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Thomas á Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
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THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL
AN INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION
BOOK ONE THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL
The First ChapterImitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth
The Second Chapter Having a Humble Opinion of Self
The Third Chapter The Doctrine of Truth
The Fourth Chapter Prudence in Action
The Fifth Chapter Reading the Holy Scripture
The Sixth Chapter Unbridled Affections
The Seventh Chapter Avoiding False Hope and Pride
The Eighth Chapter Shunning Over-Familiarity
The Ninth Chapter Obedience and Subjection
The Tenth Chapter Avoiding Idle Talk
The Eleventh Chapter Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection
The Twelfth Chapter The Value of Adversity
The Thirteenth Chapter Resisting Temptation
The Fourteenth Chapter Avoiding Rash Judgment
The Fifteenth Chapter Works Done in Charity
The Sixteenth Chapter Bearing with the Faults of Others
The Seventeenth Chapter Monastic Life
The Eighteenth Chapter The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers
The Nineteenth Chapter The Practices of a Good Religious
The Twentieth Chapter The Love of Solitude and Silence
The Twenty-First Chapter Sorrow of Heart
The Twenty-Second Chapter Thoughts on the Misery of Man
The Twenty-Third Chapter Thoughts on Death
The Twenty-Fourth Chapter Judgment and the Punishment of Sin
The Twenty-Fifth Chapter Zeal in Amending our Lives
The Third Chapter Goodness and Peace in Man
The Fourth Chapter Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose
The Sixth Chapter The Joy of a Good Conscience
The Seventh Chapter Loving Jesus Above All Things
The Eighth Chapter The Intimate Friendship of Jesus
The Ninth Chapter Wanting No Share in Comfort
The Tenth Chapter Appreciating God's Grace
The Eleventh Chapter Few Love the Cross of Jesus
The Twelfth Chapter The Royal Road of the Holy Cross
BOOK THREE INTERNAL CONSOLATION
The First Chapter The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul
The Second Chapter Truth Speaks Inwardly Without the Sound of Words
The Third Chapter Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them
The Fourth Chapter We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth
The Fifth Chapter The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love
The Sixth Chapter The Proving of a True Lover
The Seventh Chapter Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility
The Eighth Chapter Self-Abasement in the Sight of God
The Ninth Chapter All Things should be Referred to God as their Last End
The Tenth Chapter To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet
The Eleventh Chapter The Longings of our Hearts Must Be Examined And Moderated
The Twelfth Chapter Acquiring Patience in the Fight Against Concupiscence
The Thirteenth Chapter The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to the Example of Jesus Christ
The Fifteenth Chapter How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing
A Prayer that the Will of God Be Done
The Sixteenth Chapter True Comfort Is to Be Sought in God Alone
The Seventeenth Chapter All Our Care is to Be Placed in God
The Eighteenth Chapter Temporal Sufferings Should Be Borne Patiently, After the Example of Christ
The Nineteenth Chapter True Patience in Suffering
Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life
Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God
Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God
Four Things Which Bring Great Peace
A Prayer for Enlightening the Mind
Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others
The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress
The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer Rather Than By Study
Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good
A Prayer for Cleansing the Heart and Obtaining Heavenly Wisdom
How We Must Call Upon and Bless the Lord When Trouble Presses
The Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace
To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures
Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites
Restlessness of Soul -- Directing Our Final Intention Toward God
God is Sweet Above All Things and in All Things to Those Who Love Him
There is No Security from Temptation in This Life
Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart
The Right Ordering of External Affairs Recourse to God in Dangers
A Man Should Not Be Unduly Solicitous About His Affairs
Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing
Contempt for All Earthly Honor
Peace is Not to Be Placed in Men
Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge
Do Not Be Concerned About Outward Things
All Men Are Not to Be Believed, for It Is Easy to Err in Speech
Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life
The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of This Life
The Desire of Eternal Life the Great Rewards Promised to Those Who Struggle
How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself Into the Hands of God
When We Cannot Attain to the Highest, We Must Practice the Humble Works
A Man Ought Not to Consider Himself Worthy of Consolation, But Rather Deserving of Chastisement
God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded
The Different Motions of Nature and Grace
The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace
A Man Should Not Be Too Downcast When He Falls Into Defects
High Matters and the Hidden Judgments of God Are Not to Be Scrutinized
All Hope and Trust Are to Be Fixed In God Alone
BOOK FOUR AN INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Reverence With Which We Should Receive Christ
God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament
It Is Profitable to Receive Communion Often
Many Blessings Are Given Those Who Receive Communion Worthily
The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood
An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to Do Before Communion
The Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend
The Offering of Christ on the Cross Our Offering
We Should Offer Ourselves and All That We Have to God, Praying for All
Do Not Lightly Forego Holy Communion
The Body of Christ and Sacred Scripture Are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul
The Communicant Should Prepare Himself for Christ with Great Care
With All Her Heart the Devout Soul Should Desire Union with Christ in the Sacrament
The Ardent Longing of Devout Men for the Body of Christ
The Grace of Devotion is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial
We Should Show Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace
We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing the Cross
The Voice of Christ
MY CHILD, the more you depart from yourself, the more you will be able to enter into Me. As the giving up of exterior things brings interior peace, so the forsaking of self unites you to God. I will have you learn perfect surrender to My will, without contradiction or complaint.
Follow Me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without the Way, there is no going. Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way which you must follow, the Truth which you must believe, the Life for which you must hope. I am the inviolable Way, the infallible Truth, the unending Life. I am the Way that is straight, the supreme Truth, the Life that is true, the blessed, the uncreated Life. If you abide in My Way you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free, and you shall attain life everlasting.
If you wish to enter into life, keep My commandments. If you will know the truth, believe in Me. If you will be perfect, sell all. If you will be My disciple, deny yourself. If you will possess the blessed life, despise this present life. If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself on earth. If you wish to reign with Me, carry the Cross with Me. For only the servants of the Cross find the life of blessedness and of true light.
The Disciple
Lord Jesus, because Your way is narrow and despised by the world, grant that I may despise the world and imitate You. For the servant is not greater than his Lord, nor the disciple above the Master. Let Your servant be trained in Your life, for there is my salvation and true holiness. Whatever else I read or hear does not fully refresh or delight me.
The Voice of Christ
My child, now that you know these things and have read them all, happy will you be if you do them. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me. And I will love him and will show Myself to him, and will bring it about that he will sit down with Me in My Father's Kingdom.
The Disciple
Lord Jesus, as You have said, so be it, and what You have promised, let it be my lot to win. I have received the cross, from Your hand I have received it. I will carry it, carry it even unto death as You have laid it upon me. Truly, the life of a good religious man is a cross, but it leads to paradise. We have begun -- we may not go back, nor may we leave off.
Take courage, brethren, let us go forward together and Jesus will be with us. For Jesus' sake we have taken this cross. For Jesus' sake let us persevere with it. He will be our help as He is also our leader and guide. Behold, our King goes before us and will fight for us. Let us follow like men. Let no man fear any terrors. Let us be prepared to meet death valiantly in battle. Let us not suffer our glory to be blemished by fleeing from the Cross.