the Imitation of Christ

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MoNiCa4316

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:wave:hi everyone!! I've been away for a little bit from my computer, but during this time, I had an idea for a new thread ;) (btw I'm back now, and I hope everyone is doing well; I see I have many threads to catch up on :))

Have any of you read the Imitation of Christ? I think it's such a wonderful book and it's been read and loved by many Saints and Christians around the world.

If you've read it, what did you think of it? I'm still reading it right now btw. I think it's just a really helpful book. If you haven't read it but would like to, maybe I could post it chapter by chapter here on this thread, and we can all read it together :) (sort of like the Divine Mercy in my Soul thread). Perhaps we can discuss it? Let me know if you're interested. It's available online btw for free.. it's an old book.

Peace :hug:

monica
 

Annolennar

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I was once on a trip when I found myself in a place that had some used books for sale. One of the books was an old copy of The Imitation of Christ that had handwritten notes and short prayers written in beside the text throughout the book.

I have no idea who wrote them, but I was intrigued and bought the book. Sadly, I haven't gotten around to reading it all the way through yet.

I'll have to put it high on my priority list.
 
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MoNiCa4316

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I was once on a trip when I found myself in a place that had some used books for sale. One of the books was an old copy of The Imitation of Christ that had handwritten notes and short prayers written in beside the text throughout the book.

I have no idea who wrote them, but I was intrigued and bought the book. Sadly, I haven't gotten around to reading it all the way through yet.

I'll have to put it high on my priority list.

that's so cool, I love used books :D it's so interesting when they have things written inside :)

Hi Monica!

Yes, I would love to go over it chapter by chapter. I bought the book sometime ago and haven't read it all yet. It's been sitting on the shelf telling me to pick it up. :)

sounds great! :) that way we could all focus on one chapter at a time and really take it all in.

btw, lol I have soo many books like that, that I bought and read a bit of, but for some reason never finished. :blush:

Where ya been? We've missed you.

Tad

:hug:aw I've missed you all too. I didn't have access to my computer for a few weeks, I finally got it back. I'm glad I'm back, I've missed OBOB! :)

God bless!

monica
 
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MoNiCa4316

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Well since there are some people interested already, (myself included ;) I want to finish this book, lol) I think I'm going to start. :)

Feel free to add ANY comments...and not just about the current chapter, but about the book in general..and if you've read it or not; what you thought of it, etc :)
Would it be alright with everyone if I post a chapter every two days? Just so that we'd all have time to read it and reflect upon it.

I won't post any chapters yet though and wait till more people see this thread.

I thought I'd just post something about the book first :)

here's an entry from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Imitation_of_Christ_(book)
 
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Michie

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:wave:hi everyone!! I've been away for a little bit from my computer, but during this time, I had an idea for a new thread ;) (btw I'm back now, and I hope everyone is doing well; I see I have many threads to catch up on :))

Have any of you read the Imitation of Christ? I think it's such a wonderful book and it's been read and loved by many Saints and Christians around the world.

If you've read it, what did you think of it? I'm still reading it right now btw. I think it's just a really helpful book. If you haven't read it but would like to, maybe I could post it chapter by chapter here on this thread, and we can all read it together :) (sort of like the Divine Mercy in my Soul thread). Perhaps we can discuss it? Let me know if you're interested. It's available online btw for free.. it's an old book.

Peace :hug:

monica
Yes. It's a wonderful book. I have several copies. One antique. I was instructed to read it slowly & meditate on each subject as I went along.

Its a book meant to be read over & over.
 
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MoNiCa4316

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BOOK ONE

THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL



The First Chapter

IMITATING CHRIST AND DESPISING ALL VANITIES ON EARTH


HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord.[1] 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."[2] 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."

:) there'll be two days for reading and reflection and then I'll post the next one. I'll post my thoughts on it tomorrow. There's a part of this chapter that really speaks to me, the part about "it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God"
 
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CathNancy

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It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life.

This speaks to volumes to me. As Jesus asks, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his immortal soul?" The things of this world pass away, it is only God's love for us that is eternal. Too often today many are wrapped up in what we want and cannot distinguish our wants from our needs. We need housing, we want a big house, we need food, we want our favorite foods, we need clothing, we want designer clothes, we need transportation, we want a new car. If God has blessed us with some of our wants, this is not a bad thing as long as we realize that they are gifts from God and we share our good fortune with those less fortunate. It is when our goals become material things that we have lost site of what is important in our life, in fact, if we have made material goods our primary goal, we have made them our god. This can make for a very unhappy life because we may never have enough, we can become very protective of our wealth, hording it, and wealth can be taken away in an instant.

So the question is, what is a life well spent? Do we seek first God and His kingdom or do we seek the "good life" where we have all that we may desire? What is our hearts desire? Is it material wealth and the praise and/or envy of our neighbors or is it God and doing what is His will for us? God's will can be difficult, but when we seek God, we know that He is there with us, caring for us when adversity comes our way. Without God, there is only desolation and hopelessness.

God Bless,
Nancy
 
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ShannonMcCatholic

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I have read it through several times. SOme of the stuff I find helpful, some of it I find either not helpful or harmful for me. I think it's important to note that the intended audience for that book was not laity--so tot take what is truly useful to you from it, and leave the rest.

That's one of those boks that's not recommended for people with a melancholic temeperament, IIRC. So it might be useful to figure out which of the four temperaments you are before reading.
 
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WordofGod

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Shannon you are correct, The Imitation of Christ was written for those in the religious life, but there are many things that the laity can take from the book, IMO. We too are called to live a life that is holy.

God Bless,
Nancy


Amen.:crossrc:
 
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MoNiCa4316

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That's one of those boks that's not recommended for people with a melancholic temeperament, IIRC. So it might be useful to figure out which of the four temperaments you are before reading.

:wave:why do you think so, Shannon?

I found this Christian article on the four temperaments: http://www.angelicum.net/html/four_temperaments.html

about those with a melancholic temperament, it says:

3. Serious conception of life. The melancholic looks at life always from the serious side. At the core of his heart there is always a certain sadness, 'a weeping of the heart,' not because the melancholic is sick or morbid, as many claim, but because he is permeated with a strong longing for an ultimate good (God) and eternity, and feels continually hampered by earthly and temporal affairs and impeded in his cravings. The melancholic is a stranger here below and feels homesick for God and eternity.

I think this is a lot like the book, in some ways.. ;)

anyway, I'm interested in why you think so.

For myself, I think I'm sort of a mix of melancholic and sanguine, but really, who knows. I seem to be a little bit of everything lol.
 
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MoNiCa4316

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It is true that this book was written for monks/nuns, but I also believe that we're all called to live a holy life and to seek God and love Him more than the world.. so I don't know I think it's a useful book, at least it is for me :) if someone doesn't find it helpful though, that's alright, people have different approaches to their faith.

God bless :hug:
 
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MoNiCa4316

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This speaks to volumes to me. As Jesus asks, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his immortal soul?" The things of this world pass away, it is only God's love for us that is eternal. Too often today many are wrapped up in what we want and cannot distinguish our wants from our needs. We need housing, we want a big house, we need food, we want our favorite foods, we need clothing, we want designer clothes, we need transportation, we want a new car. If God has blessed us with some of our wants, this is not a bad thing as long as we realize that they are gifts from God and we share our good fortune with those less fortunate. It is when our goals become material things that we have lost site of what is important in our life, in fact, if we have made material goods our primary goal, we have made them our god. This can make for a very unhappy life because we may never have enough, we can become very protective of our wealth, hording it, and wealth can be taken away in an instant.

So the question is, what is a life well spent? Do we seek first God and His kingdom or do we seek the "good life" where we have all that we may desire? What is our hearts desire? Is it material wealth and the praise and/or envy of our neighbors or is it God and doing what is His will for us? God's will can be difficult, but when we seek God, we know that He is there with us, caring for us when adversity comes our way. Without God, there is only desolation and hopelessness.

God Bless,
Nancy

That's a great reflection Nancy :hug:and very true. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

God bless!
 
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MoNiCa4316

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For myself, this really spoke to me when I read it:

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.

In my experience, (I don't know if it's true for others) sometimes I'd measure my relationship with God by how much I know, read, understand, etc. But all that He is really looking for is obedience, love, humility, and submission to His will.. if we seek to do the will of the Father, that is all that we really need. And if we understand everything in the Bible, but do not put it into practice, and have pride and self will, then our understanding will not help us; in fact we would be wasting the graces that we have received.

So this chapter just confirms for me something that God has been showing me lately as well. He has been really showing me that we should come to Him like little children. :) it is better to have love for God and others and a contrite heart, than all the understanding in the world and even live a virtuous life and no love/humility.
 
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ShannonMcCatholic

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Shannon you are correct, The Imitation of Christ was written for those in the religious life, but there are many things that the laity can take from the book, IMO. We too are called to live a life that is holy.

God Bless,
Nancy
Absolutely we are called to be holy! But how we live out the day to day reality of holiness is gonna be different from that of cloistered religious. The book isn't dogmatic or anything, A Kempis isn't a doctor of the Church or even a canonised Saint. That is NOT to say that it might not be spiritually beneficial in part, or even in whole for some people.

Here's my understanding of how this relates to the melancholic temperment (who will likely be very drawn to a Kempis)--melancholics tend to view God as judge (they tend to be very black and white in their view point)and have a tendnecy to be sort of check-list people, they tend to be perfectionists. Books like the Imitation can yield to despair in melancholics, beause they can tend to feel distanced from the love and mercy of God and focus rather on the seemingly impossible to attain standards of holiness. To grow in virtue, melancholics must focus on grwoing in confidence in God and God's love and goodness. I wish Carrye was still around posting--she could tell us more, IIRC.
 
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