Book II, Chapter V of The Imitation of Christ: “Of the Consideration of One’s Own Self.”  The title sums up the chapter well.  Do not spend (read: waste) time reproving or resenting others or pondering the slights received from our fellow man.  Rather focus on the self and the deficiencies therein.  That is a good use of time and will keep one busy for the rest of his life.

On this Easter Sunday, we and the Colossians are implored by Paul (Col 3:1-4) to “[t]hink of what is above, not of what is on earth.”  Christ is risen!  We have no lasting place here (see Heb 13:14).  So why get caught up in the minutiae (and, ultimately, it is all minutiae) of this brief mortal coil?

Paul was speaking to young believers in Christianity who were being misled by certain agitators who were planting doubts in the new soil of their faith (see 2:4-8).  We can easily understand their need for clarification and correction.  What is our excuse?  With nearly two thousand years of the Christian era elapsed, and the rock of the Catholic Church our sure foothold, adhering to this necessity is still a great challenge even to the present time.

Let us pray in a special way this day, as we commemorate Christ’s exit from the tomb, rendering our faith anything but vain (see 1 Cor 5:12-19), that we are open to the abundant graces God is so willing to give to help us overcome our fallen nature.