Celebration is a confrontation, giving attention to the transcendent meaning of one's actions.
Abraham Joshua HeschelRead
The true meaning of existence is disclosed in moments of living in the presence of God
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes that the essence of life is understood through our moments spent in divine presence.
Abraham Joshua Heschel suggests that to truly grasp the meaning of existence, one must experience moments of deep connection with the divine. It implies that these sacred moments illuminate our understanding of life and purpose, revealing insights that transcend the everyday existence.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a spiritual retreat to inspire reflection.
Celebration is a confrontation, giving attention to the transcendent meaning of one's actions.
Normal consciousness is a state of stupor, in which the sensibility to the wholly real and responsiveness to the stimuli of the spirit are reduced. The mystics, knowing that man is involved in a hidden history of the cosmos, endeavor to awake from the drowsiness and apathy and to regain the state of wakefulness for their enchanted souls.
Prayer cannot bring water to parched fields, or mend a broken bridge, or rebuild a ruined city; but prayer can water an arid soul, mend a broken heart, and rebuild a weakened will.
The worship of reason is arrogance and betrays a lack of intelligence. The rejection of reason is cowardice and betrays a lack of faith.
We worship God through our questions.
When religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion, its message becomes meaningless.
Extremes in nature equal ends produce; In man they join to some mysterious use.
The arms are fair, When the intent of bearing them is just.
It is more blessed to give than to receive, and therefore less blessed to receive than to give.
An explanation of cause is not a justification by reason.
We live in an age of reproduction. Most of what makes up our personal picture of the world we have never seen with our own eyes--or rather, we've seen it with our own eyes, but not on the spot: our knowledge comes to us from a distance, we are televiewers, telehearers, teleknowers.
Being called Black in America is the struggle to keep us moving and breathing over bloody water. Being a Nig**r or [Ni**a] without the context of history is like drowning in bloody water, dragging down those yet knowing to swim.
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