Tag: Thomas A. Kempis

  • PURE AND ENTIRE RESIGNATION OF SELF TO OBTAIN FREEDOM OF HEART

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, renounce self and you shall find Me. Give up your own self-will, your possessions, and you shall always gain. For once you resign yourself irrevocably, greater grace will be given you. THE DISCIPLE How often, Lord, shall I resign myself? And in what shall I forsake…

  • THE VAIN JUDGMENTS OF MAN

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, trust firmly in the Lord, and do not fear the judgment of men when conscience tells you that you are upright and innocent. For it is good and blessed to suffer such things, and they will not weigh heavily on the humble heart that trusts in…

  • THERE IS NO SECURITY FROM TEMPTATION IN THIS LIFE

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, in this life you are never safe, and as long as you live the weapons of the spirit will ever be necessary to you. You dwell among enemies. You are subject to attack from the right and the left. If, therefore, you do not guard yourself…

  • GOD IS SWEET ABOVE ALL THINGS AND IN ALL THINGS TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM

    Imitation of Christ THE DISCIPLE BEHOLD, my God and my all! What more do I wish for; what greater happiness can I desire? O sweet and delicious word! But sweet only to him who loves it, and not to the world or the things that are in the world. My God and my all! These…

  • RESTLESSNESS OF SOUL – DIRECTING OUR FINAL INTENTION TOWARD GOD

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, do not trust in your present feeling, for it will soon give way to another. As long as you live you will be subject to changeableness in spite of yourself. You will become merry at one time and sad at another, now peaceful but again disturbed,…

  • SELF-DENIAL AND THE RENUNCIATION OF EVIL APPETITES

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, you can never be perfectly free unless you completely renounce self, for all who seek their own interest and who love themselves are bound in fetters. They are unsettled by covetousness and curiosity, always searching for ease and not for the things of Christ, often devising…

  • TO FIND THE CREATOR, FORSAKE ALL CREATURES

    Imitation of Christ THE DISCIPLE O LORD, I am in sore need still of greater grace if I am to arrive at the point where no man and no created thing can be an obstacle to me. For as long as anything holds me back, I cannot freely fly to You. He that said “Oh…

  • HOW WE MUST CALL UPON AND BLESS THE LORD WHEN TROUBLE PRESSES

    Imitation of Christ THE DISCIPLE BLESSED be Your name forever, O Lord, Who have willed that this temptation and trouble come upon me. I cannot escape it, yet I must fly to You that You may help me and turn it to my good. Now I am troubled, Lord, and my heart is not at…

  • STRENGTH AGAINST SLANDER

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, do not take it to heart if some people think badly of you and say unpleasant things about you. You ought to think worse things of yourself and to believe that no one is weaker than yourself. Moreover, if you walk in the spirit you will…

  • SELF-LOVE IS THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO THE HIGHEST GOOD

    Imitation of Christ THE VOICE OF CHRIST MY CHILD, you should give all for all, and in no way belong to yourself. You must know that self-love is more harmful to you than anything else in the world. In proportion to the love and affection you have for a thing, it will cling to you…