The Imitation of Christ. Have you read it?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jas84173
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jas84173

Guest
I have been told I should read this, that at one time every Catholic owned it and it was even referred to as “The 5th Gospel” at one time.

I feel ignorant of only recently hearing of this book. Is it worth all Catholics reading?
 
I’m borrowing one from my parish,it belonged to my old priest who has passed on, God rest him.
Yet to start 🙂
 
Last edited:
It’s a very good book for the spiritual life. I think it’s best to read it a little at a time. It is a volume of short meditations.
 
I tried. I think I was about 15 at the time and it was a bit much for me so I stopped.

Been thinking of taking another crack at it later this year.

I feel very sorry for the author, who can never be canonized because they found evidence that he possibly was buried while still alive and woke up in the coffin, and somebody decided that because of that, they couldn’t be sure he didn’t commit some kind of sinful renunciation of God while trying to get out. Like God wouldn’t write off whatever somebody did in that extreme stressful situation. We were told this story in junior high school or maybe early years of high school by some nun, talk about horror stories.
 
That might be totally myth. I have not researched it as yet.
 
Last edited:
Pope Pius XII called it the “golden book”. Pope John Paul I cited from it, in one of his few General Audiences.
 
Last edited:
One of my confessors just recommended that I read the book.

NOTE: however, he also warned me to make sure to get the book from a good Catholic publisher. He said (since it’s now in public domain) that some protestant publishers publish it too and make some changes or use re-translate it to support a protestant theology.

So I would recommend buying one of these editions:

https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/my-imitation-of-christ.html
https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/the-imitation-of-christ-zippered-cover.html
https://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/the-imitation-of-christ.html
https://www.ignatius.com/The-Imitation-of-Christ-P1272.aspx

God bless!
 
Yes. I have it on Audible also. There are books I prefer over it, but I go back to it often. It’s great to pray with also.
 
The same goes for Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. There’s more Protestant-ized versions out there than Catholic ones.
 
Last edited:
Yes. It’s not for everyone. THere are many people who are just not ready for it/.I would go on the advice of your pastor. Ask him if it’s appropriate at this stage of your spiritual life.
 
Yes, it’s a great book. I highly recommend it. I read the version sold by Baronius Press which uses an older translation.
 
I Keep it in my car, read it while waiting for doctor appointments and such. It’s a great little book. I also read parts while at Adoration.
 
I’ve read bits of it, never all the way through. Usually would read something profound and just ponder that forever.
 
I’ve gotten about a third of the way through it. There’s a lot to unpack; it’s the sort of thing you read in small segments, not in a marathon session.

I like the Ronald Knox translation; it’s very readable.

From chapter 2, Ronald Knox:
As for knowledge, it comes natural to all of us to want it; but what can knowledge do for us, without the fear of God? Give me a plain, unpretentious farm-hand, content to serve God; there is more to be made of him than of some conceited University professor who forgets that he has a soul to save, because he is so busy watching the stars. To know yourself-- that means feeling your own worthlessness, losing all taste for human praise. If my knowledge embraced the whole of creation, what good would it do me in God’s sight? It is by my actions that he will judge me.
Click to expand...
Bernham translation:
There is naturally in every man a desire to know, but what
profiteth knowledge without the fear of God? Better of a surety
is a lowly peasant who serveth God, than a proud philosopher who
watcheth the stars and neglecteth the knowledge of himself. He
who knoweth himself well is vile in his own sight; neither
regardeth he the praises of men. If I knew all the things that
are in the world, and were not in charity, what should it help me
before God, who is to judge me according to my deeds?
Click to expand...
Raynal translation:
VERY man naturally desireth to know : but what avail -
eth knowledge without the dread of God? A meek
husbandman that serveth God is much more accept
able to Him than is a curious philosopher who considering
the course of heaven wilfully f orgetteth himself : he that well
knoweth himself is vile and abject in his own sight, and hath
no delight in the vain praisings of man. If I knew all things
that be in this world without charity, what would it avail
me before God, that judgeth every man after his deeds?
Click to expand...
 
Mandatory reading when I was a Freshman in High School in 1963. I still have my original copy. I also use it in teaching RCIA.
 
Last edited:
It’s a wonderful book where you read one chapter a day. It’s a daily vitamin for your soul. According to the book, more than a chapter a day would give you “spiritual indigestion” as each chapter is full of wisdom and gives you something to meditate on everyday.

It wasn’t meant to be read cover to cover and then you’d be done. There’s always something to learn from it no matter how many times you’ve read it. It was meant for scholars as well as the simple.

Be sure to always invoke the Holy Spirit prior to reading so that He can give His light to the message!

Peace.

+JMJ+
 
Last edited:
I’ve heard even Muslims read it. I think apart from the Bible no other book has been translated into so many languages.
 
jmj777 said:
It’s a wonderful book where you read one chapter a day
Click to expand...
I agree,
I first read it cover to cover and was planning to read it quickly yet I took about two weeks to finish it. The second time through I read a chapter or two each day.
Now I read a few lines or so each day, there’s a reason it was coined the fifth Gospel.

As a side note, there’s also the imitation of Mary by Alexander de Rouville.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top