Episode 16 – The Imitation of Christ: The Best and Fairest Room

Book 4, Chapter 12 of The Imitation of Christ tells us how to properly prepare to receive the Holy Eucharist. “Shut out the whole world, and all the tumult of vices: sit like a sparrow solitary on the housetop, and think in your excess and in the bitterness of your soul. For every lover prepares the best and fairest room for his dearly beloved; and hereby is known the affection of him that entertains his beloved.”

Fr. Robert Nixon thinks this section on the Blessed Sacrament is particularly important. “We need to try to put things in order. If we can imagine if we had a guest coming to our house, we would take care of things. And the example he gives of someone receiving a beloved. And you can imagine in the early stages of a romance and hopefully in married life, hopefully people take care that they’re making a fitting dwelling place for the person who they love so much. And Christ, of course, we love above all other things. So can we beautify, can we put into order, can we clean up the chambers of our heart and soul so that we’re ready to receive this most beloved of guests?”

Episode 16 of The Commentaries dives into Book Four of The Imitation of Christ, chapters 8-14.