Chapter 23: A Meditation on Death.
Chapter Focus: Thomas a’Kempis lived to be ninety years old in an age when the average man or woman lived to be forty or fifty (once you lived past childhood). Thus, he lived twice as long as everyone else. He lived by his own maxims and followed the teachings you see in these books and his other writings.
Thomas does not morbidly live in fear of death. Rather, he tells us to prepare for death’s inevitability. In Thomas’ world, reeling from the aftermath of the black plague, famine, and frequent regional wars, he gives an in-depth view of death. In his day, death was close up and frequent. Death was a regular visitor to families: coming uninvited, randomly and suddenly, especially on the young and the frail.
Thomas counsels us to be ready for death by seeking out a life of sanctity now and not being surprised at its sudden arrival. He warns us about being caught with the burden of bitter regrets: regretting the lost opportunities of what we should have done or facing death suddenly without having enough time amend our lives or make corrections.
He exhorts us to model our lives upon the saints, and to make them friends, to lay up treasures in heaven through good works, and to pray earnestly to Christ with lamentations (Mt 6:19-21).
Thomas’ perspective was unchanged over his long life. As he survived his family and friends over the years, I imagine that he added more meditations about prayer and pursuit of sanctity. May we all imitate him in this.
Chapter 23, In Short.
1. Order your life as if you were to die today.
2. What does it matter if you live a long life, if you change your life so little?
3. Always live so that death may never find you unprepared.
4. Strive to behave in life as you would be in approaching death!
5. Do not put off the work of your salvation to sometime in the future.
6. Learn to die to the world, and begin to live with Christ now.
7. It is foolish to think that you will live a long life when you are not guaranteed a single day.
8. Who will remember and pray for you after you are dead?
9. Keep yourself as a stranger and a pilgrim upon the earth.
Question: How are you preparing for death?
The Text of Chapter 23: Of Meditation Upon Death.
Very quickly there will be an end of you here. Therefore, listen to how it will be with you in another world. Today you are here, and tomorrow you will be seen no more. And being removed from sight, you quickly fade out of the minds of everyone. O the dullness and hardness of your hearts, which think only of the present, and never look to the future. You ought to order yourself in every deed and thought as if you were to die this day.
You would not fear death if you had a good conscience. It is better for you to watch against sinning than to escape from death. If today you are not ready, how will you be ready tomorrow? Tomorrow is an uncertain day, and how do you know that you will even have a tomorrow?
2. What does it matter if you live a long life, when you change your life so little? Ah! Long life does not always result in your amendment of it but often only increases guilt. Oh, that we might spend a single day in this world as it ought to be spent! There are many who count the years since they were converted, and yet oftentimes have little fruit to show of their conversion.
If it is a fearful thing to die, it may yet be a more fearful thing to live long. Happy are you who have the hour of death always before your eyes, and daily prepare yourself to die. If you have ever seen someone die, consider that you also shall pass away by that same road.
3. When it is morning, reflect that you may not see the evening, and in the evening, do not dare to boast about what you will do tomorrow. Always be prepared, and live so that death may never find you unprepared. Many die suddenly and unexpectedly.
For at such an hour as you cannot foresee, the Son of Man will come (Mt 24:44). When that last hour comes, you will begin to think very differently of your whole life’s history, and you will mourn bitterly that you have been so negligent and slothful.
4. When you strive to be in life as you would readily be found in death, you will be happy and wise! These are the things which give you great confidence in a happy death: a perfect disdain of the world, a fervent desire to excel in virtue, the love of discipline, the anguish of repentance, readiness to obey, denial of self, and submission to any adversity for the love of Christ.
While you are in health you have many opportunities for good works, but when you are ill I do not know how many good works you will be able to do. Few are made better by illness: just as those who excessively wander abroad seldom become holy.
5. Do not put off the work of your salvation until sometime in the future. Your friends, relatives, and acquaintances will forget you sooner than you think. It is better for you to provide for that now, in this time, and to send some good prayerful effort before you, than to trust to the help of others.
If you are not anxious for yourself now, who do you think will be anxious for you after your death? Time is most precious now. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). If you do not spend this time well – beware! – instead lay up treasure which will benefit you in heaven (Mt 6:20). The hour will come when you will wish for one day, yes, one more hour, to amend your life, and I do not know whether you will obtain that hour or that change.
6. Oh, dearly beloved, if only you would always live in anticipation and expectation of death! Think of what great danger and fear you might free yourself from. Strive now to live in such a way that in the hour of death you may rejoice rather than fear. Learn now to die to the world, so that you will begin to live with Christ. Learn now to condemn all earthly things, and then you may freely follow Christ. Keep your body under discipline by penance, and then will you be able to have a sure confidence.
7. Oh, you fool! Why do you think that you will live long when you are not guaranteed a single day? How many have been deceived, and suddenly have been snatched away from the body! How many times have you heard how one was slain by the sword, another was drowned, another falling from on high broke his neck, another died at the table, another whilst at play! One died by fire, another by the sword, another by the pestilence, another by a robber. Death comes to all, and the life of men swiftly passes away like a shadow or a puff of smoke (Jas 4:14).
8. Who will remember you after your death? And who will pray for you? Work, work now, oh dearly beloved, work all that you can. For you do not know when you will die, or what shall happen to you after death. While you have time, lay up for yourself undying riches. Think of nothing but of your salvation. Care only for the things of God. Make yourself friends, by venerating the saints of God and walking in their steps, so that when you fail, you may be received into your eternal home (Lk 16:9).
9. Keep yourself as a stranger and a pilgrim upon the earth, to whom the things of the world do not matter (Ex 2:22). Keep your heart free, and lifted up towards God, for here we have no continuing city (Hb 13:14). Direct your daily prayers to Him with crying and tears, so that your spirit may be found worthy to pass happily after death unto its Lord. Amen.