On Union with God: The First Principles of The Imitation of Christ

On Union with God: The First Principles of The Imitation of Christ

WHY READ THIS BOOK? BECAUSE in the words of St. Albert the Great, "he who is united to God is but one mind with Him." THIS BOOK has long been called, "The Metaphysics of the Imitation;" that is, the First Principles of Thomas a Kempis' "The Imitation of Christ." The authorship of this work is attributed to St. Albertus Magnus---Church Doctor and mentor of the Angelic Doctor , St. Thomas Aquinas. It addresses in sixteen chapters, the question of how one may arrive at the highest perfection attainable in this life: to become, in the words of the Saintly author, "so united to God that his soul with all its powers and faculties becomes recollected in Him and is one spirit with Him." Although some parts of this book appear to be directed toward religious, its overriding aim is Christian perfection---the end of which is charity. And charity is that which unites us to God. WE HAVE ALSO APPENDED St. Bernard of Clairvaux's inspiring treatise, "On the Love of God," to the end of this book to complement the St. Albertus' treatment of the power of the love of God. For indeed, in order to be united to God, it is first necessary to have a love of God.