When we hit a nail with a hammer, the whole of the shock received by the large head of the nail passes into the point without any of it being lost, although it is only a point. If the hammer and the head of the nail were infinitely big it would be just the same. The point of the nail would transmit this infinite shock at the point to which it was applied. Extreme affliction, which means physical pain, distress of soul and social degradation, all at the same time, constitutes the nail. The point is applied at the very center of the soul, whose head is all necessity, spreading throughout space and time.

Human existence is so fragile a thing and exposed to such dangers that I cannot love without trembling.

The notion of obligations comes before that of rights, which is subordinate and relative to the former. A right is not effectual by itself, but only in relation to the obligation to which it corresponds.

Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.

Nothing can have as its destination anything other than its origin. The contrary idea, the idea of progress, is poison.

Time does us violence; it is the only violence.

Those who are unhappy have no need for anything in this world but people capable of giving them their attention.