The Imitation Of Christ

[Katholikos]

Opening a thread for the discussion of the "imitation of Jesus" as suggested by Dusty Fro.

I was away from phatmass for a while, but I seem to remember a discussion about Thomas Á Kempis' Imitation of Christ recently?

Comments, anyone?

Edited May 24, 2004 by Katholikos

[Livin_the_MASS]

I did Likos but it got moved to open mic????????????????

On that note I will let someone else start I love that book!

[Katholikos]

Jason,

Dusty Fro inquired about why we didn't discuss the imitation of Jesus (in contrast to our attempts to imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

So I opened this thread for that purpose. I used that title, but perhaps -- since your thread got moved to open mic -- we should limit it to a discussion of Jesus and our relationship to Him rather than a discussion of the book specifically. Whaddayathink?

Dusty, y'all come. Would you please start us out? What do you want to talk about?

JMJ Likos

[Crusader_4]

amazing little book one of my teachers gave it to me as a confirmation present i try to read it once to twice a week i cannot read it more then that or else i lose some of its meaning or pracitcal advice in my life i need to take it slow.

[Dusty Fro]

Um, be like Jesus everyone! He did His work in the face of opposition, scorn, and death. I really don't have much to start out...it's laaaate.

Ooh, but one thing I was thinking of is how Mother Teresa acted like Jesus. She helped the sick and poor and dying. If I have to pick a female figure in history to "imitate," I think she's a pretty good example. I hope to go to India someday...even though I've never been on a mission in my life.

You say this book is a best seller? How come I've never heard of it?

[Anna]

This thread should be called "Imitating Christ," or everyone is going to write about the book!

I'm kinda surprised you've never heard of this Christian classic, at least by Catholic standards, it's many people's favorite book, next to the Bible. To read a single page of it, is to fall in love with it. The book speaks to your soul.

But....on imitating Christ! Why not imitate Christ, instead of imitating Mary?

Why not imitate both?

You see, the most beautiful thing about Mary is that she perfectly conformed her will to the Will of the Heavenly Father.

What's so special about Jesus Christ, True God and True Man? He perfectly conformed His Will to the Will of the Heavenly Father.

So, to imitate Mary is, in the most perfect sense, to imititate Christ.

When one says he/she wishes to imitate Mary, they are usually referring to her perfect submission to the Heavenly Father, and her "littleness," her humility, her hiddeness. While Christ's attributes are in the forefront, as well they should be, Mary perfectlly imitated those virtues, in the shadows, behind the scenes, in her daily life, without it becoming a public display.

Some people wish to imitate Mary because she so perfectly imitated Christ.

It's not an issue of either/or. If one is imitating Mary, he/she is imititating Christ.

Pax Christi.

[Quietfire]

If I get my hands on a copy,
does the date of publication matter?

Please,
should I get a copy new, or is an older version fine.
I can get a copy from 1800's or 1999.

Will it matter?


Peace.

[jasJis]

[quote name='Anna' date='May 24 2004, 07:00 AM'] Some people wish to imitate Mary because she so perfectly imitated Christ.

It's not an issue of either/or. If one is imitating Mary, he/she is imititating Christ.

Pax Christi. [/quote]
Great point. Even before Jesus shared the Our Father Prayer with the Apostles, Mary [b][u]lived[/u][/b] the part:

"Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

[Katholikos]

Quietfire,

Prolly the style of the English language used may be different, but the same thoughts. The newer one might be easier reading. I have an old one and a newer translation.

You're right about the title of the thread, Anna. My mistake. Don't know how to correct it.

Meditation:

Everyone's Way of the Cross, by Clarence Enzler (a poem)

INTRODUCTION:

Christ speaks: These fourteen steps that you are now about to walk, you do not take alone. I walk with you. Though you are you, and I am I, yet we are truly one -- one Christ. And therefore my way of the cross two thousand years ago and your "way" now are also one. But note the difference. My life was incomplete until I crowned it with my death. Your fourteen steps will only be complete when you have crowned them by your life.

JMJ Likos

[Livin_the_MASS]

Bump this good topic "Imitation of Christ" Talk