Lenten Meditation

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Book 2 Considerations for Leading an Interior Life

“No one who follows Me will ever walk in darkness.” (John 8:12)

Well, we have completed the first of the books from the Imitation of Christ. The first book starts with the above passage from St. John. Man is always happiest when he is in the light.  When the sun rises in the morning, it fills the earth with warmth and wipes out the darkness. This first book was like the sun rising on the earth; it help us separate ourselves from the darkness. The first book considered useful advice that would help us lead a spiritual life.  Most of the chapters focused on things we should do to become closer to God; things like being prudent, reading scripture, avoiding pride, and resisting temptation.  The focus of this first book was to get you focused on Christ so that He is the center of your life.  The last few sections of this book were preparing us for the next book in the Imitation of Christ - Considerations for Leading an Interior Life.  So what is an interior life? An interior life is a life which seeks God in everything, a life of prayer and the practice of living in the presence of God always. It advocates intimate, friendly conversation with Him, and a determined focus on internal prayer versus our external actions. It is a life which focuses on meditation to help us become closer to Christ. Saint John Paul the Great tells us that Jesus' statement "without me you can do nothing" (John 15:5) is a truth that "constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness." Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, states that man "cannot always give, he must also receive." It is in our receiving from God, we experience that “God is Love”. Thomas a Kempis writes:

"The kingdom of God is within you," says the Lord. Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this wretched world and your soul shall find rest. Learn to despise external things, to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the kingdom of God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, gifts not given to the impious. Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within. His visits with the inward man are frequent, His communion sweet and full of consolation, His peace great, and His intimacy wonderful indeed. Therefore, faithful soul, prepare your heart for this Bridegroom that He may come and dwell within you; He Himself says: "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him."

The first Book focused on us turning to Christ, this book focuses on the rewards that we will be given by maintaining a clear focus on Him who created all and is the only source of true happiness and joy. We will spend the next two weeks going through this second book.

A Simple Prayer

God, I seek you every day.  I have turned my eyes toward you. Fill my heart and my soul with your grace that I might be filled with your love.

Yours In Christ

Michael Marcon