The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, Book III Chapter XXXII: “Denying Ourselves and the Renunciation of all Cupidity” (third entry)

Kempis, in this closing section of the chapter, has Christ conclude by saying that what is “contemptible” to men is “true and heavenly wisdom” that teaches humility. That which advances one’s interest in the world, “greatly esteemed” by far too many on this planet, often resulting in sinful pride, should be put away in order to attain the wisdom of God.

|Today’s responsorial psalm: Ps 119:14, 24, 72, 103. 111,131

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of the Book of Psalms. It covers a lot of ground, but its main theme is praise of God. We see that highlighted with today’s excerpts. In the verse highlighted here, we have the psalmist glory in the law of the Lord, those precepts meant to be followed in order to have right relationships with God and neighbor. Other verses chosen for today, similarly, express the greatness of the Lord’s decrees, promises, and commands.

|Reflection

Isn’t it true that the wisdom of God is considered foolish to so many persons (see the proper order here and here)? Wisdom, that we find explicitly in divine revelation, especially in the inerrant Holy Bible, in the commandments of the Old Testament (think the Ten Commandments) and the New (think the Beatitudes), is very uncomfortable for, and even contemptible to, the worldly who want nothing to do with a demanding deity. “The law of your mouth” is Jesus, the Word of God. He is more precious than any amount of gold and silver because, while they rot (see Jas 5:1-3), Christ, who lives never more to die, paves the narrow path for us to leading to eternal bliss.

All we take with us at the end of this life is our soul. May it gleam like electrum after a life of detachment from its elements when our Savior greets us.