The Grace of Devotion Is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial
The grace of devotion is acquired through humility and self-denial, and is received by those who direct their intention to God with simplicity of heart and free themselves from inordinate love or dislike for any creature.
Thomas a Kempis emphasizes the importance of seeking, receiving, and guarding the grace of devotion from God with patience, humility, and hope. He encourages believers to humbly wait for the heavenly visitation, acknowledging that God's timing and manner of granting grace are perfect. Kempis highlights the need for self-humiliation in times of little inward devotion, urging individuals to remove hindrances, conquer sins, and fully surrender to God to experience peace and unity with Him.
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THE VOICE OF CHRIST
YOU must seek earnestly the grace of devotion, ask for it fervently, await it patiently and hopefully, receive it gratefully, guard it humbly, cooperate with it carefully and leave to God, when it comes, the length and manner of the heavenly visitation.
When you feel little or no inward devotion, you should especially humiliate yourself, but do not become too dejected or unreasonably sad. In one short moment God often gives what He has long denied. At times He grants at the end what He has denied from the beginning of prayer. If grace were always given at once, or were present at our beck and call, it would not be well taken by weak humankind. Therefore, with good hope and humble patience await the grace of devotion.
When it is not given, or for some unknown reason is taken away, blame yourself and your sins. Sometimes it is a small matter that hinders grace and hides it, if, indeed, that which prevents so great a good may be called little rather than great. But if you remove this hindrance, be it great or small, and if you conquer it perfectly, you shall have what you ask. As soon as you have given yourself to God with all your heart and seek neither this nor that for your own pleasure and purpose, but place yourself completely in His charge, you shall find yourself at peace, united with Him, because nothing will be so sweet, nothing will please you so much as the good pleasure of His will.
Anyone, therefore, who shall with simplicity of heart direct his intention to God and free himself from all inordinate love or dislike for any creature will be most fit to receive grace and will be worthy of the gift of devotion. For where the Lord finds the vessel empty He pours down His blessing.
So also the more perfectly a man renounces things of this world, and the more completely he dies to himself through contempt of self, the more quickly this great grace comes to him, the more plentifully it enters in, and the higher it uplifts the free heart.
Then shall he see and abound, then shall his heart marvel and be enlarged within him, because the Hand of the Lord is with him and in the hollow of that Hand he has placed himself forever. Thus shall the man be blessed who seeks God with all his heart and has not regarded his soul in vain. Such a one, receiving the Holy Eucharist, merits the grace of divine union because he looks not on his own thoughts, nor to his own comfort, but above all devotion and consolation to the glory and honor of God.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Seeking Devotion
- A. Earnestly seek the grace of devotion
- B. Ask for it fervently, await it patiently and hopefully
- II. Humility and Self-Denial
- A. Humiliate yourself when feeling little or no devotion
- B. Cooperate with the grace of devotion carefully
- III. Removing Hindrances to Devotion
- A. Blame yourself and your sins when devotion is not given
- B. Remove the hindrance to receive the grace of devotion
- IV. Receiving the Grace of Devotion
- A. Direct your intention to God with simplicity of heart
- B. Free yourself from inordinate love or dislike for any creature
Key Quotes
“When you feel little or no inward devotion, you should especially humiliate yourself, but do not become too dejected or unreasonably sad.” — Thomas a Kempis
“If grace were always given at once, or were present at our beck and call, it would not be well taken by weak humankind.” — Thomas a Kempis
“For where the Lord finds the vessel empty He pours down His blessing.” — Thomas a Kempis
Application Points
- You must seek the grace of devotion with humility and self-denial, and be patient and hopeful in awaiting its reception.
- You must remove the hindrances to devotion by blaming yourself and your sins, and by freeing yourself from inordinate love or dislike for any creature.
- You must direct your intention to God with simplicity of heart and free yourself from inordinate love or dislike for any creature to receive the grace of devotion.