Greco-Christian stream·The Imitation of Christ·Book IV — Of the Sacrament of the Altar·Chapter XVII. Of Fervent Love And Vehement Desire Of Receiving Christ
XVII. Fervent love and vehement desire of receiving Christ
On the amor fervens and vehemens desiderium with which Christ ought to be received. The two contrary dispositions to avoid: cold formality, and reckless familiarity. Both yield to the steady fervent love that is the true disposition of the devout communicant.
Source context
- Theme
- fervent longing and urgent desire for sacramental union with Christ
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
- GA 68b, 1905-12-09Steiner rates the Imitation of Christ nearly on a par with the New Testament as a work expressing the language of the soul, placing its devotional intensity within a spiritually legitimate path of inner development.
- GA 53, 1905-03-16Steiner groups the Imitation of Christ alongside the Gospel of John and the Bhagavad Gita as texts whose patient study nourishes the soul's progress toward higher cognition.
- GA 10, l07Steiner cites the Imitation of Christ as one of several valid paths to spiritual insight, recommending it as preparatory meditative reading alongside the Gospel of John.
Cross-tradition
- Bhakti Vedanta (viraha-bhakti)The viraha tradition within Vaishnava bhakti identifies intense, painful longing for the divine as itself a mode of union — a structural parallel to the chapter's claim that ardent desire for Christ is spiritually efficacious prior to reception.
- Sufi doctrine of shawq (yearning)Sufi pneumatology treats shawq — burning desire for the Beloved — as a stage in the via mystica that draws the soul into proximity with the divine, paralleling the chapter's framing of vehement desire as spiritually preparatory and meritorious.
Chapter XVII. Of Fervent Love And Vehement Desire Of Receiving Christ
OF FERVENT LOVE AND VEHEMENT DESIRE OF RECEIVING CHRIST
The Voice of the Disciple
With the deepest devotion and fervent love, with all affection and fervour of heart, I long to receive Thee, O Lord, even as many Saints and devout persons have desired Thee in communicating, who were altogether well pleasing to Thee by their sanctity of life, and dwelt in all ardent devotion. O my God, Eternal Love, my whole Good, Happiness without measure, I long to receive Thee with the most vehement desire and becoming reverence which any Saint ever had or could have.
2And although I be unworthy to have all those feelings of devotion, yet do I offer Thee the whole affection of my heart, even as though I alone had all those most grateful inflamed desires. Yea, also, whatsoever things a pious mind is able to conceive and long for, all these with the deepest veneration and inward fervour do I offer and present unto Thee. I desire to reserve nothing unto myself, but freely and entirely to offer myself and all that I have unto Thee for a sacrifice. O Lord my God, my Creator and Redeemer! with such affection, reverence, praise, and honour, with such gratitude, worthiness, and love, with such faith, hope, and purity do I desire to receive Thee this day, as Thy most blessed Mother, the glorious Virgin Mary, received and desired Thee, when she humbly and devoutly answered the Angel who brought unto her the glad tidings of the mystery of the Incarnation. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.(1)
3And as Thy blessed forerunner, the most excellent of Saints, John Baptist, being full of joy in Thy presence, leapt while yet in the womb of his mother, for joy in the Holy Ghost; and afterwards discerning Jesus walking amongst men, humbled himself exceedingly, and said, with devout affection, The friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice;(2) even so I wish to be inflamed with great and holy desires, and to present myself unto Thee with my whole heart. Whence also, on behalf of myself and of all commended to me in prayer, I offer and present unto Thee the jubilation of all devout hearts, their ardent affections, their mental ecstasies, and supernatural illuminations and heavenly visions, with all the virtues and praises celebrated and to be celebrated by every creature in heaven and earth; to the end that by all Thou mayest worthily be praised and glorified for ever.
4Receive my prayers, O Lord my God, and my desires of giving Thee infinite praise and unbounded benediction, which, according to the multitude of Thine unspeakable greatness, are most justly due unto Thee. These do I give Thee, and desire to give every day and every moment; and with beseechings and affectionate desires I call upon all celestial spirits and all Thy faithful people to join with me in rendering Thee thanks and praises.
5Let all peoples, nations, and tongues praise Thee, and magnify Thy holy and sweet-sounding Name, with highest jubilations and ardent devotion. And let all who reverently and devoutly celebrate Thy most high Sacrament, and receive it with full assurance of faith, be accounted worthy to find grace and mercy with Thee, and intercede with all supplication for me a sinner; and when they shall have attained unto their wished-for devotion and joyous union with Thee, and shall depart full of comfort and wondrously refreshed from Thy holy, heavenly table, let them vouchsafe to be mindful of me, for I am poor and needy.
(1) Luke i. 38. (2) John iii. 29.