We devour heaven in bites too small to be measured.
Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost
As I gaze on the icon of Mother and child, I realize that despite the enormous difficulty the world has always been in, Christ as a child was content to be in the world in the arms of one woman, his mother.
God’s action in the world is sufficient while operating in the limited dimensions of one individual, here shown contented in the arms of his mother.
Paul Quenon, Matter of the Heart, A Monk’s Journal, – a lovely profound book of reflections.
As I grew up, I experimented with many traditional religious patterns. I soon discovered that, too often, form only has been preserved at the expense of content. Many “religious” people, as a result, are more interested in romantic projection and fulfilment of stereotypes than in learning the difficult self-forgetfulness of the exchange of Love with the Other.
They use religion to make themselves feel good, and call it the search for God. They invest all their energy to create a fantasy world where they will not experience any pain.
Maggie Ross, Seasons of Death and Life: A Wilderness Memoir