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The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
I forgot to get this started last Sunday, so I waited the whole week to post this. Every Sunday I will post a chapter, and throughout the week it would be nice if we could discuss the content of the chapter and record our impressions, observations, or how we're applying it in our lives. I hope some of you will join me. Enjoy!
The First Chapter
IMITATING CHRIST AND DESPISING ALL VANITIES ON EARTH
HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.
The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.
What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.
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.
Often recall the proverb: "The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing." Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.
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This reminds me of a scene from "Bernadette" a movie produced by St. Ignatius Press. The scene takes place before the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother, and she is talking with a priest. They are talking about the Holy Trinity, and the priest is amazed at her answer and tells her "Bernadette, you know nothing...but understand everything."
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Originally Posted by PassthePeace1
This reminds me of a scene from "Bernadette" a movie produced by St. Ignatius Press. The scene takes place before the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother, and she is talking with a priest. They are talking about the Holy Trinity, and the priest is amazed at her answer and tells her "Bernadette, you know nothing...but understand everything."
Yeah, as I study Catholicism I am trying to keep my "head knowledge" and my "heart knowledge" in line. All of the theological understanding in the world isn't worth a dime if God is not real to you. But God is real to you, than theology can be an orchard of spiritual fruit.
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
"and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna."
How often I would like to find "hidden manna" to assist me with the bumps and dips and valleys of this life. To have His spirit, lift me, and feel His holy presence north and south and east and west. The manna nourishing me so that I do not 'want' for anything.
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Originally Posted by rainbojo
"and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna."
How often I would like to find "hidden manna" to assist me with the bumps and dips and valleys of this life. To have His spirit, lift me, and feel His holy presence north and south and east and west. The manna nourishing me so that I do not 'want' for anything.
Or to become almost physically dependent on the spiritual bread of Christ, that is what I want.
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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The Second Chapter
HAVING A HUMBLE OPINION OF SELF
EVERY man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars. He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men.
If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds?
Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
Many words do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mind and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.
The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance. Why prefer yourself to anyone else when many are more learned, more cultured than you?
If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel. To think of oneself as nothing, and always to think well and highly of others is the best and most perfect wisdom. Wherefore, if you see another sin openly or commit a serious crime, do not consider yourself better, for you do not know how long you can remain in good estate. All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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He who knows himself well becomes mean in his own eyes and is not happy when praised by men.
I am weak in this. I think of myself as good by my own efforts, and it tickles my ego when I am praised or applauded. I want to forget myself. The satisfaction now is not worth my soul.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:2).
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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Originally Posted by rainbojo
I guess this chapter is another way of simply saying; 'be humble'.
Now if only it was as easy to accomplish as it is to say!
__________________ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother" (John 19:26-27). I am not ashamed of my mother!
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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