"If you aim at a fervent spiritual life then you too must turn your back on the crowds as Jesus did. No one can be unfailingly happy unless he has the assurance of a good conscience. Those who are highly esteemed by others risk great danger by becoming over confident. Therefore, it is better for us not to be wholly free from temptation. Thus, we will not seek assurance in ourselves nor become bloated with pride, nor too readily seek consolation from the world. If you want to experience repentance of the heart, go to your room, shut the world out, and commune with your own hearts and be silent." - Imitation of Christ, Chapter 20, p. 26As we prepare our hearts this Advent season, we can draw upon the similarities of John the Baptist and the prophet Elijah. Both loved God and wanted to do His will, both lived very simply, both had a strong message of repentance, both fearlessly confronted temptation, both felt all alone at times, and both got out of the way for someone greater to come. This calling, a calling that Elijah and John the Baptist embraced, is both simple and hard. It is simple because it isn't a call to do a lot more at Christmastime; it is a call to do what we should do with a pure and humble heart.
- Meditation based on Matthew 17:9-13, from Advent 2010 Daily Reflections
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