Day 13

Jesus hath now many lovers of His heavenly kingdom,
but few bearers of His cross.

He hath many desirous of consolation,
but few of tribulation.
He findeth many companions of his table,
but few of His abstinence.

All desire to rejoice with Him,
few are willing to endure for Him.

Many love Jesus so long as no adversities befall them.

O how powerful is the pure love of Jesus which is mixed with no self-interest nor self-love!

Are not all those to be called mercenary who are ever seeking consolations? Do they not show themselves to be rather lovers of themselves than of Christ, who are always thinking of their own profit and advantage?

Where shall one be found who is willing to serve God for nought?

(from The Imitation of Christ
by Thomas 'A Kempis aka Gerhard Groote)

A suggestion for your prayer and meditation:

I have a confession to make.  I am almost always thinking about my own profit and advantage.  I meet someone new and think "can this person make me happy? be my friend? provide me with xyz?"  It bugs the heck out of me, but it's almost an immediate response.  I find it a challenge to love with no self-interest or selfish self-love [notice I am not advocating self-deprecation just warning against self-preoccupation]. 

Tribulation, abstinence, endurance; rather than run from these by filling my world with things, people and experiences I will seek Christ in the void left by their absence.  I will seek Christ by considering first what others might need in order to know that they are loved.

Today I will greet each person (including my family members) by first taking a breath and saying to myself "What does this person need in this particular moment?"
Pastor Patty Fox 40 days with 40 Christian mystics

What a powerful reflection from Thomas 'A Kempis. Our own interests do come before almost everything and it's hard to lay that aside. I try to start my day with a similar prayer to the question Pastor Patty asks at the end of her meditation (asking God that I see the need in others and meet that if I can), but it doesn't take long for self interest to take over. As with all spiritual exercises it takes practise, and the more we practise the more likely it is to become habit.