--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a great mystery that though the…" description: "\"It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs for Truth, in which alone it finds liberation and delight, the first reaction of human beings t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png" --- # It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs… ![“It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs for Truth, in which alone it finds liberation and delight, the first reaction of human beings to Truth is one of hostility and fear!” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png) > “It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs for Truth, in which alone it finds liberation and delight, the first reaction of human beings to Truth is one of hostility and fear!” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans desire truth for freedom, yet initially react with fear and hostility toward it. **In simple terms:** Truth is desired but feared at first. Key Takeaway Embrace truth despite discomfort. Themes spirituality psychology truth Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - education Key Concepts human nature fear response Questions to Reflect On - What fears arise when confronting truth? - How can we transform hostility into curiosity? A Different Perspective Truth can trigger defensive instincts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beings Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-truth-2448974/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Finds Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finds-liberation-2565456/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hostility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hostility/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberation/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Truth Finds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-finds-2279488/) [Truth Hostility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-hostility-4209274/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) ## Related quotes > [I'm convinced, more than ever, that man finds liberation only when he binds himself to God and commits himself to his fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-m-convinced-more-than-ever-that-man-finds-liberation-only-when-he/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [When we are dealing with human beings, no truth has reality by itself; it is always dependent upon the reality of the immediate relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/when-we-are-dealing-with-human-beings-no-truth-has-reality-by-itself/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“As Christians, we claim the biblical story is true because it conforms to the actualities of God's existence and His dealings with human beings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cabal/as-christians-we-claim-the-biblical-story-is-true-because-it-conforms/) [Ted Cabal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cabal/) > [“Humans think they are free, conscious beings, when in truth they are deluded animals. At the same time they never cease trying to escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gray/humans-think-they-are-free-conscious-beings-when-in-truth-they-are/) [John Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gray/) > [“Never give up and never give in. The truth always finds a way to be told.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-give-up-and-never-give-in-the-truth-always-finds-a-way-to-be/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You don't find Truth, but Truth finds you. ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/you-don-t-find-truth-but-truth-finds-you/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [When you practice a life of non-violence you no longer need seek the truth, the truth finds you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/when-you-practice-a-life-of-non-violence-you-no-longer-need-seek-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the end, the truth finds a way to surface even if you don't want it to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/in-the-end-the-truth-finds-a-way-to-surface-even-if-you-don-t-want-it/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [The truth always finds it's way out, even years and years and years later. The truth always prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hamilton/the-truth-always-finds-it-s-way-out-even-years-and-years-and-years/) [Tyler Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hamilton/) > [The reason for the sadness of this modern age and the men who live in it is that it looks for the truth in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-de-goncourt/the-reason-for-the-sadness-of-this-modern-age-and-the-men-who-live-in/) [Edmond de Goncourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-de-goncourt/) > [The first business of a man of science is to proclaim the truth as he finds it, and let the world adjust itself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-williams-bridgman/the-first-business-of-a-man-of-science-is-to-proclaim-the-truth-as-he/) [Percy Williams Bridgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-williams-bridgman/) > [ Lacking the truth, \[we\] will however finds instants of truth, and these instants are in fact all we have available to us to give… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/lacking-the-truth-we-will-however-finds-instants-of-truth-and-these/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [We sometimes find truth, but more often it finds us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/we-sometimes-find-truth-but-more-often-it-finds-us/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Indifference is harder to fight than hostility, and there is nothing that kills an agitation like having everybody admit that it is fundamentally right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-eastman/indifference-is-harder-to-fight-than-hostility-and-there-is-nothing/) [Crystal Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-eastman/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Delight quotes > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Shhh.” He put a finger to her lips. “Hear me out. I cannot deny that I would've liked to have made babies with you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/shhh-he-put-a-finger-to-her-lips-hear-me-out-i-cannot-deny-that-i/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [There was an Old Man of Messina, Whose daughter was named Opsibeena; She wore a small wig, and rode out on a pig, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lear/there-was-an-old-man-of-messina-whose-daughter-was-named-opsibeena/) [Edward Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lear/) > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. It roars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/a-real-flame-of-love-is-a-subtle-thing-it-burns-as-a-will-o-the-wisp/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“The gift of words, the source of enjoyment, the source of delight that comes within and the unfading beauty and energy of words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/the-gift-of-words-the-source-of-enjoyment-the-source-of-delight-that/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Benefits received are a delight to us as long as we think we can requite them; when that possibility is far exceeded, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/benefits-received-are-a-delight-to-us-as-long-as-we-think-we-can/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [All the world's bravery that delights our eyes is but thy several liveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/all-the-world-s-bravery-that-delights-our-eyes-is-but-thy-several/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [It might be lonelier Without the Loneliness - I’m so accustomed to my Fate - Perhaps the Other - Peace - Would interrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/it-might-be-lonelier-without-the-loneliness-i-m-so-accustomed-to-my/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Design should do the same thing in everyday life that art does when encountered: amaze us, scare us or delight us, but certainly open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-betsky/design-should-do-the-same-thing-in-everyday-life-that-art-does-when/) [Aaron Betsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-betsky/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Every natural power exhilarates; a true talent delights the possessor first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-natural-power-exhilarates-a-true-talent-delights-the-possessor/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we are to define science, ... it does not consist so much in knowing, nor even in "organized knowledge," as it does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sanders-peirce/if-we-are-to-define-science-it-does-not-consist-so-much-in-knowing/) [Charles Sanders Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sanders-peirce/) > [Significantly, God in Genesis 1 pronounces the rest of creation "good" before humanity is created. The psalmist and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-clapp/significantly-god-in-genesis-1-pronounces-the-rest-of-creation-good/) [Rodney Clapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-clapp/) > [Being asked to play 'The Doctor' is an amazing privilege. Like the Doctor himself I find myself in a state of utter terror and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/being-asked-to-play-the-doctor-is-an-amazing-privilege-like-the/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) [Browse all 2,212 Delight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs for Truth, in which alone it finds liberation and delight, the first reaction of human beings to Truth is one of hostility and fear!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-human-heart-longs-for-truth-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Delight" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-human-heart-longs-for-truth-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/anthony-de-mello-1331_delight_it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-hu_2913749.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a great mystery that though the human heart longs for Truth, in which alone it finds liberation and…” — Anthony de Mello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is a great mystery that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-human-heart-longs-for-truth-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/it-is-a-great-mystery-that-though-the-human-heart-longs-for-truth-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```