BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS:
chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising
chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self
chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth
chapter4-prudence-in-action
chapter5-reading-the-holy-scripture
chapter6-unbridled-affections
chapter7-avoiding-false-hope-and-pride
chapter8-shunning-over-familiarity
chapter9-obedience-and-subjection
chapter10-avoiding-idle-talk
chapter11-acquiring-peace-and-zeal-for-perfection
chapter12-the-value-of-adversity
chapter13-resisting-temptation
chapter14-avoiding-rash-judgment
chapter15-works-done-in-charity
chapter16-bearing-with-the-faults-of-others
chapter17-monastic-life
chapter18-the-example-set-us-by-the-holy-fathers
chapter19-the-practices-of-a-good-religious
chapter20-the-love-of-solitude-and-silence
chapter21-sorrow-of-heart
chapter22-thoughts-on-the-misery-of-man
chapter23-thoughts-on-death
chapter24-judgment-and-the-punishment-of-sin
chapter25-zeal-in-amending-our-lives
BOOK ONE
THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL
The First Chapter
Imitating Christ and Despising
All Vanities on EarthHE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness,” says the Lord. John 8:12. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.What good does it do to speak learnedly about 2 the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous -(Moral excellence and righteousness; goodness) life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition ( Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance)than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God? Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone. This is the greatest wisdom—to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity (Excessively proud of one’s appearance or accomplishments; conceited) , therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.Often recall the proverb: “The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing.”Eccl. 1:8. Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.
[...] of Christ-book1 Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 3:31 pm chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by Imitation of Christ-book1 « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 1:54 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER3 The Doctrine of Truth « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 1:58 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER4 Prudence in Action « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
[...] by CHAPTER1 Imitating Christ and Despising « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 3:49 [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER5 Reading the Holy Scripture « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:02 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER6 Unbridled Affections « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:03 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER7 Avoiding False Hope and Pride « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:04 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER8 Shunning Over-Familiarity « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:05 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER9 Obedience and Subjection « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:06 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER10 Avoiding Idle Talk « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:09 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER12 The Value of Adversity « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:10 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER13 Resisting Temptation « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:11 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER14 Avoiding Rash Judgment « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:14 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER16 Bearing with the Faults of Others « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:15 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER17 Monastic Life « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:21 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER22 Thoughts on the Misery of Man « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:23 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER23 Thoughts on Death « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:24 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER24 Judgment and the Punishment of Sin « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
[...] Filed under: Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 2:25 pm BOOK1-TABLE OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by CHAPTER25 Zeal in Amending our Lives « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
[...] OF CONTENTS: chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by Imitation of Christ-foreword « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 12, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
[...] Imitation of Christ — by mari2nii @ 4:15 pm BOOK1-THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL chapter1-imitating-christ-and-despising chapter2-having-a-humble-opinion-of-self chapter3-the-doctrine-of-truth chapter4-prudence-in-action [...]
Pingback by TABLE OF CONTENTS: Imitation of Christ « Mari2nii’s kwento — December 13, 2007 @ 4:15 pm