"Be studious for the mortification of your sins; for this will profit you more than the knowledge of many difficult questions."

Of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis


I know that having some understanding of theology is important and that an outright refusal to accept what the Church teaches is wrong, but statements like the above remind me that today, and on Judgment Day, the Lord is and will be more concerned about what I did with my life and what kind of person I have become.

Sounds like something St. John Vianney would say, he seemed to live his life by this.

"Be killing sin, or it will be killing you." --John Owen

Amen.

Funny; i just read through that yesterday. Too cool.
Thing is, my understanding of wisdom is that it is applied knowledge, so y would we not seek knowledge?

I get the mortification concept, but it seems like it would b more for people in religious vocations than for the typical person?? Am I missing something???

Yes. Google usccb penance. or usccb penitential practices. They have a decent list. Mortification is for everyone, and probably covers a broader range of practices than you think.

The opening post here applies to your thread on reading recommendations. It's what I was saying. This book, and so many like it, would be the kinds of ones I was saying should be the majority of your reading.

In Book III, Chapter 43 (HERE), a Kempis is not saying that knowing things about God is wrong, or unnecessary. He is saying that it can't just end there. Our study should also lead us to contrition and virtue. Wisdom should also result in service. What we are taught should also lead us to care little for temporal possessions, but to desire how God wants us to act.

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Self-conquest, self-discipline and self-denial - i.e., mortification - is/are necessary for all of us to make progress towards God:

- "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live." Romans 8:13

- "If then you have been raised with Christ... set your minds on things that are above,... put to death therefore what is earthly in you... you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature... knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ..." Colossians 3

- "... Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit..." Galatians 5:24ff.

I'd like to see love mentioned here.

1 Cor 13:3
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

An extreme example of mortification of the body, but look..."but do not have love".

Love is easy when you understand all good comes from God, right?

-BHM

I think you should read the Imitation a lot more before judging it.

As requested: "JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross." - Book II, Chapter 11.