Selections from Thomas A’ Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ

As noted in a recent summary of my summer reading,[1] Thomas A’ Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ has played a considerable role in shaping the Christian spirituality of hundreds of millions throughout the last 500 years. I consider him to be a vital mentor and his The Imitation of Christ to be a basic book to read for both new and old Christians.
 
Of course, reading the entire The Imitation of Christ is the best option. However, if you are not convinced yet about its value, here are some choice nuggets to entice you to give the work a chance. What follows are quotes taken from a larger context, so to get the fuller meaning you need to read the entire book. (The book is divided into four parts, so, for instance, (1.2) means part 1, section 2.)

• Judgement of Others 

“If you see any person sin or commit any great crime openly before you, do not judge yourself to be better than he, for you know not how long you shall preserve in goodness. We are all frail, but you shall judge no man more frail than yourself.” (1.2)
 

• Struggle With Self
  

“A good devout man so orders his outward business that it does not draw him to love of it; rather, he compels his business to be obedient to the will of the spirit, and to the right judgment of reason. Who wages a stronger battle than he who labours to overcome himself?” (1.3)
 

• Retirement
  

“Tell me, where now are all the great students in famous scholars whom you have known? When alive, they flourished greatly in their learning, but now, others have succeeded to their posts and promotions, and I cannot tell whether their successors give them a thought. In their lifetime they were considered great in the world; Now, little is spoken of them. Oh, how swiftly the glory of this world, with all its falls, deceitful pleasures, passes away. Would to God their life had accorded well with their learning, for then would they have studied and read well. How many perish daily in this world by vain learning who care little for a good life and for the service of God. And because they desire to be great in the world rather than to be humble, they vanish away in their learning as smoke in the air.” (1.3)
 

• Early Resistance to Temptation
  

“As medicine for the body is administered too late when the sickness has been allowed to increase by long continuance, so it is with temptation. First, an unclean thought comes to the mind, then follows his strong phantasm, then pleasure in it in various evil motions, and at the end follows a full consent; so, little by little, the enemy gains full entrance, because he is not wisely resisted at the beginning. The slower man is in resisting, the weaker he is to resist, and the enemy is daily stronger against him.” (1.13)
 

• Be Patient with Others
  

“If you admonish any person once or twice, and he will not accept it, do not strive too much with him, but commit all to God, that His will may be done, and His honor acknowledged in his servants, for by His goodness He can well turn evil into good. Study always to be patient in bearing other men’s defects, for you have many in yourself that others suffer from you, and if you cannot make yourself be as you would, how may you then look do you have another regulated in all things to suit your will? (1.16)
 

• Spiritual Zeal
  

“Nowadays he is accounted virtuous who is not an offender, and who may with patience keep some little spark about virtue and of that fervor he had it first - but alas, for sorrow, it is through our own sloth and negligence, and through wasting our time, that we have so soon fallen from our first fervor into such a spiritual weakness in dullness that it is boring, as it were, to be alive. What to God that the desire to profit in virtue were not so utterly asleep in us, who have so often seen the example of the blessed Saints.” (1.18)
 

• Seek Solitude
  

“Seek for convenient time to search your own conscience and think often of the benefits of God. Abandoned curiosity and read such matters as shall stir you to compunction of heart for your sins, rather than only to pass the time period if you withdraw yourself from superfluous words and from unprofitable business, and from hearing rumors and idle tales, you will find convenient time to be occupied in holy meditation.” (1.20)
 

• Judging Oneself
  

“We can quickly reprove small faults in our neighbors, but we do not see our own faults, which are much greater. We soon feel and deeply ponder on what we suffer from others, but we will not consider what others suffer from us. He who would well and righteously judge his own defect should not so rigorously judge defects of his neighbors.” (2.5)
 

• The Cross
  

“Jesus has many lovers of His Kingdom of heaven, but he has few bearers of His cross. Many desire His consolation, but few desire His tribulation. He finds many comrades in eating and drinking, but He finds few who will be with Him in his abstinence and fasting. All men would joy with Christ, but few will suffer anything for Christ. Many follow Him to the breaking of His bread, for their bodily refreshment, but few will follow Him to drink a draft of his chalice of His passion. Many honor His miracles, but few will follow the shame of His cross and His other ignominies. Many love Jesus as long as no adversity befalls them, and keep raising blessed Him whenever they receive any benefits from Him, but if Jesus withdraws a little from them and forsakes them a bit, they soon fall into some great grumbling or excessive dejection or into open despair.” (3.12)
 

• Discernment
  

“Not every desire comes from the Holy Spirit, though it seemed right and just. It is sometimes quite hard to judge whether good or evil spirit moves you to this or to that, or whether you were moved by your own spirit. Many are deceived in the end, who first appeared to have been moved by the Holy Spirit.” (3.15)
 

• The Way of Peace
  

“Study, my son, to fulfill another man’s well rather than your own. Choose always to have little worldly riches rather than much. Seek, also, the lowest place, and desire to be under others rather than above them; desire always and pray that the will of God be wholly done in you. Lo, such a person enters surely into the very true way of peace in inward quiet.” (3.23)
 

• Be Not Surprised Suffering Will Come
  

“Be quiet in heart, prepare yourself for yet more suffering, for all is not lost, even though you feel yourself often troubled and grievously tempted. Remember, you are a man and not God; a man of flesh, and no angel. How can you always stand in one state of virtue, when that was not given to the angels in heaven or to the first man in paradise, who did not long stand firm. I am He who raises those who are sorrowful to help and comfort, and lifts up those who know their own unsteadiness to be grounded firm in the sight of my Godhead forever.” (3.37)
 

• Be Faithful 
  

“Continue therefore, as you were doing. Labor busily and faithfully in My vineyard, and I will shortly be your reward. Write, read, sing, mourn, be quiet and pray, and suffer adversity gladly, for the kingdom of heaven is worth more than all these things, and is much greater than they. Peace that is known to Me will come one day, and that will not be a day of this life, but a day everlasting with infinite clarity, steadfast peace, and secure rest without end.” (3.47)
 

• Lament
  

“The heavenly citizens know well how joyful that day is, but we exiles, the children of Eve, weep and bewail the bitterness and weariness of this day, that is, of this present life, short and evil, full of sorrows and anguish, where man is often defiled by sin, encumbered by passion, disquieted by dread, bound by carers, bruised by vanities, blinded by errors, overburdened with labours, vexed by temptations, overcome by the delights and pleasures of the world, and sometimes grievously tormented by poverty and need.” (3.48)
 

• Be Select in Questioning God​
  

“My son, beware not to dispute of high matters and of the secret judgments of God: why this man is so abandoned and forsaken by God, and why this man is given so great grace, why, also, one man is so much troubled, and another is so greatly advanced. These things surpass all man’s knowledge and no man’s reason or inquisition can suffer to search God’s judgments. Therefore, when the spiritual enemy stirs you to such things or any inquisitive man ask you such questions, answer with the prophet David and say: ‘Lord, You are just and Your judgments are true, and are justified in themselves.” (3.58)

[1]..https://www.gordonlheath.com/blog/thomas-a-kempis-and-starting-seminary?fbclid=IwY2xjawMdShZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHshECqeu1iQ04B3LjJ0YHJNIgdwCMrbDhEKvp1yJv7ZD-nsDn1cexbBq54rd_aem_DV333cuHfQxjkXAUtK3bVA