the imitation of christ
the imitation of christ
Thomas À Kempis
OUR SUNDAY VISITOR PUBLISHING DIVISION
OUR SUNDAY VISITOR, INC.
HUNTINGTON, IN 46750
Except where noted, the Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible — Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition), copyright © 1965, 1966, 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture citations marked Douay-Rheims are taken from the Douay-Rheims Version of the Holy Bible (revised by Bishop Richard Challoner, 1749–1752).
Text of The Imitation of Christ adapted from the translation by Aloysius Croft and Harold Bolton, originally published by The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, WI, 1940 (original Library of Congress call number BV4821 .A1).
Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.
Copyright © 2018 by Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. Published 2018.
Preface and Archbishop John Francis Noll biography by Michael R. Heinlein, copyright © 2018 by Our Sunday Visitor.
Introduction by Leah Darrow, copyright © 2018 by Leah Darrow.
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Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.,
200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, IN 46750; 1-800-348-2440
ISBN: 978-1-68192-282-9 (Inventory No. T1965)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-283-6
LCCN: 2018944721
Cover and interior design: Lindsey Riesen
Interior art: Illustration of Thomas à Kempis by Caroline Baker Mazure
Printed in the United States of America
A contemporary selection of Catholic classics, curated for the modern reader by Our Sunday Visitor in the spirit of our founder, Archbishop John Francis Noll.
Contents
Preface by Michael R. Heinlein
Introduction by Leah Darrow
Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul
Chapter One: Imitating Christ and Despising All Earthly Vanities
Chapter Two: Having a Humble Opinion of Self
Chapter Three: The Doctrine of Truth
Chapter Four: Prudence in Action
Chapter Five: Reading Scripture
Chapter Six: Unbridled Affections
Chapter Seven: Avoiding False Hope and Pride
Chapter Eight: Avoiding Overfamiliarity
Chapter Nine: Obedience and Subjection
Chapter Ten: Avoiding Idle Talk
Chapter Eleven: Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection
Chapter Twelve: The Value of Adversity
Chapter Thirteen: Resisting Temptation
Chapter Fourteen: Avoiding Rash Judgment
Chapter Fifteen: Works Done in Charity
Chapter Sixteen: Bearing with the Faults of Others
Chapter Seventeen: Monastic Life
Chapter Eighteen: The Example Set by the Holy Fathers
Chapter Nineteen: The Practices of a Good Religious
Chapter Twenty: The Love of Solitude and Silence
Chapter Twenty-one: Sorrow of Heart
Chapter Twenty-two: Thoughts on the Misery of Humanity
Chapter Twenty-three: Thoughts on Death
Chapter Twenty-four: Judgment and the Punishment of Sin
Chapter Twenty-five: Zeal in Amending Our Lives