"This is the greatest wisdom—to seek the kingdom
of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and
trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed
up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire
things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for
long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be
concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come.
It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal
joy abides."
(Imitation of Christ, Book One).
