The Gospel of Thomas?
Let Your name, not mine, be praised. Let Your work, not mine, be magnified. Let Your holy name be blessed, but let no human praise be given to me. You are my glory. You are the joy of my heart. In You I will glory and rejoice all the day, and for myself I will glory in nothing but my infirmities.
Thomas A Kempis - "Imitation of Christ" - Chapter 3.40
Thomas A Kempis - "Imitation of Christ" - Chapter 3.40
posted by agonizomai at 12:01 am
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2 Comments:
Yes, this is the REAL Gospel of Thomas. I believe the Imitation of Christ is possibly the best devotional literature ever written. It offers simple, practical advice, not only for changed behavior but especially for the kind of eternally-mined thinking that leads to changed behavior. If I were stuck in a prison somewhere or on a desert island where I could have only one book besides the Bible, the Imitation would be among the top 5 candidates.
My Catholic friends love to hear me say things like this. I, in turn, always receommend they read the Imitation, Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God, and Fenelon's writings - this sometimes opens the door for a good conversation about the Gospel.
Derek,
Like you, I have found wisdom in a number of Catholic brothers. Men like A Kempis, Fenelon and, yes, Luther - who never actually left the Catholic Church but was booted out.
But I have also found the damnable Catholic dogmas of the church to be both poisoning and enslaving to people - acting like a barrier to prevent them from coming to a knowledge of the truth.
People like Kempis, Brother Lawrence and Fenelon have been vilified by some anti-Catholics as either mystical or quietist. I can't pretend to understand how they could exist under the corruptions of Rome's official dogmas. But I can hear a devotion to the Christ I love - or at least I can take things they have said into my devotion where I hope they rest upon the bedrock of truth.
You approach is both gentle and respectful - much better than mine. I tend to be dogmatic myself and more confrontational than, perhaps, genuine love demands.
We all have feet of clay, including the men mentioned above. The wonder is that, whenever goodness and truth shine through, we know that the Spirit of God is at work separating light from darkness.
You comments are always welcome, brother.
Blessings
Tony
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