# XXVII explained — The Imitation of Christ

> Chapter companion for The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis.

## What happens

The chapter warns that personal love and self-interest hinder the highest good, urging the disciple to give all for all, despise worldly desires, and seek inward liberty by cleaving to God alone. It includes a prayer for cleansing the heart and for heavenly wisdom to love God above all things.

## Themes in this chapter

### Contempt for the World

The chapter explicitly teaches despising money, riches, honor, and vain praise as things that pass away with the world.

### Interior Life and Solitude

Emphasizes inward liberty, freeing the heart from fruitless cares, and abiding in God rather than seeking peace from external things.

### Love of God Above All

The prayer asks for grace to seek, find, relish, and love God above all things, and to understand all else according to divine wisdom.

## Character check-ins

### Jesus Christ

Addressed as 'My Son' in the opening exhortation, representing the divine teacher.

### The Disciple

The speaker in the prayer section, seeking strength and wisdom from God.

### God the Father

Invoked in the prayer as 'O God' and 'O Lord', the source of grace and heavenly wisdom.

## Key lines

> My Son, thou must give all for all, and be nothing of thine own.

You must surrender everything completely and claim nothing as your own.

_Opening call to total self-abandonment._

> If thy love be pure, sincere, well-regulated, thou shalt not be in captivity to anything.

If your love is pure and properly ordered, nothing will hold you captive.

_The condition for true freedom._

> The place availeth little if the spirit of devotion is wanting; nor shall that peace stand long which is sought from abroad, if the state of thy heart is without the true foundation, that is, if it abide not in Me.

A location matters little without devotion, and external peace will not last if your heart is not grounded in Me.

_Warns against relying on external circumstances for peace._

> Give me, O Lord, heavenly wisdom, that I may learn to seek Thee above all things and to find Thee; to relish Thee above all things and to love Thee.

Grant me divine wisdom so I may seek, find, delight in, and love You above everything else.

_Central petition of the prayer for heavenly wisdom._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_imitation_of_christ_se/chapters/xxvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_imitation_of_christ_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_imitation_of_christ_se/chapters