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Thomas à Kempis QUOTES

Thomas à Kempis QUOTES

1 " Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of its trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse for impossibility, for it thinks all things are lawful for itself and all things are possible "

― Thomas à Kempis

2 " Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

3 " Jesus has now many lovers of the heavenly kingdom but few bearers of His cross. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

4 " The more humble and obedient to God a man is, the more wise and at peace he will be in all that he does. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Inner Life

5 " Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good; Love alone lightens every burden, and makes the rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable. The love of Jesus is noble, and inspires us to great deeds; it moves us always to desire perfection. Love aspires to high things, and is held back by nothing base. Love longs to be free, a stranger to every worldly desire, lest its inner vision become dimmed, and lest worldly self-interest hinder it or ill-fortune cast it down. Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger, nothing higher, nothing wider, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in heaven or earth; for love is born of God, and can rest only in God above all created things.

Love flies, runs, leaps for joy; it is free and unrestrained. Love gives all for all, resting in One who is highest above all things, from whom every good flows and proceeds. Love does not regard the gifts, but turns to the Giver of all good gifts. Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil, attempts things beyond its strength; love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all things. Love therefore does great things; it is strange and effective; while he who lacks love faints and fails. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Inner Life

6 " Those who attempt to search into the majesty of God will be overwhelmed with His Glory! "

― Thomas à Kempis

7 " It is good for us to have trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us sometimes to suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men even though we do well and mean well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

8 " Learned arguments do not make a man holy and righteous, whereas a good life makes him dear to God. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

9 " First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. "

― Thomas à Kempis

10 " In the Cross is salvation; in the Cross is life; in the Cross is protection against our enemies; in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness; in the Cross is strength of mind; in the Cross is joy of spirit; in the Cross is excellence of virtue; in the Cross is perfection of holiness. There is no salvation of soul, nor hope of eternal life, save in the Cross. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Inner Life

11 " The highest does not stand without the lowest. "

― Thomas à Kempis

12 " A book has but one voice, but it does not instruct everyone alike. "

― Thomas à Kempis

13 " God hath thus ordered it, that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for no man is without fault, no man without his burden, no man sufficient of himself, no man wise enough of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, comfort one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

14 " A sure way of retaining the grace of heaven is to disregard outward appearances, and diligently to cultivate such things as foster amendment of life and fervour of soul, rather than to cultivate those qualities that seem most popular. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Inner Life

15 " All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

16 " If God were our one and only desire we would not be so easily upset when our opinions do not find outside acceptance. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

17 " Let all your thoughts be with the Most High, and direct your humble prayers unceasingly to Christ. If you cannot contemplate high and heavenly things, take refuge in the Passion of Christ, and love to dwell within His Sacred Wounds. For if you devoutly seek the Wounds of Jesus and the precious marks of His Passion, you will find great strength in all troubles. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Inner Life

18 " My child, I am the Lord Who gives strength in the day of trouble. Come to Me when all is not well with you. Your tardiness in turning to prayer is the greatest obstacle to heavenly consolation, for before you pray earnestly to Me you first seek many comforts and take pleasure in outward things. Thus, all things are of little profit to you until you realize that I am the one Who saves those who trust in Me, and that outside of Me there is no worth-while help, or any useful counsel or lasting remedy. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

19 " Pardon me also, and deal mercifully with me, as often as I think of anything besides You in prayer. For I confess truly that I am accustomed to be very much distracted. Very often I am not where bodily I stand or sit; rather, I am where my thoughts carry me. Where my thoughts are, there am I; and frequently my thoughts are where my love is. That which naturally delights, or is by habit pleasing, comes to me quickly. Hence You Who are Truth itself, have plainly said: 'For where your treasure is, there is your heart also.' If I love heaven, I think willingly of heavenly things. If I love the world, I rejoice at the happiness of the world and grieve at its troubles. If I love the flesh, I often imagine things that are carnal. If I love the spirit, I delight in thinking of spiritual matters. For whatever I love, I am willing to speak and hear about. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ

20 " If you cannot recollect yourself continuously, do so once a day at least, in the morning or in the evening. In the morning make a resolution and in the evening examine yourself on what you have said this day, what you have done and thought, for in these things perhaps you have often offended God and those about you. "

― Thomas à Kempis , The Imitation of Christ