Quotes from God or Nothing

03-19-2017Weekly ReflectionSeminarian Sam McCarty

I've been reading the book God or Nothing by Robert Cardinal Sarah, and it has been really fantastic. It's clear that Cardinal Sarah is a deeply holy and courageous man, and his words have been both challenging and inspiring to me. (The book was published by Ignatius Press in 2015 and is subtitled "A Conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat" if you want to find it.) Here are a few quotes that stood out to me – I hope you enjoy them!

"We understand, therefore, that in piercing the Heart of Jesus, the soldier's spear revealed a great mystery, for it went farther than the Heart of Christ. It revealed God; it passed, so to speak, through the very center of the Trinity." (p. 25)

"Man is great only when he is on his knees before God." (36)

"For all these divine gifts I give thanks to God. I deserve nothing, but God often chooses the lowly. He deigned to look upon a little boy from a poor village. I never would have imagined that God could accomplish all that he has done for me. But who could ever know where God is leading us?" (40)

"One must humbly acknowledge that a whole lifetime is necessary to study the Word of God and to acquire the wisdom that leads to love." (48)

"During that time, I realized that the liturgy was the most precious sacred moment in which the Church allows us to encounter God in a unique way. We must never forget to unite the liturgy with the tragic event of the death of Jesus on the Cross." (50)

"At Mass we are present first and foremost to God. If we do not turn our attention radically toward God, our faith becomes lukewarm, distracted, and uncertain." (50)

"In our lives, everything is the gift of his Love. How then could I remain indifferent to such a great mystery? How could I not respond to the Love of the heavenly Father by dedicating my whole life to him?" (52)

"The Church must be involved in the daily life of people. No Christian can be cut off from the human condition or from the history of his contemporaries." (68)

"The most important moments in life are the hours of prayer and adoration. They give birth to a human being, fashion our true identity; they root our existence in mystery. My daily encounters with the Lord, in supplication and prayer, are the basis for my life." (70)

"In the West, where everything seems to be dying and Christianity appears to be evaporating inexorably, there are nevertheless extraordinary hidden flowers. For the true springtime of the Church consists of the Saints! How could we forget John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and all the saints of the modern era?" (75)

"In my life, God has done everything; for my part, I just wanted to pray." (76)

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