Grace Quote by Gerard Manley Hopkins
““As Kingfishers Catch Fire As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out that being indoors each one dwells; Selves -- goes itself; _myself_ it speaks and spells, Crying _What I do is me: for that I came_. I say more: the just man justices; Keeps grace: that keeps all his goings graces; Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is -- Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places, Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his To the Father through the features of men's faces.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Windhover (also known as “As Kingfishers Catch Fire”), 1877
The poem celebrates the divine spark in all living things, likening natural phenomena to spiritual truth and suggesting that each creature reflects God’s grace.
In simple terms: Nature mirrors divine purpose; each being shows God’s grace.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the sacred in everyday life.
Themes
spirituality
nature
divine
identity
Mood
awe
contemplative
inspired
Type
poetic
theological
reflective
When to use this quote
- contemplating nature
- writing poetry
- teaching literature
- personal meditation
- artistic inspiration
Key Concepts
theology
metaphor
poetic imagination
Questions to Reflect On
- How does observing nature reveal spiritual truths?
- In what ways can we see ourselves in the natural world?
A Different Perspective
The abstract language may obscure practical application for some readers.
![“Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani [the enlightened one], one can become a Gnani [the enlightened one].” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/102/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-bec_4725.jpg)
