If God had wanted somebody with St. Francis's consistently…
““If God had wanted somebody with St. Francis's consistently winning personality for the job in the New Testament, he'd've picked him, you can be sure. As it was, he picked the best, the smartest, the most loving, the least sentimental the most un im itative master he could possibly have picked. And when you miss seeing that, I swear to you, you're missing the whole point of the Jesus Prayer. The Jesus Prayer has one aim, and one aim only . To endow the person who says it with Christ-consciousness. Not to set up some little cozy, holier-than-thou trysting place with some sticky, adorable divine per sonage who'll take you in his arms and relieve you of all your duties and make all your nasty weltschmerzen and Professor Tuppers go away and never come back. And by God, if you have intelligence enough to see that—and you do —and yet you refuse to see it, then you're misusing the prayer, you're using it to ask for a world full of dolls and saints and no Professor Tuppers.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The Jesus Prayer is meant to cultivate Christ‑consciousness, not to provide a comforting escape from life's challenges.
In simple terms: Prayer should awaken deep awareness, not just comfort.
Key Takeaway
Seek true transformation, not easy comfort.
Themes
spirituality
humility
self‑discipline
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
spiritual
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- daily stress
- ethical decision making
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
Christ‑consciousness
inner work
misuse of prayer
Questions to Reflect On
- Are you using prayer to escape or to transform?
- What does true Christ‑consciousness mean for you?
A Different Perspective
It can become a crutch if used for avoidance rather than growth.