"Who will remember you after you are dead and who will pray for you?
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Do now everything you can, because you never know when you will die; nor do you know what shall befall you after death.
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Keep yourself as a pilgrim and stranger upon earth to whom the affairs of earth least belong or interest." Imitation, Book I; Chapter 23: 8-9
"A pilgrim and a stranger upon earth"...as I get older, this impresses itself in my soul more and more.
ReplyDeleteDetachment is a great freedom. May we all know it in a greater way as we keep this Lent.
Thank you, Terry, and thank you, Fr., for this. I'm like you, Fr., as I get older (55 yrs. old), I think more and more about the transient nature of life--and about detachment. My late grandmother, had a form of dementia that her doctor's couldn't identify, and once, during one of her "episodes," she called me and said, "We're just sojourners here." I think about that often.
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I didn't recognise the quote. I used to know the text of the Imitiation very, very well--though I wouldn't say I also practiced what it taught! It must be time to brush the dust off my old copy and try to start again.
(Great juxtaposition with the picture, by the way. He's so obvously blogging! =P)
I know it's a strange thing to say but many people have forgotten even Christ so then let me be forgotten too.
ReplyDeleteAlthough... I wont forget you Mr.Terry you've enriched my faith a lot and I think you and your blogger buddies are awesome people.