Thomas a Kempis
Thomas a Kempis
Thomas à Kempis, C.R.S.A.; c. 1380 – 25 July 1471) was a Dutch canon regular of the late medieval period and the author of The Imitation of Christ, one of the most popular and best known Christian books on devotion. His name means Thomas "of Kempen", his hometown, and in German he is known as Thomas von Kempen. He also is known by various spellings of his family name: Thomas Haemerken; Thomas Hammerlein; Thomas Hemerken and Thomas Hämerken...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionClergyman
CountryGermany
liberty libertarian done
At the day of judgment we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.
love wise perfect
Who is so wise as to have a perfect knowledge of all things? Therefore trust not too much to thine own opinion, but be ready also to hear the opinion of others. Thought thine own opinion be good, yet if for the love of God thou foregoest it, and followest that of another, thou shalt the more profit thereby.
men tongue glory
The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of men.
men may he-man
Happy is the man who renounces everything which may bring a stain or burden upon his conscience
balance neighbor
How seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
emotion sometimes zeal
We are sometimes stirred by emotion and take it for zeal.
distance lying gossip
Always keep a good distance between yourself and lying, quarreling, detracting, insulting and gossip. The person who can do that will some day learn to enjoy the silence.
way ready unprepared
Always be ready; always live in such a way that death can never find you unprepared.
prayer hinder consolation
What most of all hinders heavenly consolation is that you are too slow in turning yourself to prayer.
jesus life-and-death helping
Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.
doe
He does much who loves much.
giving sensual desire
Anyone who is not totally dead to himself will soon find that he is tempted and overcome by piddling and frivolous things. Whoever is weak in spirit, given to the flesh and inclined to sensual things can, but only with great difficulty, drag himself away from his earthly desires. Therefore he is often gloomy and sad when he is trying to pull himself away from them, and easily gives way to anger should someone attempt to oppose him.
reading writing laziness
Never be entirely idle; but either be reading, or writing, or praying or meditating or endeavoring something for the public good.
said notes has-beens
Seek not to know who said this or that, but take note of what has been said.