“People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13 (NLBT)
Upon you I call, O God, my mercy, who made me and did not forget me when I forgot you.
Augustine, Confessions
CT, May 2003, “Reflections – Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind,” p. 60
A Christian cannot win God’s forgiveness, but he can lose it by refusing to extend it to a brother.
John P Meier, The Vision of Matthew
CT, May 2003, “Reflections – Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind,” p. 60
An elder said: do not judge a fornicator if you are chaste, for if you do, you too are violating the law as much as he is. For He who said thou shalt not fornicate also said thou shalt not judge.
Thomas Merton, The Wisdom of the Desert
CT, May 2003, “Reflections – Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind,” p. 60
Especially re: marriage
It’s best if both parties understand at the start (of marriage) that you’re going to be two flawed people stumbling along through the years, making it up as you go.”
Jan Hamilton, Disobedience: A Novel
CT, May 2003, “Reflections – Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind,” p. 60
Forgiveness means that I continually am willing to forgive the other person for not being God – for not fulfilling all my needs. I, too, must ask forgiveness for not being able to fulfill other people’s needs…The interesting thing is that when you can forgive people for not being God, then you can celebrate that they are a reflection of God.
Henri Nouwen, from “Parting Words” in The Only Necessary Thing
CT, May 2003, “Reflections – Quotations to Stir Heart and Mind,” p. 60
Charles Colson:
Unfortunately, many evangelical churches are more given to “recruitment” than “repentance.” Recruitment-oriented churches focus more on filling pews than on changing lives. Repentance-oriented churches, on the other hand, are about helping people catch a new moral vision and aiding them in their practice of the presence of the kingdom.
– Charles Colson, Being the Body in David Neff in CT, June 2003, p. 51
“Confession is nothing but humility in action.” Mother Teresa in CT, June 2003, 49.
“Humility makes us perfect towards God, and gentleness makes us perfect toward our neighbor. Francis DeSales, Introduction to the Devout Life CT, June 2003, 49.
“The church is not made up of spiritual giants; only broken men can lead others to the cross.” David J. Bosch, A Spirituality of the Road, in CT, June 2003, 49.