Book IV — Of the Sacrament of the Altar
Source context· Greco-Christian stream · Greco-Latin cultural age
- Stream
- Greco-Christian
- Cultural age
- Greco-Latin (4th post-Atlantean cultural age)
- Composed
- c. 1418 CE
- Soul-faculty
- Sentient Soul tending toward Intellectual Soul: the text works primarily through devotional affect and willed self-surrender rather than conceptual cognition, aiming at a Gemüt-level assimilation of the Christ-being rather than Consciousness-Soul self-transparency.
What this work carries
Book IV of the Imitatio Christi concentrates the Eucharistic theology transmitted through the Latin Church Fathers and the medieval devotio moderna movement. It surfaces the inner-Christian mystery-wisdom concerning the Real Presence — the living encounter with the Christ-being through the sacramental act. This strand of wisdom descends from Pauline Christology and the Johannine tradition into late-medieval Catholic piety.
Language frame
Written in Latin prose of the devotio moderna school, the text addresses the soul in direct second-person devotional address, oscillating between doctrinal instruction and contemplative prayer. Its form is scholastic-mystical rather than speculative — practical preparation for sacramental union rather than metaphysical argument.
Steiner’s engagement
- GA 68b, 1905-12-09Steiner characterises Thomas à Kempis's Imitatio Christi as speaking the language of the soul and places it almost on a par with the New Testament in spiritual depth.
- GA 53, 1905-03-16Steiner lists the Imitatio Christi alongside the Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Gospel of John (chapters 13–end) as texts in which patient immersion yields genuine spiritual fruit.
- GA 10, l03Steiner commends Thomas à Kempis alongside descriptions arising from spiritual science as one of the valid paths to the summit of inner insight, while noting that right selection among paths is indispensable.
- GA 10, l07Steiner again pairs Thomas à Kempis with the Gospel of John as exemplary reading for higher education of the soul, reiterating that many paths exist but discernment in choosing is required.
- GA 171, 1916-09-17Steiner places Thomas à Kempis in direct cultural contrast to Machiavelli as representing the inward, soul-turning impulse of the same historical moment that Machiavelli turned outward into purely political thinking.
- GA 300c, 1924-02-05Steiner names Thomas à Kempis alongside Augustine in a faculty-meeting context, indicating both as reference points in the Christian spiritual-educational tradition.
- GA 7Steiner's editorial context in GA 7 identifies Thomas à Kempis and the Imitatio Christi as a classic source of Christian inspiration operative across centuries since its composition.
Cross-tradition congruence
- Vedantic bhakti-yoga literature (Narada Bhakti Sutras)The structural dynamic of Book IV — complete self-surrender as precondition for union with the divine being — parallels the bhakti-yoga ideal of total relinquishment of individual will before the deity, though the cosmic-historical ground of the Christ-being is ontologically distinct from the Vedantic deity-relation.
- Sufi annihilation doctrine (fana, al-Hallaj, Ibn Arabi)The Eucharistic logic of Book IV — the communicant's 'I' subordinated entirely to the indwelling Christ — shows cross-tradition congruence with the Sufi concept of fana (annihilation of the ego-self in the divine presence), though the sacramental-incarnational frame is specific to Christianity.
- 1A Devout Exhortation To The Holy Communion — Devout Exhortation to the Holy Communion
The opening exhortation that frames Book IV. The Christ-voice calls the faithful soul to the altar: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. The voice of the Eucharistic Christ inviting the soul to the great Banquet of his body and blood.
124 words - 2Chapter I. With How Great Reverence Christ Must Be Received — I. The reverence with which Christ must be received
On the trembling reverence proper to the reception of the Eucharist. The double awe — at one's own unworthiness, at the immensity of the gift. Moses removing his sandals at the burning bush as the type of the proper approach.
1,468 words - 3Chapter II. That The Greatness And Charity Of God Is Shown To Men In The Sacrament — II. The greatness and charity of God shown in the Sacrament
The Sacrament as the supreme demonstration of God's magnitudo (greatness) and caritas (charity). That he who is the Lord of all should make himself food for the soul — this is what Christian theology calls condescensio, the divine bending-down.
797 words - 4Chapter III. That It Is Profitable To Communicate Often — III. The profit of frequent communion
Against the over-scrupulous staying-away from communion. The Sacrament is medicine for the sick and food for the journey; if the soul waited to be worthy it would never approach. The chapter that helped shift late-medieval practice toward more frequent communion.
687 words - 5Chapter IV. That Many Good Gifts Are Bestowed Upon Those Who Communicate Devoutly — IV. The many gifts bestowed upon devout communicants
Enumeration of the inward gifts that come through devout communion: peace of conscience, fervour of love, strength against temptation, the soul's confirmation in grace, sweetness of devotion, and (when God wills) the foretaste of eternal joy.
841 words - 6Chapter V. Of The Dignity Of This Sacrament, And Of The Office Of The Priest — V. The dignity of this Sacrament; the office of the priest
On the priestly office. The angels themselves would tremble at celebrating what the priest does daily. The chapter's high doctrine of the priestly vocation — grande mysterium et magna dignitas sacerdotum — accompanied by the corresponding gravity of priestly responsibility.
459 words - 7Chapter VI. An Inquiry Concerning Preparation For Communion — VI. Inquiry concerning preparation for communion
The Disciple's question: what preparation should I make? Christ's answer in the chapters that follow. Recollection, cleansing of conscience, intention purified, fervour rekindled — the proximate preparation that should precede every reception of the Sacrament.
137 words - 8Chapter VII. Of The Examination Of Conscience, And Purpose Of Amendment — VII. Examination of conscience; purpose of amendment
The double interior act before communion: examination of conscience (looking back at one's sins) and the purpose of amendment (resolving to amend them). The two together making confession sacramentally fruitful and communion devotionally prepared.
594 words - 9Chapter VIII. Of The Oblation Of Christ Upon The Cross, And Of Resignation Of Self — VIII. The oblation of Christ on the Cross; self-resignation
The oblation of Christ on the cross is the pattern; the soul's oblation of itself is its participation. The Mass and communion as the place where the soul lays down its own life into Christ's, joining the great cosmic self-offering of Calvary.
329 words - 10Chapter IX. That We Ought To Offer Ourselves And All That Is Ours To God, And To Pray For All — IX. Offering ourselves and all that is ours to God
On the great offertory of the heart. With the bread and wine on the paten, the soul places its own self, its hopes and fears, its sins and gifts, its loved ones. Ecce, Domine, offero tibi me ipsum. The total self-oblation that is the heart's right gesture at communion.
663 words - 11Chapter X. That Holy Communion Is Not Lightly To Be Omitted — X. Communion not lightly to be omitted
Against the tendency to absent oneself from the Sacrament out of laxity or false humility. Communion is medicine for the wounded; one does not omit medicine because one is sick. Only grave sin should keep one away — and that grave sin is itself first to be confessed and put away.
869 words - 12Chapter XI. That The Body And Blood Of Christ And The Holy Scriptures Are Most Necessary To A Faithful Soul — XI. The Body and Blood of Christ and Holy Scripture as the soul's two necessities
The two great supports of the faithful soul: the Body and Blood of Christ at the altar, and the Word of God in Scripture. The two tables — mensa altaris and mensa Scripturarum. The classic two-table image of medieval piety made vivid.
1,143 words - 13Chapter XII. That He Who Is About To Communicate With Christ Ought To Prepare Himself With Great Diligence — XII. Great diligence in preparing for communion
On the diligence proper to the immediate preparation for communion. The discipline of recollection in the hour before the altar; the gathering-back of scattered thoughts; the kindling of desire for what is about to be received.
595 words - 14Chapter XIII. That The Devout Soul Ought With The Whole Heart To Yearn After Union With Christ In The Sacrament — XIII. Yearning after union with Christ in the Sacrament
On the devout soul's whole-hearted yearning after union with Christ in the Sacrament. Not merely receiving but desiring; not merely communicating but uniting. The Sacrament as the supremely intimate moment where the union of Christ and soul is offered.
532 words - 15Chapter XIV. Of The Fervent Desire Of Certain Devout Persons To Receive The Body And Blood Of Christ — XIV. The fervent desire of devout persons
Examples of devout souls who burned with the desire of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. The medieval desiderium sancti sacramenti — the holy desire of the Sacrament — as itself a participation in grace prior to and apart from the moment of receiving.
422 words - 16Chapter XV. That The Grace Of Devotion Is Acquired By Humility And Self-Denial — XV. Grace of devotion acquired by humility and self-denial
Devotion is not an extra one acquires by sweetness-seeking; it is a fruit of humility and self-denial. The chapter's quiet correction of those who seek the consolations of communion without willing the cross that communion ratifies.
514 words - 17Chapter XVI. That We Ought To Lay Open Our Necessities To Christ And To Require His Grace — XVI. Laying open our necessities to Christ; requiring his grace
On the prayer at communion: the unfolding before Christ of all the soul's necessities — confessed sins, unmet temptations, beloved persons, particular griefs — and the asking of grace for each. The Sacrament as the privileged occasion of detailed intercession.
340 words - 18Chapter XVII. Of Fervent Love And Vehement Desire Of Receiving Christ — XVII. Fervent love and vehement desire of receiving Christ
On the amor fervens and vehemens desiderium with which Christ ought to be received. The two contrary dispositions to avoid: cold formality, and reckless familiarity. Both yield to the steady fervent love that is the true disposition of the devout communicant.
631 words - 19Chapter XVIII. That A Man Should Not Be A Curious Searcher Of The Sacrament, But A Humble Imitator Of Christ, Submitting His Sense To Holy Faith — XVIII. Not a curious searcher of the Sacrament, but a humble imitator
The closing chapter of the entire Imitation. Against speculative curiosity about the manner of Christ's presence in the Sacrament. Submit thy sense to holy faith. The crowning exhortation: be not a curious searcher, but a humble imitator of Christ — the work's title resolved into its closing word.
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