The essential characteristic of the first half of the twentieth century is the growing weakness, and almost the disappearance, of the idea of value. Simone Weil More Quotes by Simone Weil More Quotes From Simone Weil It is only the impossible that is possible for God. He has given over the possible to the mechanics of matter and the autonomy of his creatures. Simone Weil god matter impossible Liberty, taking the word in its concrete sense, consists in the ability to choose. Simone Weil 4th-of-july freedom peace Christians ought to suspect that affliction is the very essence of creation. To be a created thing is not necessarily to be afflicted, but it is necessarily to be exposed to affliction. ... Affliction is the surest sign that God wishes to be loved by us; it is the most precious evidence of His tenderness. Simone Weil essence suffering christian To be a hero or a heroine, one must give an order to oneself. Simone Weil women hero order If someone does me injury I must desire that this injury shall not degrade me. I must desire this out of love for him who inflicts it, in order that he may not really have done evil. Simone Weil evil desire order Death. An instantaneous state, without past or future. Indispensable for entering eternity. Simone Weil entering eternity past What hope is there for innocence if it is not recognized? Simone Weil innocence ifs To get power over is to defile. To possess is to defile. Simone Weil power When literature becomes deliberately indifferent to the opposition of good and evil it betrays its function and forfeits all claim to excellence. Simone Weil excellence literature evil The miser deprives himself of his treasure because of his desire for it. Simone Weil misers treasure desire One has only the choice between God and idolatry. There is no other possibility. For the faculty of worship is in us, and it is either directed somewhere into this world, or into another. Simone Weil choices worship world 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. Simone Weil duty rights relation Everything which originates from pure love is lit with the radiance of beauty. Simone Weil pure-love radiance love-is Justice, truth, and beauty are sisters and comrades. With three such beautiful words we have no need to look for any others. Simone Weil justice beautiful beauty Distance is the soul of beauty. Simone Weil distance soul There can be a true grandeur in any degree of submissiveness, because it springs from loyalty to the laws and to an oath, and not from baseness of soul. Simone Weil loyalty law spring If Germany, thanks to Hitler and his successors, were to enslave the European nations and destroy most of the treasures of their past, future historians would certainly pronounce that she had civilized Europe. Simone Weil europe civilization past Today it is not nearly enough to be a saint, but we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment, a new saintliness, itself also without precedent. Simone Weil saint live-in-the-moment today Men owe us what we imagine they will give us. We must forgive them this debt. Simone Weil debt giving men The joy of learning is as indispensable in study as breathing is in running. Simone Weil breathing learning running
