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
love-is light bears
Love is a great thing, yea, a great and thorough good. By itself it makes what is heavy light; and bears evenly all that is uneven.
peace peace-and-happiness labor
Peace and happiness are what you covet, but these are only to be obtained by labor.
love deeds doe
He does much who loves God much, and he does much who does his deed well, and he does his deed well who does it rather for the common good than for his own will.
love suffering going-away
Love Him, and keep Him for thy Friend, who, when all go away, will not forsake thee, nor suffer thee to perish at the last.
soon-enough justice suffering
We feel and weigh soon enough what we suffer from others: but how much others suffer from us, of this we take no heed.
men glowing iron
As iron cast into fire loses its rust and becomes glowing white, so he who turns completely to God is stripped of his sluggishness and changed into a new man.
fall grief perfect
Count not thyself to have found true peace, if thou hast felt no grief; nor that then all is well if thou hast no adversary; nor that this is perfect, if all things fall out according to thy desire.
peace should-have busy
We should have much more peace if we would not busy ourselves with the sayings and doings of others.
adversity men virtue
Occasions of adversity best discover how great virtue or strength each one hath. For occasions do not make a man frail, but they show what he is.
mystery sincere thee
Faith is required of thee, and a sincere life, not loftiness of intellect, nor deepness in the mysteries of God.
patient failing endeavor
Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of what sort 'soever they be; for that thyself also has many failings which must be borned with by others.
art trouble glory
Thou art my glory and the exultation of y heart: thou art my hope and refuge in the day of my trouble.
quality improvement hours
Permit no hour to go by without it due improvement.
joy greed ends
All earthly joy begins pleasantly, but at the end it gnaws and kills.