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Rating:  - Imitation of Christ
I read this book for the first time over 40 years ago. Recently picked it up again and was so impressed that I gave copies to each of my daughters at Easter. You can open to any page and find a message of profound value for your life. It bears repeated readings and reflection on its truths.
Sincerely,
Dianne Luzzi
Rating: - Landmark of Spiritual Growth
Thomas' work is a call to the experience of God in the tradition of medieval spiritual writings. He calls the reader to the disciplines of obedience, humility, and self-denial. If we suffer in this world, we are only to take it as a reminder that our hope and our reward are not here (I.12). We should avert ourselves from the pleasures and conceits of this world to focus on silence and solitude (I.20). Jesus is to be loved more than anything in the world (II.8).
Book three, by far the longest of the four, focuses on renouncing the world for the sake of inner peace. Here Thomas sounds a hint like a Buddhist, unflappable and unaffected, but rather than hoping for the destruction of self as an end in itself, he is hoping for another world that makes this one pale in comparison. Written as a prolonged dialogue between Christ and "The Disciple," we are told, "I desire to have you wholly divested of self" (III.37). Like many works of monastic or medieval spirituality, we seem to receive a lot more on what we are to give up than on the benefits of doing so. In a rare break with the flow of the text, Thomas gives us a rhapsody on the beauty of love (III.5). Aside from that, the primary benefit of self-denial seems to be freedom of conscience.
Book four concludes with a praise of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the importance of preparing one's heart for it before receiving it, and the power of being brought into the presence of God through it. This is apparently either the source of or a supreme example of our union with Christ, experienced as we take his body into ours to become his body.
Overall, a powerful call to humility and self-denial that are the prerequisites for the experience of the presence of God.
Rating: - A Strong Walk with God
Have you ever desired more God in your life? The Imitation of Christ provides readers a strong example of a pure and holy Christian walk. Touching on many specific subjects you can feel the connectedness Thomas a Kempis felt with Jesus and his deeper understanding of spiritual truths. This book is great for daily meditations and a inspirational example of a man walking closely with Christ and in harmony with those around him.
Rating:  - The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
The Imitation of Christ is a classic and this edition was very good. One problem was that it is a Roman Catholic book, yet the introduction to this edition focused on Martin Luther in a very complimentary way. I did not expect to find that and I was disappointed because I had purchased 40 copies for the young adults in the youth group of my Roman Catholic Church for Lent. I am happy that Lutherans want to read it, but I felt that it was inappropriate to reference Martin Luther since he had nothing to do with it. Perhaps he read it when he was a Roman Catholic monk, as do all Catholic religious and many of the laity.
Rating: - Everyone Should Own, Regardless of Faith
This book was first given to me by a law school professor who was Catholic. I was a bit unsure of the book at first because I was not Catholic. It is a wonderful book. It has practical applications for all, regardless of what faith they hold. I have given this book to several people since it was first given to me. A must have for any library.
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