The Imitation of Christ

by Thomas à Kempis; Croft, Aloysius; Bolton, Harold

• ISBN13: 9780486431857
• ISBN10: 0486431851
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-18
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

This classic, second only to the Bible for religious instruction and inspiration, has brought understanding and comfort to millions for centuries. Written in a candid and conversational style, the topics include liberation from worldly inclinations, preparation and consolations of prayer, and the place of eucharistic communion in a devout life.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul
Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth	1	(1)
Having a Humble Opinion of Self	2	(1)
The Doctrine of Truth	3	(1)
Prudence in Action	4	(1)
Reading the Holy Scripture	5	(1)
Unbridled Affections	5	(1)
Avoiding False Hope and Pride	6	(1)
Shunning Over-Familiarity	6	(1)
Obedience and Subjection	7	(1)
Avoiding Idle Talk	7	(1)
Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection	8	(1)
The Value of Adversity	9	(1)
Resisting Temptation	10	(1)
Avoiding Rash Judgment	11	(1)
Works Done in Charity	12	(1)
Bearing with the Faults of Others	12	(1)
Monastic Life	13	(1)
The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers	14	(1)
The Practices of a Good Religious	15	(1)
The Love of Solitude and Silence	16	(2)
Sorrow of Heart	18	(1)
Thoughts on the Misery of Man	19	(2)
Thoughts on Death	21	(2)
Judgment and the Punishment of Sin	23	(2)
Zeal in Amending Our Lives	25	(3)
The Interior Life
Meditation	28	(2)
Humility	30	(1)
Goodness and Peace in Man	31	(1)
Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose	32	(1)
Ourselves	32	(1)
The Joy of a Good Conscience	33	(1)
Loving Jesus Above All Things	34	(1)
The Intimate Friendship of Jesus	35	(1)
Wanting No Share in Comfort	36	(2)
Appreciating God's Grace	38	(1)
Few Love the Cross of Jesus	39	(1)
The Royal Road of the Holy Cross	40	(4)
Internal Consolation
The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul	44	(1)
Truth Speaks Inwardly Without the Sound of Words	45	(1)
Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them	46	(2)
We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth	48	(1)
The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love	49	(2)
The Proving of a True Lover	51	(1)
Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility	52	(2)
Self-Abasement in the Sight of God	54	(1)
All Things Should be Referred to God as Their Last End	54	(1)
To Despise the World and Serve God Is Sweet	55	(1)
The Longings of Our Hearts Must Be Examined and Moderated	56	(1)
Acquiring Patience in the Fight Against Concupiscence	57	(2)
The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to the Example of Jesus Christ	59	(1)
Consider the Hidden Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud of Your Own Good Deeds	60	(1)
How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing	61	(1)
True Comfort Is to Be Sought in God Alone	62	(1)
All Our Care Is to Be Placed in God	63	(1)
Temporal Sufferings Should Be Borne Patiently, After the Example of Christ	64	(1)
True Patience in Suffering	65	(1)
Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life	66	(1)
Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God	67	(2)
Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God	69	(1)
Four Things Which Bring Great Peace	70	(2)
Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others	72	(1)
The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress	72	(2)
The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer Rather Than by Study	74	(1)
Self-Love Is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good	75	(1)
Strength Against Slander	76	(1)
How We Must Call Upon and Bless the Lord When Trouble Presses	76	(1)
The Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace	77	(1)
To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures	78	(2)
Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites	80	(1)
Restlessness of Soul---Directing Our Final Intention Toward God	81	(1)
God Is Sweet Above All Things and in All Things to Those Who Love Him	82	(1)
There Is No Security from Temptation in This Life	83	(1)
The Vain Judgments of Men	84	(1)
Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart	85	(1)
The Right Ordering of External Affairs; Recourse to God in Dangers	86	(1)
A Man Should Not be Unduly Solicitous About His Affairs	87	(1)
Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing	88	(1)
Contempt for All Earthly Honor	89	(1)
Peace Is Not to be Placed in Men	89	(1)
Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge	90	(1)
Do Not be Concerned About Outward Things	91	(1)
All Men Are Not to Be Believed, For It Is Easy to Err in Speech	92	(1)
Trust in God Against Slander	93	(2)
Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life	95	(1)
The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of This Life	96	(1)
The Desire of Eternal Life; The Great Rewards Promised to Those Who Struggle	97	(2)
How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself into the Hands of God	99	(2)
When We Cannot Attain to the Highest, We Must Practice the Humble Works	101	(1)
A Man Ought Not to Consider Himself Worthy of Consolation, But Rather Deserving of Chastisement	102	(1)
God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded	103	(1)
The Different Motions of Nature and Grace	104	(2)
The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace	106	(2)
We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing the Cross	108	(1)
A Man Should Not Be Too Downcast When He Falls into Defects	109	(1)
High Matters and the Hidden Judgments of God Are Not to Be Scrutinized	110	(3)
All Hope and Trust Are to Be Fixed in God Alone	113	(2)
An Invitation to Holy Communion
The Great Reverence with Which We Should Receive Christ	115	(3)
God's Great Goodness and Love Is Shown to Man in This Sacrament	118	(2)
It Is Profitable to Receive Communion Often	120	(1)
Many Blessings Are Given Those Who Receive Communion Worthily	121	(2)
The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood	123	(1)
An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to Do Before Communion	124	(1)
The Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend	125	(1)
The Offering of Christ on the Cross; Our Offering	126	(1)
We Should Offer Ourselves and All That We Have to God, Praying for All	127	(1)
Do Not Lightly Forego Holy Communion	128	(2)
The Body of Christ and Sacred Scripture Are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul	130	(2)
The Communicant Should Prepare Himself for Christ with Great Care	132	(1)
With All Her Heart the Devout Soul Should Desire Union with Christ in the Sacrament	133	(1)
The Ardent Longing of Devout Men for the Body of Christ	134	(1)
The Grace of Devotion Is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial	135	(1)
We Should Show Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace	136	(1)
The Burning Love and Strong Desire to Receive Christ	137	(1)
Man Should Not Scrutinize This Sacrament in Curiosity, but Humbly Imitate Christ and Submit Reason to Holy Faith	138