Of the Joy of a Good Conscience  - Thomas A Kempis

The glory of a good man is the testimony of a good conscience. Have a good conscience and you shall always have joy. A good conscience can bear many things, and it is always joyful in the midst of adversity. A bad conscience instead is always fearful and uneasy. You will rest sweetly if your heart does not reprehend you.

Never rejoice except when you have done well. The wicked never have true joy, neither do they enjoy interior peace, because "there is no peace for the wicked," says the Lord (Is 48:22). And if they were to say: We are in peace, no evil will befall us, and who will dare to harm us? Do not believe them, because the wrath of God will arise suddenly and their deeds will be wiped out and their projects will be confused.

To glory in tribulation is not hard for him who truly loves, for to glory in this manner is to glory in the cross of our Lord.

That glory is brief which is given to and received from men. The glory of this world is always accompanied by sadness. The glory of good men is in their own conscience and not in the mouths of men. The joy of the just comes from God and is in God, and their rejoicing is in the truth. He who desires true and eternal glory does not care for that which is temporal. And he, who seeks temporal glory, or does not despise it with his whole heart, shows that he has little love for heavenly glory. That man has great tranquility of heart who does not care for praises or blame.

He who has a pure conscience will easily be content and in peace. You are not more holy if you are praised nor the worse if you are blamed. What you are, that you are; nor can you be said to be greater than what God sees you to be. If you consider well what you are interiorly, you will not care what men will say of you.

"Man sees the face, but God sees into the heart" (1 Kings 16:7). Man considers the actions, but God instead examines the intentions. To do always well, and to consider oneself as nothing is the sign of a humble soul. Not seeking consolation from any created thing is the sign of great purity and interior confidence.

He who seeks no external testimony for himself shows that he has abandoned himself entirely to God. "For he is not approved who commends himself," says Saint Paul, "but he whom the Lord commends" (2 co 10:18). To walk in recollection and united with God, and not to be held by any external affection, is the state of a spiritual man.

Reflections

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of man. There he is alone with God, whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor.

Prayer

O Lord, it is to you we raise up our hearts and our minds. It is to you we look for succour. Keep us from yielding to temptation; deliver us from the greatest of all evils, sin, and preserve us from perishing everlastingly. Amen.

Memorise: Have a good conscience and you shall always have joy.

Practice: Esteem yourself of small account and keep always the joy of a good conscience.

© "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis, published (1998) by St.Pauls, Bandra, Mumbai 400 050.

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