Thomas A. Kempis

Thomas A. Kempis (1380 - 1471) is a Christian monk of the Middle Ages. One allots to him the Imitation of Jesus-Christ , one of the most known books of devotion Christian woman.

Biography

Born in Kempen, in Germany (close to Cologne) in 1380, it is deceased close to Zwolle in 1471. Its family name was Hemerken, which means “small low-German hammer” (high-German: Hämmerchen/Hämmerlein).

In 1395 it was sent to Deventer, at the school of the Brothers of the common life. He became a copyist talented, able to provide for his needs. Later, it was allowed with the convent of Augustiniens of the Mount Holy Agnes close to Zwolle, where his/her Jean brother had preceded it and been high with the dignity of prior. Thomas was ordered priest in 1413 and was named sub-prior in 1429.

The community was temporarily disturbed by the rejection of the bishop of Utrecht, Rodolphe de Diepholt, by the pope. Besides that, Thomas carried out a peaceful life, sharing its time between exercises of devotion, the writing, and copies it. It copied four specimens of the Bible, and one of these copies is preserved at Darmstadt, in five volumes. Its lesson was very read, and its work abounds in biblical quotations, particularly those of the New Testament.

Its life without any doubt is characterized by these words, written in legend of an old table which would be its portrait: “ In all things I sought peace and did not find it, except in the books and the withdrawal of the world ”. A monument was set up with its memory in the church Saint Michel in Zwolle, on November 11th, 1897.

Thomas A. Kempis belonged to the school of the mystics which extended on banks from the Rhine from Switzerland in Holland, while passing by Strasbourg and Cologne. He was a disciple of Geert Groote and Florentius Radewijns, the founders of the Brothers of the common life.

All its writings are marked by its devotion and include/understand tickets, meditations, letters and sermons, lives of Saints and various biographies. Works similar to the Imitation of Jesus-Christ , animated by the same spirit, prolonged its meditation on the life and the blessings of the Sauveur, as well as a book on the Incarnation. All its work expresses its worship overflowing for the Christ.

Thomas A. Kempis was béatifié by the Roman Catholic church. He is celebrated on August 25th.

Source

Translation partial of the note of Thomas A. Kempis in '' The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia off Religious Knowledge '' (public domain)

Quotations

“ Guard peace in you, then offers it to the others. ”
“ does not think of having made least progress, if you do not feel lower than all. ”
“ If you cannot work yourself completely according to your will, how can you await others that it is completely with your taste? ”
“ be not influenced by the importance of the writer. Do not ask: " Who said that? " but made attention with what was known as. ”
“ At the last day, one will not require of you what you will have known, but what you will have made. ”
“ the purity and simplicity is the two wings with which the man flies away above the ground and any transitory nature. ”
“ It is easier not to say a word than to say more words than it is not appropriate. ”
“ By judging the others a man works in vain; he is often mistaken and fall easily into the sin; but by judging itself it works always advisedly. ”

Internal bonds

External bonds

'' the Imitation of Jesus-Christ '' translated by Lamennais

or on livres-mystiques.com 30.000 pages of mystical Texts of which the 'Imitation of Jesus-Christ"

Note “Thomas with Kempis” in The Catholic Encyclopedia , Volume XIV, 1912, reproduced on www.newadvent.org

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