Childlike
For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.
CHARLES DICKENS, 1812–1870
A Stable Diet
Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.
C.S. LEWIS, 1898–1963
Stargazing
A little child, a shining star, a stable rude, a the door ajar. Yet in that place, so crude, forlorn, the Hope of the whole world was born.
ANON
Lambs and Wisdom
The simple shepherds heard the voice of an angel and found their lamb; the wise men saw the light of a star and found their wisdom.
ARCHBISHOP FULTON SHEEN, 1895–1979
Free Love
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility; for it thinks all things lawful for itself, and all things possible.
THOMAS À KEMPIS, 1380–1471
Light a Candle
Thousands of candles can be lighted by a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
BUDDHA
The Quality of Mercy
For mercy has a human heart
Pity a human face:
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the Human dress.
WILLIAM BLAKE, 1757–1827
The Spirit Level
Forget my bones
Keep my spirit.
ST KIERNAN FIFTH-CENTURY IRISH SAINT
Lighten the Load
To gladden the heart of a human being
To feed the hungry
To help the afflicted
To lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful
To remove the wrongs of the injured
That person is the most beloved of God
Who does most good to God’s creatures.
PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Honest to God
God has no religion.
MAHATMA GANDHI
Admiration
God’s admiration for us is infinitely greater than anything we can conjure up for him.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Mission Impossible
Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Bless You
May the Lord bless you and keep you
May He show His face to you.
And have mercy on you.
May He turn His countenance to you
And give you peace.
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Troubled Times
Great troubles come
From not knowing what is enough
Great conflict arises
From wanting too much
When we know when enough is enough
There will always be enough.
LAO TZU, 604–531 BC
The Prince
As dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince.
PLATO
Stand to Attention
It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.
LEONARDO DA VINCI
Right Relationship
Health is the greatest gift,
Contentment the greatest wealth
Faithfulness the best relationship.
BUDDHA
In the Mess
Spirituality is not to be learned by flight from the world, or by running away from things, or by turning solitary and going apart from the world. Rather, we must learn to penetrate things and find God there.
MEISTER ECKHART