Surprised by "The Imitation"

My favorite thing about flying is the time spent in books. Somehow the energy and bustle of travel always helps me focus and well grasp my readings. I credit this liking to my growing up in a home with five kids, all born within seven years. We had no quiet in my home growing up. We had wonderful chaos and it must have been there that I fell in love with reading in the midst of flurry.

Today I traveled and faced a delayed flight, a missed flight, a stand-by 'rejection' and then finally the very last seat (the one by the restroom) on a completely full flight. I escaped a good bit of it all by diving ruthlessly into "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis. I recently picked up this edition in a used bookstore in the Pittsburgh area. For under five bucks, I scored on this 1937 edition from the Harvard Classics "Five-Foot Shelf of Books" series. The old pages are yellowed such that my bright yellow highlighter appears more subtly over the parts that captivated me.

The introduction reminded me that this fifteenth century work, originally written in Latin, was likely, though not for certain, written by Thomis A Kempis. The introduction boasted that "with the exception of the Bible, no Christian writing has had so wide a vogue or so sustained a popularity as this."

Here a few 'verses' that gripped me:

- For verily, it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition that be skilful in the definition thereof.

- Take counsel with a man who is wise and of good conscience; and seek to be instructed by one better than thyself, rather than to follow thine own inventions.

- If thou hast any good, believe that others have more, and so thou mayest preserve thy humility. It is no harm to thee if thou place thyself below all others; but it is great harm if thou place thyself above even one.

- We ought daily to renew our vows, and to kindle our hearts to zeal, as if each day were the first day of our conversion, and to say, "Help me, O God, in my good resolutions, and in Thy holy service, and grant that this day I may make a good beginning, for hitherto I have done nothing!"

- Thou knowest well how to excuse and to colour thine own deeds, but thou wilt not accept the excuses of others. it would be more just to accuse thyself and excuse thy brother.

- Jesus hath many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of his Cross. He hath many seekers of comfort, but few of tribulation. He findeth many companions of His table, but few of his fasting. All desire to rejoice with Him, few are willing to undergo anything for His sake.

- The prudent lover considereth not the gift of the lover so much as the love of the giver.


Thus ... my new devotional treasure that lands itself on my 'non-light' shelf. Thanks Thomas. Thanks Harvard Classics. Thanks used bookstore. Thanks airport all ado.