You cannot conceive, nor can I, of the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God.

So long as one is happy one can endure any discipline: it was unhappiness that broke down the habits of work.

With Your great schemes, You ruin our happiness like a harvester ruins a mouse's nest: I hate You, God, I hate You as though You existed.

Cynicism is cheap - you can buy it at any Monoprix store - it's built into all poor-quality goods.

Hate is a lack of imagination.

When we are not sure, we are alive.

But I'm a bad priest, you see. I know--from experience--how much beauty Satan carried down with him when he fell. Nobody ever said the fallen angels were the ugly ones. Oh, no, they were just as quick and light and . . .