Notes
NOTES
Introduction
1 The Imitation of Christ, trans. Joseph N. Tylenda, S.J., Vintage Spiritual Classics (New York: Random House, 1998), chap. 1, p. 3. Back to text.
2 Ibid., chap. 25, p. 41. Back to text.
3 The Imitation was most probably written between the years 1425 and 1427. Back to text.
4 The Chronicles of the Canons Regular of Mount St. Agnes, trans. J. P. Arthur (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1906), p. 144. Back to text.
5 Meditations and Prayers on the Life, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Our Saviour Jesus Christ (Paris, 1664).This volume is extremely rare since only a small number of copies were printed for the exclusive use of the nuns in that particular monastery. Back to text.
6 See Joseph Gillow, Bibliographical Dictionary of the English Catholics from the Breach with Rome, in 1534, to the Present Time, 5 vols. (London: Burns and Oates, 1885-1902), 5:313-17. Back to text.
7 Meditations, with Prayers, on the Life and Loving-kindnesses of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (London: E. Dilly, 1760). Back to text.
8 Prayers and Meditations on the Life of Christ, trans. W. Duthoit (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1908 ), p. xxv. Back to text.
9 Meditations on the Life of Christ, trans. Archdeacon Wright and S. Kettlewell (Oxford and London: Parker, 1892), p. xliii. Back to text.
10 Ibid. pp. xlvii—xlviii. Back to text.
11 See note 8, above. Back to text.
12 “De passione Christi secundum scripta quatuor evangelistarum,” Orationes et meditationes de vita Christi, in Thomae Hemerken a Kempis opera omnia, 7 vols. (Freiburg, 1902-1922), 5:55-214. Back to text.
13 In writing about Christ’s Passion, Thomas is a product of his time, and when he speaks of the role played by the Jews and Romans he reflects the thinking of that age. We ask the reader to keep in mind that he holds a medieval text in hand, and that the Catholic Church, being most sensitive in these matters, would not speak today as Thomas sometimes does. Back to text.
Chapter 2
1 Mark 14:34. Back to text.
2 Luke 22:42. Back to text.
Chapter 3
1 Luke 22:42. Back to text.
2 Mark 14:36. Back to text.
Chapter 4
1 John 18:7-8. Back to text.
2 Matthew 26:50. Back to text.
3 Luke 22:48. Back to text.
4 Mark 14:44. Back to text.
5 John 18:11. Back to text.
Chapter 5
1 See Isaiah 53:7. Back to text.
2 In monastic communities, Matins (now the Office of Readings) was the first and longest of the canonical hours. Now it may be anticipated, but in the authors time it began sometime after midnight and before daybreak. Back to text.
Chapter 7
1 John 18:22. Back to text.
2 John 18:23. Back to text.
Chapter 8
1 Luke 22:57. Back to text.
Chapter 10
1 Matthew 26:68. Back to text.
2 A discipline is an instrument of penance made of braided or knotted cords. Members of religious congregations used them in chastising themselves. Back to text.
Chapter 11
1 This refers to a community exercise known as a “chapter of faults”, during which a member of the community, guilty of some transgression of the rule, publicly confesses his fault and receives a suitable penance from the abbot. At the same time if another member of the community has noticed a fault in that member, which the latter has failed to mention, then the former mentions it for the latter’s benefit. The purpose of this chapter is to guard the religious discipline of the house and to exercise the members in humility and mutual understanding. Back to text.
Chapter 13
1 Luke 23:18, 21. Back to text.
2 Luke 23:22. Back to text.
3 John 19:12. Back to text.
4 John 19:7. Back to text.
5 See John 19:9. Back to text.
6 John 18:38. Back to text.
7 Luke 23:21. Back to text.
8 The author here refers to the Sanctus in the Mass; however, see Isaiah 6:3. Back to text.
9 John 19:14. Back to text.
10 See Luke 23:18. Back to text.
11 Luke 6:22. Back to text.
Chapter 14
1 This is a paraphrase of the first verses of Psalm 51. Back to text.
Chapter 15
1 Mark 15:18. Back to text.
2 John 19:5. Back to text.
3 This passage was most probably suggested by a sermon of St. Bernard, part of which was incorporated in the old Roman Breviary as Lesson IV of the Second Nocturne of the first Friday in Lent (Office in Memory of the Coronation of Our Lord Jesus Christ with Thorns). See The Roman Breviary Reformed by Order of the Holy Ecumenical Council of Trent, second volume (spring), translated by John, Marquess of Bute (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1908), p. 220. Back to text.
4 John 19:6. Back to text.
5 The cowl is the hood attached to a monk’s habit. The cowled monk, then, is distinguished from those members of the community, who, though they have been vested with the habit, have not as yet received the cowl. Back to text.
Chapter 17
1 Luke 23:28, 31. Back to text.
Chapter 20
1 Luke 23:34. Back to text.
2 John 19:6. Back to text.
3 See Isaiah 53:12. Back to text.
Chapter 22
1 See Mark 15:29. Back to text.
2 Mark 15:31. Back to text.
3 Matthew 27:43. Back to text.
4 Luke 23:37. Back to text.
5 Luke 23:39. Back to text.
6 This is actually an antiphon taken from the Office of Holy Week, but it is based on Philippians 2:8. Back to text.
7 This is more or less a conflation of two texts in St. Paul, Romans 8:17 and 2 Timothy 2:12. Back to text.
Chapter 23
1 Luke 23:42. Back to text.
2 Luke 23:43. Back to text.
3 This was Mount Tabor, where our Lord was transfigured and where Peter asked permission to build three booths, so that Christ and his two heavenly visitors could prolong their stay (Luke 9:33). Back to text.
4 See John 13:36. Back to text.
5 Ezekiel 33:11. Back to text.
6 John 3:16. Back to text.
7 Matthew 9:13. Back to text.
8 Matthew 25:21. Back to text.
Chapter 24
1 John 19:19. Back to text.
2 See John 19:21. Back to text.
3 John 19:22. Back to text.
Chapter 25
1 John 19:26. Back to text.
2 John 19:27. Back to text.
3 Matthew 1:21. Back to text.
Chapter 27
1 Mark 15:34. Back to text.
2 Mark 15:34. Back to text.
Chapter 28
1 John 19:28. Back to text.
Chapter 29
1 John 19:30. Back to text.
2 2 Timothy 4:7. Back to text.
3 See Wisdom 4:13. Back to text.
Chapter 30
1 Luke 23:46. Back to text.
2 Mark 15:39. Back to text.
3 John 11:26. Back to text.
4 John 5:24. Back to text.
5 John 11:3. Back to text.
6 See Luke 22:42. Back to text.
Chapter 31
1 Hosea 13:14. Back to text.
2 From the Responsory at the end of Tenebrae, as in use during the Middle Ages. See W. Duthoit’s translation of Thomas à Kempis’ Prayers and Meditations on the Life of Christ (London: Kegan Paul, French, Trübner, 1908), p. 177. Back to text.
3 Song of Songs 1:14; henna is a plant that bears white scented flowers. Back to text.
4 This is a slight variation of the antiphon sung during the unveiling of the Cross during the Good Friday service. Back to text.
5 See Song of Songs 5:15. In enumerating the parts of the body, the author has the Song of Songs 5:10-16 in mind. Back to text.
6 Song of Songs 5:16. Back to text.
Chapter 32
1 See Ignatius of Antioch’s Letter to the Romans, 7. Back to text.
Chapter 35
1 Genesis 3:19. Back to text.