We must now surrender to the obligation to understand and to care. We must surrender ourselves to becoming conscious, thinking members of the human race. We must put down the temptation to powerlessness and surrender to the questions of the moment. Joan D. Chittister More Quotes by Joan D. Chittister More Quotes From Joan D. Chittister Awareness of the sacred in life is what holds our world together, and the lack of awareness of the sacred is what is tearing it apart. Joan D. Chittister sacred our-world together The kind of "blind obedience" once theologized as the ultimate step to holiness, is itself blind. It blinds a person to the insights and foresight and moral perspective of anyone other than an authority figure. Joan D. Chittister holiness perspective steps We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is Joan D. Chittister pro-life morality needs Two ideas militate against our consciously contributing to a better world. The idea that we can do everything or the conclusion that we can do nothing to make this globe a better place to live are both temptations of the most insidious form. One leads to arrogance; the other to despair. Joan D. Chittister temptation two ideas Indifference is the acid of life. It erodes all the spirit that's in us and makes us useless to anyone else. We all have to stand for something, or our souls cease to breathe. Joan D. Chittister erode useless soul June is the time for being in the world in new ways, for throwing off the cold and dark spots of life. Joan D. Chittister june dark world Assuming that tomorrow will be the same as today is poor preparation for living. It equips us only for disappointment or, more likely, for shock. To live well, to be mentally healthy, we must learn to realize that life is a work in process. Joan D. Chittister healthy preparation disappointment When I know and accept myself-all my strengths and all my limitations- I am immediately respectful of everyone else because I know they have something beautiful within them that I do not have. Joan D. Chittister respectful acceptance beautiful Beware of your definition of success: If it has more to do with what other people think of you than it does with what you know of your own abilities, you may be confusing applause with achievement. Joan D. Chittister success people thinking Hope grows in us, despite our moments of darkness, regardless of our regular bouts of depression. Joan D. Chittister moments darkness hope "When we do not know what harbor we are making for," the Roman philosopher Seneca wrote, "no wind is the right wind." Persons have vision only when they have a dream that drives them on. Joan D. Chittister goal dream wind We are each called to go through life reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again. Joan D. Chittister garden nature eden Religion is pointing toward the moon Joan D. Chittister pointing moon We must learn to pray out of our weaknesses so that God can become our Joan D. Chittister weakness praying Happiness does not come quickly. It is not conferred by any single event, however exciting or comforting or satisfying the event may be. It cannot be purchased, whatever the allure of the next, the newest, the brightest, the best. Happiness, like Carl Sandburg's fog, "comes on little cat feet," often silently, often without our knowing it, too often without our noticing. Joan D. Chittister fog cat happiness Anger is not bad. Anger can be a very positive thing, the thing that moves us beyond the acceptance of evil. Joan D. Chittister anger acceptance moving Sometimes we exclude things in ourselves in order to be like everybody else around us-our ethnicity, our social backgrounds, our ideas. What kind of world is it that will not allow me to be myself, and is it really good for me to be there? What part of me will die a slow death if I stay? Joan D. Chittister being-yourself ethnicity order It's possible to have too much in life. Too many clothes jade our appreciation of new ones; too much money can out us out of touch with life; too much free time and dull the edge of the soul. We need sometimes to come very near the bone so tha we can taste the marrow of life, rather than its superfluities. Joan D. Chittister clothes soul appreciation The spiritual response is too often a simplistic one: we abandon God or we blame God for abandoning us. Joan D. Chittister abandon blame spiritual To be contemplative we must become converted to the consciousness that makes us one with the universe, in tune with the cosmic voice of God. Joan D. Chittister consciousness voice tunes
