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Imitation of
Christ: Book 1, Chapter 24
Of Judgment, and the Punishment of Sinners
Of Judgment, and
the Punishment of Sinners In all things look to the end; and how thou
wilt stand before that strict Judge (Heb. 10:31) to whom nothing is
hid, who is not appeased with gifts, nor admitteth excuses, but will
judge according to right. O wretched and foolish sinner, who sometimes
art in terror at the countenance of an angry man, what answer wilt thou
make to God who knoweth all thy wickedness (Job 9:2)! Why dost thou not
provide for thyself (Luke 16:9) against the day of judgement, when no
man can be excused of defended by another, but every one shall be a
sufficient burden for himself!
Luke 16:1-8
The Crafty Steward
And he said also
to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and
the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he
called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give
an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.
And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord
taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am
ashamed. I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the
stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. Therefore calling
together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How
much dost thou owe my lord? But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And
he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An
hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write
eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had
done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their
generation than the children of light.
Prayers for the First Week
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