If in my life I fail completely to heed others, solely out of a desire to be 'devout' and to perform my 'religious duties', then my relationship with God will also grow arid. It becomes merely 'proper', but loveless.
Pope Benedict XviRead
Evil draws its power from indecision and concern for what other people think.
Interpretation
Indecision and the fear of others' opinions empower negativity and evil.
This quote by Pope Benedict XVI suggests that evil in the world is often fueled by our inability to make decisions and our over-concern for how others perceive us. When we hesitate or prioritize others' judgments above our own convictions, we allow negative influences to gain strength over us, potentially leading to harmful actions or thoughts.
In practice
During a motivational speech about self-empowerment and decision-making.
If in my life I fail completely to heed others, solely out of a desire to be 'devout' and to perform my 'religious duties', then my relationship with God will also grow arid. It becomes merely 'proper', but loveless.
The life of the community, both domestically and internationally, clearly demonstrates that respect for rights, and the guarantees that follow from them, are measures of the common good that serve to evaluate the relationship between justice and injustice, development and poverty, security and conflict.
If you follow the will of God, you know that in spite of all the terrible things that happen to you, you will never lose a final refuge. You know that the foundation of the world is love, so that even when no human being can or will help you, you may go on, trusting in the One that loves you.
I am consoled by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and how to act, even with insufficient tools.
Faith is above all a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and to experience [His] closeness, [His] friendship, [His] Love; only in this way does one learn to know [Him] ever more, and to love and follow [Him] ever more. May this happen to each one of us.
Do not be afraid of seeming different and being criticized for what might seem to be losing or out of fashion; your peers but adults too, especially those who seem more distant from the mindset and values of the Gospel, are crying out to see someone who dares to live according to the fullness of humanity revealed by Jesus Christ.
You must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind.
Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.
I find that by putting things in writing I can understand them and see them a little more objectively. ... For words are merely tools and if you use the right ones you can actually put even your life in order, if you don't lie to yourself and use the wrong words.
The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.
When a wise man is advised of his errors, he will reflect on and improve his conduct. When his misconduct is pointed out, a foolish man will not only disregard the advice but rather repeat the same error.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet_x000D_ confinement of your aloneness_x000D_ to learn_x000D_ anything or anyone_x000D_ that does not bring you alive_x000D_ is too small for you.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.