The first line of "The Cluttered Heart" was inspired by my reading of Thomas à Kempis's line, "Give, therefore, place to Jesus and to everything else close the door" (II.1.2). That's my translation from the Portuguese version I read.

I checked William Benham's translation and discovered I was not so far off: "Give, therefore, place to Christ and refuse entrance to all others."

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-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001