Julie's Jottings for June

This month, the Pilgrim Study Group will explore a 600-year-old spiritual classic, Thomas à Kempis’s The Imitation of Christ. This book was originally written in Latin in the fifteenth century.  We have called our Study Sessions this month, ‘Discovering the "Interior Room" - A Journey through The Imitation of Christ.’
 
In a world that can feel noisy, hurried, and demanding, many of us find ourselves searching for a sense of inner quiet. This Christian classic has guided readers for centuries as they reflect on questions that remain relevant today: How do we detach from the noise and vanity of modern life? How do we find joy within rather than in the approval of others? How do we listen for the “still, small voice” of God in times of trouble? And what place, if anything, do the Sacraments have in that journey?
 
For many years after it was written, this book was one of the most widely read Christian works after the Bible. In England, many manuscripts survive, especially of the first three books (which are the first three chapters in the volume that we now read).  These books have been referred to as “Musica Ecclesiastica,” or music for the Church, a title which has stuck ever since. It is thought that this title was given by an English mystic called Walter Hilton who died in 1395. The phrase gives a metaphor which suggests that the book exists for the glory of God and the building up of the Church. Like church music, it may be seen as a prayerful work of spiritual beauty, intended to deepen faith and to accompany the liturgy and worship.
 
For many centuries theologians and clerics referred to The Imitation of Christ as “The supreme call and guide to spiritual aspiration.” We hope to revisit this classic together and discover whether its wisdom still speaks into our lives now.
 
Whether you are a lifelong believer, a curious sceptic, or simply someone looking for a bit of mental "breathing room," this book can help us navigate the stresses of the 21st century. We step out of the rush of the world and into the "interior room" of the soul. All are welcome.

             Rev Julie Norris