me; instead it should appear great and wonderful that You condescend to receive into Your service one who is so poor and unworthy.	2. O, fons amoris perpetui, quid dicam de te? Quomodo potero tui oblivisci, qui mei recordari dignatus es? Et postquam contabui, et perii, fecisti ultra omnem spem misericordiam cum servo tuo, et ultra omne meritum gratiam et amicitiam exhibuisti. Quid retribuam tibi pro gratia ista? Non enim omnibus datum est, ut omnibus abdicatis sæculo renuntient, et monasticam vitam assumant. Nonquid non magnum est ut tibi serviam, cui omnis creatura servire tenetur? Non magnum mihi videri debet? Sed potius hoc mihi magnum et admirandum paret, quod tam pauperem et indignum dignaris in servum recipere, et dilectis servis tuis adunare.
Behold, all things are Yours, even those which I have and by which I serve You. Behold, heaven and earth which You created for the service of man, stand ready, and each day they do whatever You command. But even this is little, for You have appointed angels also to minister to man -- yea more than all this -- You Yourself have condescended to serve man and have promised to give him Yourself.	3. Ecce omnia tua sunt quæ habeo, et unde tibi servio. Verumtamen vice versa tu mihi magis servis, quam ego tibi. Ecce cælum et terra, quæ in ministerio hominis creasti, præsto sunt et faciunt quotidie quæcumque mandasti. Et hoc parum est: quin etiam Angelos in ministerio hominis creasti et ordinasti. Transcendit autem hæc omnia, quod tu homini servire dignatus es, et te ispum daturum promisisti.
What return shall I make for all these thousands of benefits? Would that I could serve You all the days of my life! Would that for but one day I could serve You worthily! Truly You are worthy of all service, all honor, and everlasting praise. Truly You are my Lord, and I am Your poor servant, bound to serve You with all my powers, praising You without ever becoming weary. I wish to do this -- this is my desire. Do You supply whatever is wanting in me.	4. Quid dabo tibi pro istis millibus bonis? Utinam possem tibi servire cunctis diebus vitæ meæ. Utinam vel uno die dignum servitium exhibere sufficerem. Vere tu es dignus omni servitio, omni honore et laude æterna. Vere Dominus meus es, et ego pauper servus tuus, qui totis viribus teneor servire tibi, nec unquam in laudibus tuis debeo fastidire. Sic volo, sic desidero, et quidquid mihi deest, tu digneris supplere.
It is a great honor, a great glory to serve You and to despise all things for Your sake. They who give themselves gladly to Your most holy service will possess great grace. They who cast aside all carnal delights for Your love will find the most sweet consolation of the Holy Ghost. They who enter upon the narrow way for Your name and cast aside all worldly care will attain great freedom of mind.	5. Magnus honor, magna gloria tibi servire, et omnia per te, propter te contemnere. Habebunt enim gratiam magnam, qui sponte se subjecerint tuæ sanctissimæ servituti, et invenient suavissimam Spiritus Sancti consolationem. Consequentur magnam cordis libertatem, qui pro nomine tuo arctam ingrediuntur viam, et omnem mundanam neglexerint curam.
O sweet and joyful service of God, which makes man truly free and holy! O sacred state of religious bondage which makes man equal to the angels, pleasing to God, terrible to the demons, and worthy of the commendation of all the faithful! O service to be embraced and always desired, in which the highest good is offered and joy is won which shall remain forever!	6. O, grata et jucunda Dei servitus, qua homo veraciter efficitur liber et sanctus. O, sacer status religiosi famulatus, qui hominem Angelis reddit æqualem, Deo placabilem, dæmonibus terribilem, et cunctis fidelibus commendabilem. O, amplectendum et semper optandum servitium, quo promeretur summum bonum, et gaudium promeretur sine fine permansurum.