|
The Voice of Christ
My child, do not let the fine-sounding and subtle
words of men deceive you. For the kingdom of heaven
consists not in talk but in virtue. Attend, rather,
to My words which enkindle the heart and enlighten
the mind, which excite contrition and abound in
manifold consolations. Never read them for the
purpose of appearing more learned or more wise. Apply
yourself to mortifying your vices, for this will
benefit you more than your understanding of many
difficult questions.
Though you shall have read and learned many things,
it will always be necessary for you to return to this
one principle: I am He who teaches man knowledge, and
to the little ones I give a clearer understanding
than can be taught by man. He to whom I speak will
soon be wise and his soul will profit. But woe to
those who inquire of men about many curious things,
and care very little about the way they serve Me.
The time will come when Christ, the Teacher of
teachers, the Lord of angels, will appear to hear the
lessons of all -- that is, to examine the conscience
of everyone. Then He will search Jerusalem with lamps
and the hidden things of darkness will be brought to
light and the arguings of men's tongues be silenced.
I am He Who in one moment so enlightens the humble
mind that it comprehends more of eternal truth than
could be learned by ten years in the schools. I teach
without noise of words or clash of opinions, without
ambition for honor or confusion of argument.
I am He Who teaches man to despise earthly
possessions and to loathe present things, to ask
after the eternal, to hunger for heaven, to fly
honors and to bear with scandals, to place all hope
in Me, to desire nothing apart from Me, and to love
Me ardently above all things. For a certain man by
loving Me intimately learned divine truths and spoke
wonders. He profited more by leaving all things than
by studying subtle questions.
To some I speak of common things, to others of
special matters. To some I appear with sweetness in
signs and figures, and to others I appear in great
light and reveal mysteries. The voice of books is but
a single voice, yet it does not teach all men alike,
because I within them am the Teacher and the Truth,
the Examiner of hearts, the Understander of thoughts,
the Promoter of acts, distributing to each as I see
fit.
|