--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words written fifty years ago, a hundred…" description: "\"“Words written fifty years ago, a hundred years ago, a thousand years ago, can have as much of this power today as ever they had it then to come alive ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/frederick-buechner-883_faith_words-written-fifty-years-ago-a-hundred_2499806.jpg" --- # Words written fifty years ago, a hundred years ago, a… ![“Words written fifty years ago, a hundred years ago, a thousand years ago, can have as much of this power today as ever they had it then to come alive for us and in us and to make us more alive within ourselves. That, I suppose, is the final mystery as well as the final power of words: That not…” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/frederick-buechner-883_faith_words-written-fifty-years-ago-a-hundred_2499806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/frederick-buechner-883_faith_words-written-fifty-years-ago-a-hundred_2499806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/frederick-buechner-883_faith_words-written-fifty-years-ago-a-hundred_2499806.jpg) > ““Words written fifty years ago, a hundred years ago, a thousand years ago, can have as much of this power today as ever they had it then to come alive for us and in us and to make us more alive within ourselves. That, I suppose, is the final mystery as well as the final power of words: That not even across great distances of time and space do they ever lose their capacity for becoming incarnate. And when these words tell of virtue and nobility, when they move closer to that truth and gentleness of spirit by which we become fully human, the reading of them is sacramental; and a library is as holy a place as any temple is holy because through the words which are treasured in it the Word itself becomes flesh again and again and dwells among us and within us, full of grace and truth. Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember, in an essay called The Speaking and Writing of Words.”” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words endure across centuries, retaining power to transform readers and make them feel more alive, especially when they convey virtue and humanity, turning reading into a sacred act. **In simple terms:** Enduring words can still transform us today. Key Takeaway Read works that embody virtue to feel renewed. Themes literature spirituality timelessness Mood contemplative reverent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - academic study - spiritual practice - library visits Key Concepts incarnation sacredness humanity Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience a word that feels alive? - What virtues do you seek in literature? A Different Perspective Words may be interpreted differently across cultures, reducing universal impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Power of words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-words/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I remember, for instance, the first time I went to the great palace of Versailles outside Paris and how, as I wandered around among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-remember-for-instance-the-first-time-i-went-to-the-great-palace-of/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Frederick Buechner wrote, “Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/frederick-buechner-wrote-vocation-is-the-place-where-our-deep/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wm-paul-young/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between-2/) [Wm. Paul Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wm-paul-young/) > [Frederick Buechner is one of my favorite writers. The Eyes of the Heart is beautiful and wise, full of insight, charm, and tenderness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/frederick-buechner-is-one-of-my-favorite-writers-the-eyes-of-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Frederick Buechner can find grace and redemption even in the shoddiest, phoniest aspects of a cultural wasteland. One reads Lion Country...with hope and delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-auchincloss/frederick-buechner-can-find-grace-and-redemption-even-in-the/) [Louis Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-auchincloss/) > [When I forget the power of the word, I read Frederick Buechner. When I forget the deep relief of telling the truth, I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/when-i-forget-the-power-of-the-word-i-read-frederick-buechner-when-i/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Frederick Buechner brings the reader to his knees, sometimes in laughter, sometimes in an astonishment very close to prayer, and at the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mewshaw/frederick-buechner-brings-the-reader-to-his-knees-sometimes-in/) Michael Mewshaw > [“Frederick Buechner said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/frederick-buechner-said-the-place-god-calls-you-to-is-the-place-where/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [“If a man speaks many holy words but he speaks and does not, this thoughtless man cannot enjoy the life of holiness: he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-speaks-many-holy-words-but-he-speaks-and-does-not-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The prophets inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote the Holy words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-prophets-inspired-by-the-holy-spirit-wrote-the-holy-words/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“If she had some level of theism, we might have a shared theological root from which I could shape holy words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/if-she-had-some-level-of-theism-we-might-have-a-shared-theological/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [All the holy words you read and all the holy words you speak are as nothing if you do not act upon them. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/all-the-holy-words-you-read-and-all-the-holy-words-you-speak-are-as/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/o-children-of-adam-holy-words-and-pure-and-goodly-deeds-ascend-unto/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [It is because as we are, our hearts are closed, and we cannot place the holy words in our hearts. So we place them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/it-is-because-as-we-are-our-hearts-are-closed-and-we-cannot-place-the/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [“We seek a metaphor for holy words that will return them to us once again as an ayfz hayim, a tree of life (Prov.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/we-seek-a-metaphor-for-holy-words-that-will-return-them-to-us-once/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [It is impossible to conceive how different things would have turned out if that birth had not happened whenever, wherever, however it didfor millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-impossible-to-conceive-how-different-things-would-have-turned/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [At least to look back over their own lives, as I have looked back over mine, for certain themes and patterns and signals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/at-least-to-look-back-over-their-own-lives-as-i-have-looked-back-over/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/even-the-saddest-things-can-become-once-we-have-made-peace-with-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [A Christian isn't necessarily any nicer than anybody else, just better informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/a-christian-isn-t-necessarily-any-nicer-than-anybody-else-just-better/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-things-that-the-world-fills-time-with-are-enough-to-turn-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The pride that keeps us from forgiving is the same pride which keeps us from accepting forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/the-pride-that-keeps-us-from-forgiving-is-the-same-pride-which-keeps/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but a the same time you carry them with you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/you-can-kiss-your-family-and-friends-good-bye-and-put-miles-between/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I suspect that Jesus spoke many of his parables as a kind of sad and holy joke and that that may be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-suspect-that-jesus-spoke-many-of-his-parables-as-a-kind-of-sad-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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