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Simone Weil’s aphorisms

A few aphorisms from Simone Weil, the 20th century French mystic, from her book “Gravity and Grace,” which I bought at a fantastic bookstore in London this past summer because I saw it on the shelf and remember that our commentator friend Hector had recommended her writing: The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the […]

A few aphorisms from Simone Weil, the 20th century French mystic, from her book “Gravity and Grace,” which I bought at a fantastic bookstore in London this past summer because I saw it on the shelf and remember that our commentator friend Hector had recommended her writing:

The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering but a supernatural use for it.

Beauty captivates the flesh in order to obtain permission to pass right to the soul.

Everything that is worthless shuns the light. Here on earth we can hide ourselves beneath the flesh. At death we can do this no longer. We are given up naked to the light. That means hell, purgatory or paradise as the case may be.

To lower oneself is to rise in the domain of moral gravity. Moral gravity makes us fall towards the heights.

The recognition of human wretchedness is difficult for whoever is rich and powerful because he is almost invincibly led to believe that he is something. It is equally difficult for the man in miserable circumstances because he is almost invincibly led to believe that the rich and powerful man is something

Patriotism. We must not have any love other than charity. A nation cannot be an object of charity. But a country can be one — as an environment bearing traditions which are eternal. Every country can be that.

 

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