Chapter 18. That a man should not be a curious searcher of the Sacrament,?... (Book 4. Exhortation to Holy Communion) (The Imitation of Christ) (a-Kempis, Thomas)

1. The Voice of the Beloved

You must take heed of curious and useless searching into this most profound Sacrament, if you will not be plunged into the abyss of doubt. He that is a searcher of Majesty shall be oppressed by the glory thereof. God is able to do more than man can understand. A pious and humble search after truth is to be allowed, when it is always ready to be taught, and striving to walk after the wholesome opinions of the fathers.

2. Blessed is the simplicity which leaves alone the difficult paths of questionings, and follows the plain and firm steps of God's commandments. Many have lost devotion whilst they sought to search into deeper things. Faith is required of you, and a sincere life, not loftiness of intellect, nor deepness in the mysteries of God. If you understand not nor comprehend the things which are beneath you, how will you comprehend those which are above you? Submit yourself to God, and humble your sense to faith, and the light of knowledge shall be given you, as shall be profitable and necessary to you.

3. There are some who are grievously tempted concerning faith and the Sacrament; but this is not to be imputed to themselves but rather to the enemy. Care not then for this, dispute not with your own thoughts, nor make answer to the doubts which are cast into you by the devil; but believe the words of God, believe His Saints and Prophets, and the wicked enemy shall flee from you. Often it profits much, that the servant of God endures such things. For the enemy tempts not unbelievers and sinners, because he already has secure possession of them; but he tempts and harasses the faithful and devout by various means.

4. Go forward therefore with simple and undoubting faith, and draw nigh to the Sacrament with supplicating reverence. And whatsoever you are not enabled to understand, that commit without anxiety to Almighty God. God deceives you not; he is deceived who believes too much in himself. God walks with the simple, reveals Himself to the humble, gives understanding to babes, opens the sense to pure minds, and hides grace from the curious and proud. Human reason is weak and may be deceived; but true faith cannot be deceived.

5. All reason and natural investigation ought to follow faith, not to precede, nor to break it. For faith and love do here especially take the highest place, and work in hidden ways in this most holy and exceeding excellent Sacrament. God who is eternal and incomprehensible, and of infinite power, does great and inscrutable things in heaven and in earth, and His wonderful works are past finding out. If the works of God were of such sort that they might easily be comprehended by human reason, they should no longer be called wonderful or unspeakable.

end of Etext: Imitation of Christ, by Thomas A Kempis