Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.

When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.

Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.

There are no new lies, no new heresies. Man is simply not that creative.

Moderate strength is shown in violence, supreme strength is shown in levity.

Against a dark sky all flowers look like fireworks. There is something strange about them, at once vivid and secret, like flowers traced in fire in the phantasmal garden of a witch.

The voice of the special rebels and prophets, recommending discontent, should, as I have said, sound now and then suddenly, like a trumpet. But the voices of the saints and sages, recommending contentment, should sound unceasingly, like the sea.