The Imitation of Christ

My orders from Amazon.com arrived yesterday, and fortunately, i was able to meet up with my mom tonight to pick them up. I got Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis. Both books, with shipping prices, were under $11!! It was an impulse buy, and probably not a great one since i'm low on money, but i couldn't pass up that deal.

Anyways, i opened up The Imitation of Christ tonight, and i only got through about 3 pages when i realized that i'd underlined most of the text up to that point and i needed to stop and process what i'd just read. It's incredible. Let me give you a small sampling of some great quotes from the first 4 pages:

"What good does it to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition that know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all if vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone."

"The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely you will be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you." (This reminds me of James 3:1, which scares the poo out of me!!)

"On the day of judgment, surely, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how well we have spoken but how well we have lived."

"He is truly great who has great charity. He is truly great who is little in his own eyes and makes nothing of the highest honor. He is truly wise who looks upon all earthly things as folly that he may gain Christ. He who does God's will and renounces his own is truly very learned."


Obviously, there's quite a bit about the potential pride that knowledge can bring, which is something that i tend to struggle with. So, needless to say, i'm excited about this book. Hopefully i'll actually find time to read it inbetween all the other academic learning stuff i have to do. *Sigh* I want to read so much this summer, stuff that i won't be tested on. Until then...