Episode 11 – The Imitation of Christ: My God and My All

In Book 3, Chapter 34 of The Imitation of Christ, the disciple says, “Behold my God, and my all! What would I have more and what can I desire more happy? O sweet and savory word! but to him that loves the word, not the world, nor the things that are in the world.”

“My God and my all! Enough is said to him that understands; and it is delightful to him that loves to repeat it often. You give tranquility to the heart and great peace and pleasant joy. You make us to think well of all and praise You in all things, nor can anything without You afford any lasting pleasure.”

This exhortation from the disciple in Book 3, Chapter 34 of The Imitation of Christ inspired Fr. Robert Nixon to advise using the phrase, “My God and my all,” often in prayer. “I recommend perhaps trying to repeat that several times as a prayer or as a meditation at various moments throughout the day,” Fr. Nixon says, “to reflect on my God and my all, simply His greatness and glory and infinity and eternity without asking for anything, without asking for help, even without asking for mercy, but just pure reflection on that wonderful glory of God, which is pure love. He says that, speaking to God, ‘You make us to think well of all things and to praise all things.’ And this is a remarkable thing because I guess for most people, myself included, it’s quite rare to be able to say that we think well of all things and think well of all people. We can probably think of at least half a dozen people who we don’t think that well of.”

Episode 11 of The Commentaries dives into Book Three of The Imitation of Christ, chapters 32-37.