The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes From Dietrich Bonhoeffer Human love has little regard for the truth. It makes the truth relative, since nothing, not even the truth, must come between it and the beloved person. Dietrich Bonhoeffer belovedpersonslittles When a man really gives up trying to make something out of himself - a saint, or a converted sinner, or a churchman (a so-called clerical somebody), a righteous or unrighteous man,...and throws himself into the arms of God...then he wakes with Christ in Gethsemane. That is faith, that is metanoia and it is thus that he becomes a man and Christian. Dietrich Bonhoeffer giving-upchristianmen So many people come to church with a genuine desire to hear what we have to say, yet they are always going back home with the uncomfortable feeling that we are making it too difficult for them to come to Jesus. Dietrich Bonhoeffer uncomfortable-feelinghomejesus The church is only the church when it exists for others. To make a start, it should give away all its property to those in need. The clergy must live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling. The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer offeringmenmean It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer gratitudeachievementeasy The fact that we do not speak it but sing it only expresses the fact that our spoken words are inadequate to express what we want to say, that the burden of our song goes far beyond all human words. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wantsongfacts It is not in our life that God's help and presence must still be proved, but rather God's presence and help have been demonstrated for us in the life of Jesus Christ. It is in fact more important for us to know what God did to Israel, to his Son Jesus Christ, than to seek what God intends for us today. Dietrich Bonhoeffer israelsonjesus The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer futureinspirationhope Every word of Holy Scripture was a love letter from God directed very personally to us and he asked us whether we loved Jesus. Dietrich Bonhoeffer scripturelettersjesus After he has been following Christ for a long time, the disciple of Jesus will be asked, "Lacked ye anything?" and he will answer "Nothing, Lord." How could he when he knows that despite hunger and nakedness, persecution and danger, the Lord is always at his side? Dietrich Bonhoeffer following-christlongjesus No sacrifice which a lover would make for his beloved is too great for us to make for our enemy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer sacrificeloversenemy Pain is a holy angel who shows us treasures that would otherwise remain forever hidden; through him men and women have become greater than through all the joys of the world. It must be so and I tell myself this in my present situation over and over again. The pain of suffering and of longing, which can often be felt even physically, must be there, and we cannot and need not talk it away. But it needs to be overcome every time, and thus there is an even holier angel than the one of pain; that is, the one of joy in God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer painangelmen On Sunday 8 April 1945, he had just finished conducting a service of worship at Schoenberg, when two soldiers came took him away. As he left, he said to another prisoner, This is the end - but for me, the beginning - of life. He was hanged the next day, less than a week before the Allies reached the camp. Dietrich Bonhoeffer sundaylifetwo It matters little what form of prayer we adopt or how many words we use. What matters is the faith which lays hold on God, knowing that He knows our needs before we even ask Him. That is what gives Christian prayer its boundless confidence and its joyous certainty. Dietrich Bonhoeffer knowingprayerchristian The church is her true self only when she exists for humanity. Dietrich Bonhoeffer humanityselfchristian Ultimate seriousness in not without a dose of humor. Dietrich Bonhoeffer doseseriousnesstheologian Only he who gives thanks for the little things receives the big things. Dietrich Bonhoeffer thankslittlesgiving We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. Dietrich Bonhoeffer gratitudethankfulnessgiving A love that left people alone in their guilt would not have real people as its object. So, in vicarious responsibility for people, and in His love for real human beings, Jesus becomes the one burdened by guilt. Dietrich Bonhoeffer realresponsibilityjesus If you reject God's commanding word, you will not receive God's gracious word. Dietrich Bonhoeffer graciouschristiangod
