The only book that St. Ignatius had in his room at the time of his death
was purported to be The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
Link (here)
Friend of the Humble Supper at Emmaus |
First keep thyself in peace, and then shalt thou be able to be a
peacemaker towards others. A peaceable man doth more good than a
well-learned. A passionate man turneth even good into evil and easily
believeth evil; a good, peaceable man converteth all things into good.
He who dwelleth in peace is suspicious of none, but he who is
discontented and restless is tossed with many suspicions, and is neither
quiet himself nor suffereth others to be quiet. He often saith what he
ought not to say, and omitteth what it were more expedient for him to
do. He considereth to what duties others are bound, and neglecteth those
to which he is bound himself. Therefore be zealous first over thyself,
and then mayest thou righteously be zealous concerning thy neighbour.
2. Thou knowest well how to excuse and to colour thine own deeds, but
thou wilt not accept the excuses of others. It would be more just to
accuse thyself and excuse thy brother. If thou wilt that others bear
with thee, bear thou with others. Behold how far thou art as yet from
the true charity and humility which knows not how to be angry or
indignant against any save self alone. It is no great thing to mingle
with the good and the meek, for this is naturally pleasing to all, and
every one of us willingly enjoyeth peace and liketh best those who think
with us: but to be able to live peaceably with the hard and perverse,
or with the disorderly, or those who oppose us, this is a great grace
and a thing much to be commended and most worthy of a man.
3. There are who keep themselves in peace and keep peace also with
others, and there are who neither have peace nor suffer others to have
peace; they are troublesome to others, but always more troublesome to
themselves. And there are who hold themselves in peace, and study to
bring others unto peace; nevertheless, all our peace in this sad life
lieth in humble suffering rather than in not feeling adversities. He who
best knoweth how to suffer shall possess the most peace; that man is
conqueror of himself and lord of the world, the friend of Christ, and
the inheritor of heaven.
Link (here) to The Imitation of Christ chapter 3 entitled, Of The Good, Peaceable Man
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