by Thomas Kempis

We may not trust much in ourselves or in our own intelligence, for often through our presumption, we lack grace, and every little of the true light of understanding is in us.

Many times we lose through our negligence what we have, yet we do not see, or want to see, how blind we are. Often we do evil, and in defending it do much worse, and sometimes, when we are moved by passion we think it zeal  for God. We can quickly reprove small faults in our neighbors, but we do not see our own faults, which are much greater. We soon feel and deeply ponder on what we suffer from others, but we will not consider what others suffer from us. He who would well and righteously judge his own defects should not so rigorously judge the defects of his neighbors.

A man who is inwardly turned toward God takes heed of himself before all others, and he who can well take heed of himself can easily be quiet about other men’s deeds. If you will take heed wholly to God and to yourself, the faults you see in others will move you but little. Where are you when you are not present yourself? And when you have run about, and have considered other men’s works, what has been your profit in it if you have forgotten yourself?

So, if you will have peace in your soul, and be perfectly united to God and blessed with love, set aside all other men’s deeds, and set yourself and your own deeds only before the eye of your soul, and, if you see anything amiss in yourself, promptly reform it.

You will grow much in grace if you keep yourself free from all temporal cares but if you set score by any temporal thing it will hinder you greatly. Therefore, let nothing in your sight be high, nothing great, nothing pleasing or acceptable to you, unless it be God alone, or things concerning God. Consider as vain all comforts that come to you from any creature.

He who loves God and his own soul for God despises all other love, for He sees well that God alone is eternal and incomprehensible, and fills all things with His goodness, is the whole solace and comfort of the soul. He who loves God and his own soul for God sees that God is the very true gladness of our hearts, and no one else but only He.