THY LIFE IS THE JUDGMENT
O LORD Jesus Christ, Thou who indeed didst not come to judge, but wilt come again to judge the world. Thy life here on earth is in reality the judgment by which we shall be judged.
Wherefore everyone who calls himself a Christian must test his life by this judgment: to discern whether he loves Thee in Thy humiliation, or loves Thee only in Thine exaltation, or simply whether he loves Thee, for if it is in only one of these two ways that he loves Thee, he loves Thee not.
But if he loves Thee, he surely shall experience humiliation [for he loves Thee in Thy humiliation], but not as when the worldly mind succumbs to humiliation -- for it was not thus that Thou didst walk here on earth in humiliation.
No, such a lover, though humiliated, is raised above humiliation: his mind, his eye being directed to the high places wherein Thou hast entered, and where he looks forward to being with Thee -- who from on high wilt draw all to Thyself.
THOU ART THE STRONGEST
LORD Jesus Christ, there are so many things to keep us and to draw us to themselves; each one of us has his or her own particular attraction, yet all of us have many.
But Thine attraction is eternally the strongest! Draw us then the more powerfully to Thee.
We call Thee our Redeemer for Thou art come into the world to break our bondage to the vain cares which we have imposed on ourselves, to break the heavy chains of sin!
We call Thee our Savior that Thou mightest save us by freeing us from all these fetters.
For it is God’s will that Thou should accomplish this and make possible our sanctification. That is why Thou hast descended into the lower regions of the earth and that is why Thou hast returned to Heaven in order to draw us to Thine own dwelling place.
THOU ALONE ART ABLE
Thou alone, O Lord, art able to move a man; Thou alone art able to move a woman!
From the moment I think of Thee, my life is at Thy service; my weak talents are perhaps great in the eyes of men, but for Thee they are nothing and in every case they are the gifts Thou has given me.
When I think of Thy sufferings, Thou, my Lord and Savior, I do not want to spend my days whimpering in a pulpit, but I want to be surrounded by insults, losing everything which is of earthly order -- if it is Thy will.
NOT TO ADMIRE BUT TO FOLLOW
O LORD Jesus Christ, Thou didst not come into the world to be served, but also surely not to be admired, or in that false sense to be worshipped. Thou wast the Way and the Truth – and it was followers only Thou didst demand.
Arouse us therefore, if we have dozed into this delusion, save us from the error of wishing to admire Thee instead of being willing to follow Thee and to resemble Thee.
This we ask for Thy kingdom’s sake O Lord, and for the glory of Thy name!
Alleluia!
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