Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes From Dietrich Bonhoeffer It is a blessed thing to know that no power on earth, no temptation, no human frailty can dissolve what God holds together. Dietrich Bonhoeffer blessed temptation together What we are in ourselves, and what we owe to others makes us a complete whole. Dietrich Bonhoeffer whole The 'polymath' had already died out by the close of the eighteenth century, and in the following century intensive education replaced extensive, so that by the end of it the specialist had evolved. The consequence is that today everyone is a mere technician, even the artist. Dietrich Bonhoeffer century artist today The beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. Dietrich Bonhoeffer brethren But discipleship never consists in this or that specific action: it is always a decision, either for or against Jesus Christ...Christ speaks to us exactly as he spoke to them. It was not as though they first recognized him as the Christ and then received his command. They believed his word and command and recognized him as the Christ--in that order. Dietrich Bonhoeffer decision order jesus If you believe, take the first step, it leads to Jesus Christ. If you don't believe, take the first step all the same, for you are bidden to take it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer believe jesus firsts If any want to become my followers," Jesus says. Following him is not something that is self-evident, even among the disciples. No one can be forced, no one can be expected to follow him. ... "If any want to follow me, they must deny themselves ... and take up their cross. Dietrich Bonhoeffer followers self jesus We are separated from one another by an unbridgeable gulf of otherness and strangeness which resists all our attempts to overcome it by means of natural association or emotional or spiritual union. There is no way from one person to another. However loving and sympathetic we try to be, however sound our psychology however frank and open our behaviour we cannot penetrate the incognito of the other man, for there are no direct relationships, not even between soul and soul. Christ stands between us, and we can only get into touch with our neighbors through Him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer spiritual men mean Loving God means rejoicing in God, being eager to think of and pray to God. It means being glad to be in God's presence and to be with God alone. It means not grieving God, but rejoicing in God simply because it is God who is involved, and because we are permitted to know and have God, and to speak with and live with God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer grieving mean thinking Where is love more glorified than where she dwells in the midst of her enemies? Dietrich Bonhoeffer midst enemy God cannot endure that unfestive, mirthless attitude of ours in which we eat our bread in sorrow, with pretentious, busy haste, or even with shame. Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer holiday god attitude The church ... is not just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to put a spoke in the wheel itself. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wheels church victim The Christian life is participation in the encounter of Christ with the world. Dietrich Bonhoeffer encounters christian world While we exert ourselves to grow beyond our humanity, to leave the human behind us, God becomes human; and we must recognize that God wills that we be human, real human beings. While we distinguish between pious and godless, good and evil, noble and base, God loves real people without distinction. Dietrich Bonhoeffer real evil people ...And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all. Dietrich Bonhoeffer christmas eye dark If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of course to keep within the limits of what seems permissible to the world), we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ. When the flesh is satisfied it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a life of service which calls for much self-renunciation. Dietrich Bonhoeffer thanksgiving self desire Discipleship means adherence to Christ and, because Christ is the object of that adherence, it must take the form of discipleship. An abstract theology, a doctrinal system, a general religious knowledge of the subject of grace or the forgiveness of sins, render discipleship superfluous, and in fact exclude any idea of discipleship whatsoever, and are essentially inimical to the whole conception of following Christ....Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer following-christ religious mean Jesus Christ has to suffer and be rejected... Suffering and being rejected are not the same. Dietrich Bonhoeffer suffering jesus christ In recent years we have seen a great deal of bravery and self-sacrifice, but civil courage hardly anywhere, even among ourselves. Dietrich Bonhoeffer sacrifice self years The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. Dietrich Bonhoeffer sight men reality
