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Who among us has not suddenly looked into his child's…

“Who among us has not suddenly looked into his child's face, in the midst of the toils and troubles of everyday life, and at that moment "seen" that everything which is good, is loved and lovable, loved by God! Such certainties all mean, at bottom, one and the same thing: that the world is plumb…” quote by Josef Pieper
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““Who among us has not suddenly looked into his child's face, in the midst of the toils and troubles of everyday life, and at that moment "seen" that everything which is good, is loved and lovable, loved by God! Such certainties all mean, at bottom, one and the same thing: that the world is plumb and sound; that everything comes to its appointed goal; that in spite of all appearances, underlying all things is - peace, salvation, gloria; that nothing and no one is lost; that "God holds in his hand the beginning, middle, and end of all that is." Such nonrational, intuitive certainties of the divine base of all that is can be vouchsafed to our gaze even when it is turned toward the most insignificant-looking things, if only it is a gaze inspired by love. That, in the precise sense, is contemplation... Out of this kind of contemplation of the created world arise in never-ending wealth all true poetry and all real art, for it is the nature of poetry and art to be paean and praise heard above all the wails of lamentation. No one who is not capable of such contemplation can grasp poetry in a poetic fashion, that is to say, in the only meaningful fashion. The indispensability, the vital function of the arts in man's life, consists above all in this: that through them contemplation of the created world is kept alive and active.””

Josef Pieper

About This Quote

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

Contemplation of everyday moments reveals divine order, peace, and purpose, inspiring poetry and art that celebrate this truth.

In simple terms: Seeing love in a child shows God's goodness and purpose.

Key Takeaway

Recognize divine order in daily life.

Themes

contemplation faith art purpose beauty

Mood

reverent inspired hopeful

Type

philosophical spiritual

When to use this quote

  • parenting
  • education
  • creative practice
  • spiritual reflection

Key Concepts

theology aesthetics existential meaning

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does love transform perception?
  • What role does art play in seeing divine order?
A Different Perspective

Contemplation alone may not change material conditions.

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