ADVENT READING: ON HUMILITY AND PEACE FROM “THE IMITATION OF CHRIST”.

Do not worry about who is and is not on your side: simply make sure that God is with you in all you do.  

Have a clear conscience, and God will defend you. For if God chooses to help you, no malice can do you harm. 

 If you know how to suffer in silence, without doubt you will receive the help of the Lord.

He knows when and how he will free you, so resign yourself into his care. It is for God to give help and give freedom from trouble. 

 For the sake of humility it is often good for others to know our weaknesses and tax us with them.  

When a man holds himself humbly because of his weakness, it is easy for him to please others and calm those who are angry with him.  

God protects and frees the humble, loves and consoles them. He leans down to the humble, he bestows great grace on them, he lifts them from their lowliness into glory.  

God calls the humble gently to him, and to them he reveals his secrets.  If a humble man is humiliated, he is happy enough and at peace, because his support is God and not the world.  

Do not count yourself as having made progress until you feel yourself inferior to everyone.  

A peaceable man is of more use than a learned man. 

 If you are a slave to your feelings, you will see good actions as bad, and you will easily believe the worst; a good and peaceful man will see good in everything.  

Whoever is truly at peace is not plagued by suspicion. Whoever is discontented and disturbed will be blown about by gusts of suspicion: he cannot rest and will not let others rest either.  

He often says what he should not say, and fails to do what it would be best to do.  He knows what other people ought to do, but not what he should be doing himself.  

Worry about your own behaviour first; you can worry about other people later.  

You are good at making excuses for your own behaviour and showing it in the best light, but you do not want to accept the excuses of others.

It would be fairer for you to accuse yourself and excuse your brother.  

If you want other people to put up with you, put up with them first.