Jour 4 de 33

Readings: From The Imitation of Christ

By Thomas à Kempis, born at Kempen in the Diocese of Cologne, in 1379 or 1380; died in 1471. The book was first issued anonymously in 1418 and was soon widely acclaimed. In 1441 Thomas completed and signed his name to a codex still extant in the Royal Library, Brussels, containing the four books of the 'Imitation' and nine minor treatises.

De Imitatione Christi

Depuis longtemps je me nourrissais de «la pure farine» contenue dans l'Imitation, c'était le seul livre qui me fît du bien, car je n'avais pas encore trouvé les trésors cachés dans l'Evangile. Je savais par coeur presque tous les chapitres de ma chère Imitation, ce petit livre ne me quittait jamais ; en été, je le portais dans ma poche, en hiver, dans mon manchon, aussi était-il devenu traditionnel ; chez ma Tante on s'en amusait beaucoup et l'ouvrant au hasard, on me faisait réciter le chapitre qui se trouvait devant les yeux.

For  a  long  time  I  nourished  my  spiritual  life  with  the  "fine  flour" contained  in  the Imitation  of  Christ. It  was  the  only  book  which  did  me good,  for  I  had  not  yet  discovered the  treasures  hidden  in  the  Holy  Gospels.  I knew by heart nearly every chapter in my beloved 'Imitation'. The little volume never left my side. In summer, I kept it in my pocket; in winter, in it was in my muff. It had become a custom with my aunt to open it at any page and ask me to recite by heart the chapter she had chanced upon.

From Chapter V of the Autobiography of a Soul, by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. See here on our sister blog and here for copies of her manuscripts.

Liber III:  De intérna consolatióne

Cap. 40. Quod homo nihil boni ex se habet, et de nullo gloriári debet

Imitatio. Author's Latin copy.

1. SERVUS. Quam pauper sit homo et infírmus

Dómine, quid est homo, quod memor sis ejus, aut fílius hóminis, quia vísitas eum? (Ps 8,5) Quid proméruit homo, ut dares illi grátiam tuam? Dómine, quid possum cónqueri, si déseris me? aud quid juste obténdere possum, si quod peto non féceris? Certe hoc in veritáte cogitáre possum et dícere: Dómine, nihil sum; nihil boni ex me hábeo, sed in ómnibus defício, et ad nihil semper tendo. Ego nisi a te fúero adjútus et intérius informátus, totus effácior tépidus et dissolútus.

Author's French copy of the Imitation. Imprimatur dated 1921.

2. Quómodo fórtior effíciatur 
Tu autem, Dómine, semper idem ipse es, et pérmanes in ætérnum: semper bonus et justus et sanctus; bene, juste et sancte agens ómnia et dispónens in sapiéntia. Sed ego, qui ad deféctum magis pronus sum quam ad proféctum, non semper sum in uno statu perdúrans, quia septem témpora mutántur super me. Verum tamen cito mélius sit, cum tibi placúerit, et manum porréxeris adjutrícem: quia tu solus sine humáno suffrágio póteris auxiliári et in tantum confirmáre, ut vultus meus ámplius in divérsa non mutétur, sed in te uno cor meum convertátur et quiéscat.


The words on the scroll in the image above come from Chapter 8 of St John's Gospel:

[12] Iterum ergo locútus est eis Jesus, dicens : Ego sum lux mundi : qui séquitur me, non ámbulat in ténebris, sed habébit lumen vitae.[12] Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

Cap. 7. De occultánda grátia sub humilitátis custódia.

4.DÓMINUS. Subtráhitur grátia ad nostram cautélam et ad Dei glóriam

Qui tempore pacis nimis securus esse voluerit, sæpe tempore belli nimis dejectus et formidolosus reperietur. Si scires semper humilis et modicus in te permanere nec non spiritum tuum bene moderare et regere, non incideres tam cito in periculum et offensam. Consilium bonum est ut fervoris spiritu concepto mediteris quid futurum sit abscedente lumine. (...)

Notes on Latin vocab

gloriari: present, infinitive active (dep): glōrĭor, ātus, v. dep. a. and n. id., to glory, boast, vaunt, to brag of any thing, pride one's self on any thing
promeruit: third person, sing, perf, ind, act from:  prō-mĕrĕo, ŭi, ĭtum, 2, v. a., and prō-mĕrĕor, ĭtus, 2, v. dep. a.To deserve, be deserving of, merit, in a good or bad sense
conqueri: present, infinitive active (dep):con-quĕror, questus, 3,v. dep. a. and n., to complain of a thing, or to bewail, lament passionately or much
deseris: second pers sing, pres, ind, act. dē-sĕro, rŭi, rtum, 3, v. a. Lit., to undo or sever one's connection with another; hence, with esp. reference to the latter, to leave, forsake, abandon, desert, give up
dis-solvo, solvi, sŏlūtum, 3, v. a., to loosen asunder, to unloose, disunite, separate, dissolve, destroy
quō-mŏdŏ, or quō mŏdŏ, adv., in what manner, in what way, how.
dē-fĭcĭo, fēci, fectum, 3. to make off from; free one’s self from; desert, leave, forsake, fail, be wanting, be exhausted, fail; give way, sink, faint, to be broken down, prostrated, sick at heart,to be depressed, discouraged
prōfĭcĭo, fēci, fectum, 3, v. n and a. [pro-facio], to go forward, advance, gain ground, make progress.
vērum-tămen (vērun-tămen; in recent edd. more freq. as two words, vē-rum tămen; conj. but yet, notwithstanding, however, nevertheless.
cito : (adv.), speedily; soon; (comp.), citius
porrigō, rēxī, rēctus, 3, a.: to stretch forth, hold forth, lift; (pass.), to be stretched out, extend,(prō and regō)
suffrāgĭum, ii, n. a favorable decision, assent, approbation, applause; perh. kindr. with suffrago, and therefore, prop., the pasternbone; hence, transf.,a votingtablet, a ballot (syn. tabella), and in gen., a vote, voice, suffrage.
auxĭlĭor, ātus, 1, v. dep. auxilium, to give help or aid, to help, aid, assist, succor (syn.: juvo, adjuvo, opitulor, subvenio, succurro). Esp., of the aid of a physician, to aid, to relieve, heal, cure;
cautēla, ae, f. cautus, caveo (mostly post - class.), caution, precaution.
sub-trăho, xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to draw away from underneath or by stealth; also, in gen., to draw off, carry off, withdraw, take away, remove, etc. (class.; syn. subduco).
formidolosus  1 inspiring fear, terrifying. 2 fearful, terrified.
reperiō, repperī, repertus, 4, a.: to find again; find by searching, discover, find out, detect
mŏdĭcus, a, um, adj. modus, having or keeping a proper measure, moderate (cf. mediocris); esp. in behavior, modest, temperate;
abs-cēdo, cessi, cessum, 3, v. n. to go off or away, to depart.

Translations

English

Chapter XL - That man hath no good in himself, and nothing whereof to glory

1. Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him? What hath man deserved, that Thou shouldest bestow thy favour upon him? Lord, what cause can I have of complaint, if Thou forsake me? Or what can I justly allege, if Thou refuse to hear my petition? Of a truth, this I may truly think and say, Lord, I am nothing, I have nothing that is good of myself, but I fall short in all things, and ever tend unto nothing. And unless I am helped by Thee and inwardly supported, I become altogether lukewarm and reckless.

2. But Thou, O Lord, art always the same, and endurest for ever, always good, righteous, and holy; doing all things well, righteously, and holily, and disposing all in Thy wisdom. But I who am more ready to go forward than backward, never continue in one stay, because changes sevenfold pass over me. Yet it quickly becometh better when it so pleaseth Thee, and Thou puttest forth Thy hand to help me; because Thou alone canst aid without help of man, and canst so strengthen me that my countenance shall be no more changed, but my heart shall be turned to Thee, and rest in Thee alone.

Chapter VII - Of hiding our grace under the guard of humility
4. He who in time of peace willeth to be oversecure shall be often found in time of war over dispirited and full of fears. If thou knewest always how to continue humble and moderate in thyself, and to guide and rule thine own spirit well, thou wouldest not so quickly fall into danger and mischief. It is good counsel that when fervour of spirit is kindled, thou shouldest meditate how it will be with thee when the light is taken away. (...)

Notes

and Thou puttest forth Thy hand to help me: This recalls Matthew's account of Christ walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee:

[26] Et videntes eum super mare ambulantem, turbati sunt, dicentes : Quia phantasma est. Et prae timore clamaverunt. [27] Statimque Jesus locutus est eis, dicens : Habete fiduciam : ego sum, nolite timere. [28] Respondens autem Petrus, dixit : Domine, si tu es, jube me ad te venire super aquas. [29] At ipse ait : Veni. Et descendens Petrus de navicula, ambulabat super aquam ut veniret ad Jesum. [30] Videns vero ventum validum, timuit : et cum coepisset mergi, clamavit dicens : Domine, salvum me fac.
[31] Et continuo Jesus extendens manum, apprehendit eum : et ait illi : Modicae fidei, quare dubitasti? [Matthew 14]
[26] And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. [27] And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. [28] And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. [29] And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. [30] But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.
[31] And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? [Matthew 14]

French

40. Que l’homme n’a rien de bon de lui-même, et ne peut se glorifier de rien

1. Le fidèle: Seigneur, qu’est-ce que l’homme pour que vous vous souveniez de lui ? Et qu’est-ce que le fils de l’homme pour que vous le visitiez ? Par où l’homme a-t’il pu mériter votre grâce ? De quoi, Seigneur, puis-je me plaindre, si vous me délaissez ? Et qu’ai-je à dire si vous ne faites pas ce que je demande ? Je ne puis certes penser et dire avec vérité que ceci: Seigneur, je ne suis rien, je ne peux rien de moi-même, je n’ai rien de bon, je sens ma faiblesse en tout, et tout m’incline vers le néant. Si vous ne m’aidez et ne me fortifiez intérieurement, aussitôt je tombe dans la tiédeur et le relâchement.

2. Mais vous, Seigneur, vous êtes toujours le même, et vous demeurez éternellement bon, juste et saint, faisant tout avec bonté, avec justice, avec sainteté, et disposant tout avec sagesse. Pour moi, qui ai plus de penchant à m’éloigner du bien qu’à m’en approcher, je ne demeure pas longtemps dans un même état, et je change sept fois le jour. Cependant je suis moins faible dès que vous le voulez, dès que vous me tendez une main secourable, car vous pouvez seul, sans l’aide de personne, me secourir et m’affermir de telle sorte que je ne sois plus sujet à tous ces changements, et que mon coeur se tourne vers vous seul et s’y repose à jamais. (Livre III, Chapitre 40 :1-2)

7. Qu'il faut cacher humblement les grâces que Dieu nous fait 

4. Celui qui, durant la paix, a trop de sécurité, se trouve souvent pendant la guerre le plus timide et le plus lâche. Si ne présumant jamais de vous-même, vous saviez demeurer toujours humble, modérer et régler les mouvements de votre esprit, vous ne tomberiez pas si vite dans le péril et le péché. C’est une pratique sage que de penser, durant la ferveur, à ce qu’on sera dans la privation de la lumière.(…) (Livre III, Chapitre 7 :4)

Prières

Veni Creator Spiritus (for chant, see here).
Ave Maris Stella
Magnificat (for choral version see here, starting at 30 minutes).
Gloria