The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis

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The hyperbolic and depressing style of writing is what’s problematic. The underlying message is actually okay - there’s nothing uncomfortable about admitting we are weak and mortal (which is what the whole “dust and ashes” adage means), imperfect and dependent on God.
 
I would suggest you avoid reading it then, if its causing you to stumble. The circumstances and social context of the past was very different, and intense hyperbolic expressions of truths were common. Kempis rhetorically asks for example (this is a paraphrase though) “If Christ was poor and sufferred, then how can we possibly desire pleasure instead?”.

If we take this literally, this would imply we shouldn’t enjoy anything at all - which us absurd and obviously false. The message rather is that we shouldn’t always just indulge ourselves with pleasure, and accept the unavoidable suffering of life and do some penance. It’s understandable how the way Kempis formulates things can be sometimes off-turning (I agree), and to reach the underlying applicable truth takes some filtration, so if you’re not in the state where you can shave off the off-turning parts, its best you dont read it.
 
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An individual’s psychology, faith, perception of self, surrounding culture and many other factors produce or provoke reactions to the spiritual classic. Let us not forget that our Lord used hyperbole in His teaching. For me, it provides perspective - not forgetting that as evil as we are (so said our Lord) we yet know how to give good things. We live in a culture and society that is heavily biased toward our goodness - and indeed we have good in us.

But, even though the Lord loves us infinitely and unreservedly, what did we recently admit on Ash Wednesday?

We are dust and to dust we shall return. Humility, no matter how learned is beneficial to our soul; to our salvation. Look, the book is not costly. If one does not like it, then simply donate it to someone who will stand to benefit from it.
 
Yes, that’s how I felt about it too.
The people who say it’s helpful often say they struggle with pride. But I’ve usually struggled with self-condemnation instead, especially when I gave in to some earthly temptation that went on for a long time.

As the other person said, the book is also a product of the culture of its time and is hyperbolic. Somebody who wrote a book nowadays trying to bring people to Christ would write something like Matthew Kelly did about “Holy Moments” or like William Barry SJ about “being God’s friend”. The cultural shift is interesting.
 
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I have it, and am about half way through it. I would recommend it to everyone, but I realize that for some people it’s not very helpful because it leads them almost to despair. You can’t know until you try, though.
 
The people who say it’s helpful often say they struggle with pride.
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And even in the case pride, it’s not necessary to use the intense / harsher approach in the Imitation (though it may help for the more stubborn to recognize the underlying message of being weak, dependent and just a non-exalted human). From my own personal experience I’ve known people who boasted and were a bit swollen, and my own internal response to this (though I didn’t bring it up in the end) was to think about gently warning them it’s wrong and empathically telling them to pray and go to Mass in order to have some peace and joy - because pride really does steal your internal peace and freedom even if you don’t know it. I didn’t think about condemning them or thinking they were horrible and like worms.

I might also add to this that I once met a good charismatic nun (with actual gifts - she knew specific things about people before they even said anything, even though she never met them before) who, after someone commented on another person by saying in a compassionate, not-at-all demeaning way “Poor, miserable guy!” responded and said “No! Don’t say that he is miserable! Nobody is miserable, only the devil is miserable!”

In other words, one doesn’t need to use overly harsh connotations to recognize, reject, know and fight sin. So it’s not necessary to view people and sinners (and we’re all both) in a too harsh, lowly way either.
 
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Yeah, I understand. I wasn’t really condemning the book, since there are many good things in there, and there’s nothing necessarily wrong with hyperbole either. It’s just that it would be good to have a bit of a revised version of the book that is more grounded in the essential message, and is a bit less intense.

And yeah, it’s not that hard to accept the fact we are imperfect sinners even if it’s described hyperbolically - evil, dust and ashes. Imagine if you had an exhausting day, or had to do boring, frustrating work for several hours, and after someone asked you how your day was you said it was just horrible, or just torture. In that sense, horrible doesn’t mean actually horrible in the serious sense of the word, and neither does torture.

So in the same way, it can be said that even those who, for example, only commit venial sins, are horrible people - not actually seriously bad people, but compared to sinlessness are just frustrating - just like a day that is exhausting to you is horrible compared to a day filled with enjoyment and pleasure, so a person with many venial sins is “horrible” compared to being sinless and holy - without being demeaning or harsh at all, since the horribleness is bearable and not… horrible (oh look a pun!). It’s just humility - knowing you have flaws even if they are venial, non-serious and aren’t biggies, and that they are bad to have and should be fought.
 
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po18guy said:
But, even though the Lord loves us infinitely and unreservedly, what did we recently admit on Ash Wednesday?
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Indeed. I actually repeat the words Our Lord said to St Catherine of Siena, over which she rejoiced:”You are nothing, and I Am Everything” - though I say it from the opposite perspective, of course (I am nothing and You are everything). To that, I can rejoice as well.
 
Read it; treat it if you will, as an extended reflection on the Confiteor, with which we confess our sins at the beginning of the mass. Let it be our guide on our path to a regular restoration of a right relationship with God.

It would not have attained its classic status among believers if there was not also encouragement and exhortation in it. Much in the fashion of the scriptures, there are different chapters, different verses which appeal to us at various points in our lives.

Our pop culture does not know what to make of it and does not immediately assimilate its teaching. If and where it is severe, it is reflective of our judgment, but on the other hand, Christ’s love and mercy are sprinkled throughout.

It is not a throwaway book, but one to be revisited at various times of our lives. There are newer translations which have phrased its teaching in terms more acceptable to moderns - but something of the original has been lost.

Bookstore shelves are lined with books which intend to build us up - and they are certainly needed - but what is also needed is a daily reminding that Christ, while being our Redeemer, Lord, Friend, Brother…

…is also our Judge.
 
I still have it in my collection, but I will wait on the urging of the Holy Spirit before returning to it. I definitely am not receiving any urging at this point - possibly due to some painful circumstances in my life right now.
Thank you, and God bless.
 
I need and want the truths that are in this book and I do cherish it.
 
I sensed something. Our faith life and spirituality can be like the tides of the ocean: ebbing and flowing. The ocean exhibits a different character during each phase and often, so do we. As it is in all things, the Lord provides for every eventuality.
 
Thanks to all for the replies, comments, etc. Very much appreciated it.

I just received my hard copy in the mail today. Have read about 20 mins worth, and must say, to me it reads a lot like Proverbs or Sirach, and I’m finding it to be very instructive.
To put all the advice into practice would be quite challenging, but certainly no more so than trying to be “a good Catholic,” compliant to Scripture, Teaching and Tradition. I think this book lends help in being that. This far I find it a fruitful endeavor…
 
Good read, it can be opened up at about anywhere and something is worth reading.

It’s very “dense” if I am using the correct word, difficult to absorb for me.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Also, it’s not a book you read cover to cover, but more like the Bible in that you read where you opened it up to.
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The last time I read it, I read a prayer/chapter a day. The Pauline Press version has a nice reflection that makes it a great daily prayer resource.
Now I think it’s time for me to read it again!
 
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