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Oh,' the priest said, 'that's another thing altogether…

“Oh,' the priest said, 'that's another thing altogether - God is love. I don't say the heart doesn't feel a taste of it, but what a taste. The smallest glass of love mixed with a pint pot of ditch-water. We wouldn't recognize that love. It might even look like hate. It would be enough to scare us…” quote by Graham Greene
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“Oh,' the priest said, 'that's another thing altogether - God is love. I don't say the heart doesn't feel a taste of it, but what a taste. The smallest glass of love mixed with a pint pot of ditch-water. We wouldn't recognize that love. It might even look like hate. It would be enough to scare us - God's love. It set fire to a bush in the desert, didn't it, and smashed open graves and set the dead walking in the dark. Oh, a man like me would run a mile to get away if he felt that love around.”

Graham Greene

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The priest suggests that divine love can be subtle, mixed with pain, and sometimes mistaken for hate, yet it has transformative power.

In simple terms: God’s love can be hidden in pain and seem like hate.

Key Takeaway

Recognize love’s presence even in harsh forms.

Themes

spirituality love paradox transformation faith

Mood

reflective hopeful conflicted

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

  • grief
  • relationship conflict
  • spiritual awakening
  • personal loss

Key Concepts

theology human experience contradiction

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you differentiate love from hate?
  • What does “love as fire” mean to you?
A Different Perspective

The poetic language may obscure practical guidance for dealing with love’s challenges.

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