A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape? The words compelle intrare, compel them to come in, have been so abused by wicked men that we shudder at them; but, properly understood, they plumb the depth of the Divine mercy. The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of man, and His compulsion is our liberation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote speaks to the nature of divine love and mercy, highlighting how it can compel even the most resistant individuals towards salvation and freedom.
In this quote, C. S. Lewis reflects on the paradox of divine love, suggesting that it can embrace and transform even those who resist it fiercely. He emphasizes how God's love, which may seem forceful or unwelcome, is actually an expression of divine mercy that aims to liberate individuals from their struggles and sins. The phrase 'compelle intrare' signifies how God's invitation is both compelling and redemptive, contrasting human resistance with divine kindness.
Themes
Divine LoveMercyRedemptionStruggleLiberation
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about forgiveness, this quote can illustrate the power of divine love.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.
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