by Thomas Kempis

First put yourself at peace (Gita 6:5,6), and then you may the better make others at peace. A peaceful and patient man is of more profit to himself and others, too, than a learned man who has no peace.

A man who is passionate often turns good into evil, and easily believes the worst. But a good, peaceful man turns all things to the best, and suspects no man.

He who is not content is often troubled with many suspicions, and is neither quiet himself nor allows others to be quiet. He often speaks what he should not, and fails to speak what it would be more expedient to say. He considers seriously what others are bound to do, but he grandly neglects that to which he himself is bound.

First, therefore, have a zealous regard to yourself and to your own soul, and then you may more righteously and with better ordered charity have zeal for your neighbor's soul. You are at once ready to excuse your own defects, but you will not hear the excuses of your brethren. Truly, it would be more charitable and more profitable for you to accuse yourself and excuse your brother, for, if you will be borne, bear with others. Consider how far you yet are from the perfect humility and charity of true religious people, who cannot be angry with any except themselves.

It is no great things to get on well with good and docile men, for that is naturally pleasant to all people, and all men gladly have peace with those and most love those who are agreeable. But to live peacefully with evil men and with impertinent men who lack good manners and are illiterate and rub us the wrong way -- that is a great grace, and a manly deed, and much to be praised, for it cannot be done save through great spiritual strength. Some people can be quiet themselves, and live quietly with others and some cannot be quiet themselves, nor permit others to be quiet. They are grievous to others -- they are more grievous to themselves. And some can keep themselves in good peace, and can also bring others to live in peace.

Nevertheless, all our peace, while we are in this mortal life, rests more in the humble endurance of troubles and of things that are irksome to us than in not feeling them at all. For no man is here but with some trouble. Therefore, he who can suffer best will have most peace, and he who is the true conqueror of himself is the true lord of the world, and the true inheritor of the kingdom of heaven or peace (Gita 2:71).