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Gary G. Hoag
“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”— Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13
"There is one thing that keeps many from zealously improving their lives, that is, dread of the difficulty, the toil of battle. Certainly they who try bravely to overcome the most difficult and unpleasant obstacles far outstrip others in the pursuit of virtue. A person makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in those matters wherein he or she gains the greatest victories over self and most mortifies his or her will.
True, each one has his or her own difficulties to meet and conquer, but a diligent and sincere person will make greater progress even though he or she has more passions than one who is more even-tempered but less concerned about virtue. Two things particularly further improvement — to withdraw oneself forcibly from those vices to which nature is viciously inclined, and to work fervently for those graces which are most needed."
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) in The Imitation of Christ (Grand Rapids, CCEL), p. 38.
Today's Scripture calls us to make hard decisions to zealously improve our lives.
In my sabbatical I read the book, Necessary Endings, by Henry Cloud. Therein, for zealously improving my life, I learned to give myself to things that are life giving. That's my plan and prayer since my sabbatical is completed. Look for more energy than ever to go toward Generosity Monk.
And Thomas would urge me to withdraw forcibly from vices and to work fervently for the graces that are most needed. Why do this? If I get all the rooms in the proverbial house of my life cleaned out, I can live, give, serve, and love far more generously.
Jesus, help each of us zealously improve our lives, regardless of how hard the work might be, by withdrawing forcibly from vices and working fervently for the graces that are most needed. Amen.
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