DEVOTION CORNER

"My Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis
Revised translation edited by Confraternity of the Precious Blood, Imprimatur Thomas Edmundus Molloy, Archbishop of Brooklyn, 1954

Book One - useful adminishes for a Spiritual Life

CHAPTER 8 Shunning too Much Familiarity

1. "Discover not thy heart to every one" - Ecclus. viii. 22; but treat of thy affairs with a man that is wise and feareth God."
Keep not much company with young people and strangers.
Be not a flatterer with the rich, nor willingly appear before the great.
Associate thyself with the humble and simple, with the devout and virtuous, and treat of those things which edify. - Rom. xiv. 19
Be not familiar with any woman; but recommend all good women in general to God.
Desire to be familiar only with God and His angels and fly the acquaintance of men.

2. We must have charity for all, but familiarity is not expedient.
It sometimes happens that a person, when not known, shines by a good reputation, who, when he is present, is disagreeable to them that see him.
We think sometimes to please others by being with them; and we begin rather to disgust them by the evil behaviour which they discover in us.