C.S. Lewis ( 10 of 145 )
Feast of the Conversion of Paul If I say to you that no one has time to finish, that read more
Feast of the Conversion of Paul If I say to you that no one has time to finish, that the longest human life leaves a man, in any branch of learning, a beginner, I shall seem to you to be saying something quite academic and theoretical. You would be surprised if you knew how soon one begins to feel the shortness of the tether: of how many things, even in middle life, we have to say, "No time for that", "Too late now" and "Not for me". But Nature herself forbids you [young people] to share that experience. A more Christian attitude, which can be attained at any age, is that of leaving futurity in God's hands. We may as well, for God will certainly retain it whether we leave it to Him or not.
This moment contains all moments.
This moment contains all moments.
It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart read more
It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.
It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one.
It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see one.
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.
I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", read more
I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks".
Some politicians hold that the only way to make a revolutionary safe is to give him a seat in Parliament.
Some politicians hold that the only way to make a revolutionary safe is to give him a seat in Parliament.
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in read more
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can read more
Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained
When we propose to ignore in a great man's teaching those doctrines which it has in common with the thought read more
When we propose to ignore in a great man's teaching those doctrines which it has in common with the thought of his age, we seem to be assuming that the thought of his age was erroneous. When we select for serious consideration those doctrines which "transcend" the thought of his own age and are "for all time", we are assuming that the thought of our age is correct: for of course by thoughts which transcend the great man's age we really mean thoughts that agree with ours. Thus I value Shakespeare's picture of the transformation in old Lear more than I value his views about the divine right of kings, because I agree with Shakespeare that a man can be purified by suffering like Lear, but do not believe that kings (or any other rulers) have divine right in the sense required. When the great man's views do not seem to us erroneous we do not value them the less for having been shared with his contemporaries. Shakespeare's disdain for treachery and Christ's blessing on the poor were not alien to the outlook of their respective periods; but no one wishes to discredit them on that account.
