Episode 1: Avoid Vanity, Seek Humility | The Commentaries: The Imitation of Christ

This inaugural series of The Commentaries from TAN begins with an examination of the second-bestselling book of all time, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. Fr. Robert Nixon guides us between passages from the book and his expert commentary.
Get your free Classic Companion: TANCommentaries.com/
The Imitation of Christ stresses the importance of being humble because it is at the heart of so much good according to Fr. Nixon. “It is often said that humility is the foundation of all the other virtues. And in trying to become who or more than what God created us to be, we actually end up becoming less than what we could be.”
The following words of Thomas à Kempis in The Imitation of Christ drive home Fr. Nixon's point: "The more and the better thou knowest, the more heavy will be thy judgment unless thy life also be more holy. Be not therefore puffed up with any art or science, but rather fear upon account of the knowledge which is given."
Episode one of The Commentaries dives into The Imitation of Christ Book One, Chapters 1-5.
GET THE BOOK - USE COUPON CODE COM25 FOR 25% OFF:
The Imitation of Christ Deluxe Edition: bit.ly/44C8ymi
TAN Classics Deluxe Set: bit.ly/41iTlUh
The Imitation of Christ Paperback Edition: bit.ly/41ayCC9
The Imitation of Christ Zipper Edition: bit.ly/3LHzHvm
My Imitation of Christ Pocket Edition: bit.ly/3NMXyMK
The Commentaries is a podcast series from TAN in which you’ll learn how to read and understand history’s greatest Catholic works, from today’s greatest Catholic scholars. In every series of The Commentaries, your expert host will be your personal guide to not just read the book, but to live the book, shining the light of its eternal truths into the darkness of our modern trials and tribulations.
Visit TANCommentaries.com/ to get your copy of the book, and to subscribe for access to all the great reading plans, new episodes, bonus content, and exclusive deals for The Commentaries listeners.
And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code COM25 for 25% off your next order.

[@evanparrafx]

Oh my goodness! For the past few weeks I was seriously planning on starting a new KZbin channel simply devoted to reading and commenting on Imitation of Christ! Then lo and behold, you release this! Thank you! I've been absolutely floored by this book. It's life-changing.

[@DaMensch86]

I have also just started reading von kempis’ Imitation, I have four translations and my goal is to read all four. I just discovered this channel and it helps.

[@hildagallagher2411]

Thank you father!!! Looking forward to the next episode.

[@randall5306]

Thank you and bless you Father for spreading before us the pleasant pastures of the Imitatio Christi. For several years I have felt that the Imitation is the most “fun” that we can have in this life. I always knew “fun” wasn’t the right word but I couldn’t think of another way to explain it. It recently came to me that the word I was looking for is “hope.” Pious readings like the Imitation that help increase hope put some oomph in our what knots. And everything is more fun when we have a little oomph in our what knots.

[@RenneDanjoule]

Ironically, as Nietzsche stated.....Vanity is an atavism, in the master/slave mentality.....attributing the greatest to woman. As God spoke in Isaiah, when took away all their bracelets, hair, perfume et al.