Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Related Quotes

Abraham Joshua Heschel

Prayer in action; it requires complete mobilization of heart, mind, and soul… For the soul, home is where the prayer is... Prayer calls for self-reflection, for contrition and repentance, examining and readjusting deeds and motivations, for recanting the ugly compulsions we follow, the tyranny of acquisitiveness, hatred, envy, resentment.

Action | Deeds | Envy | Heart | Mind | Prayer | Reflection | Repentance | Resentment | Self | Soul | Tyranny | Ugly | Deeds |

Douglas Van Steere

Repentance is… not only a realization of failure, not only a burst of contrition for having failed the good, not only a readiness to admit this failure freely… but also a determination not to fail the good again.

Determination | Failure | Good | Repentance | Failure |

Julian of Norwich NULL

By contrition we are made clean, by compassion we are made ready, and by true longing toward God we are made worthy. These are three means, as I understand, whereby that all souls come to heaven: that is to say, that have been sinners in earth and shall be saved: for by these three medicines it behoveth that every soul be healed.

Compassion | Earth | God | Longing | Soul | God |

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav or Breslov, aka Reb Nachman Breslover or Nachman from Uman NULL

Your sins and wrongdoing may cause you great anguish. You may suffer the worst agonies of regret. Yet your very contrition over your sins actually increases your days and adds to your life, for "The fear of God increases one's days" (Proverbs 10:27).

Cause | Fear | God | God |

Saint Augustine, aka Augustine of Hippo, St. Austin, Bishop of Hippo NULL

I will plant my feet on that step where my parents put me as a child, until self-evident truth comes to light.

Better | Earth | Heaven | Man |

John Climacus, fully Saint John Climacus, aka John of the Ladder, John Scholasticus and John Sinaites

Before gazing at the sun of humility we must let the light of meekness flow over us.

Faith | Present |

John Climacus, fully Saint John Climacus, aka John of the Ladder, John Scholasticus and John Sinaites

When a man has found the Lord, he no longer has to use words when he is praying, for the Spirit Himself will intercede for him with groans that cannot be uttered.

Faith | Prayer | Soul | Will |

Washington Irving

There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations.

Vittorio Alfieri

Where there are laws, he who has not broken them need not tremble.

Crime |