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
life confidence peace
Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame.
self-esteem esteem highest
The highest in God's esteem are the lowest in their own.
safe obeying-the-law obedience
The only safe ruler is he who has learned to obey willingly.
love light heavy
Love makes everything that is heavy light.
change finding-happiness deceiving
Many deceive themselves, imagining they'll find happiness in change.
sorrow able sin
It is better to be affected with a true penitent sorrow for sin than to be able to resolve the most difficult cases about it.
suffering complaining christ
Christ was willing to suffer wrongs and to be despised, and do you dare to complain of anything?.
vanity god-love
All is vanity but to love God and serve Him.
love self vision
Love longs to be free, a stranger to every worldly desire, lest its inner vision become dimmed, and lest worldly self-interest hinder it or ill-fortune cast it down.
adversity temptation trying
Do not try to find a place free from temptations and troubles. Rather, seek a peace that endures even when you are beset by various temptations and tried by much adversity.
law perfect desire
We would willingly have others perfect, and yet we amend not our own faults. We would have others severely corrected and will not be corrected ourselves. The large liberty of others displeases us, and yet we will not have our own desires denied us. We will have others kept under by strict laws, but in no sort will ourselves be restrained. And thus it appears how seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
jesus growth lovers
A lover of Jesus and of the truth can lift himself above himself in spirit.
passing-away earth glory
O how quickly passes away the glory of the earth.
sweet understanding delight
All His glory and beauty come from within, and there He delights to dwell, His visits there are frequent, His conversation sweet, His comforts refreshing; and His peace passing all understanding.