--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we look to the saints, this great…" description: "\"If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a force for good that survives ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg" --- # If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with… ![“If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a force for good that survives through millennia; here is truly light from light.” quote by Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg) > “If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a force for good that survives through millennia; here is truly light from light.” [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that divine influence, likened to a luminous wake, endures across ages, representing an enduring force of good that originates from a higher source. **In simple terms:** Divine influence endures through time. Key Takeaway Spiritual continuity transcends eras. Themes eternal good spiritual illumination historical continuity faith divine presence Mood reverent inspired Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - religious reflection - interfaith dialogue - historical analysis - personal spiritual growth Key Concepts theology history philosophy Practical Applications - theological education - cultural heritage preservation Questions to Reflect On - How does this view of divine continuity affect moral responsibility? - In what ways can this 'light' be manifested in modern society? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great Luminous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-luminous-653532/) [Here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/here/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Luminous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luminous/) [Millennia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millennia/) [Millennia Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millennia-truly-653534/) [Passed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passed/) [Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints/) [Saints Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints-great-653533/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [Survives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survives/) [Survives Millennia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survives-millennia-653535/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly/) [Wake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [Saints are the great teachers of the loving-kindness and fascination with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/saints-are-the-great-teachers-of-the-loving-kindness-and-fascination/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [Great saints have often been made out of great sinners, but not one was ever made out of a wimp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/great-saints-have-often-been-made-out-of-great-sinners-but-not-one/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The great saints were always great innovators... They had to be very strong people... principled people. And, apart from their principles, with great tenacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-wilkinson/the-great-saints-were-always-great-innovators-they-had-to-be-very/) [Colm Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-wilkinson/) > [A university is not about results in the next quarter; it is not even about who a student has become by graduation. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/a-university-is-not-about-results-in-the-next-quarter-it-is-not-even/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [“As has also been demonstrated thoroughly, one of the principal objects of worship over the millennia has been the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/as-has-also-been-demonstrated-thoroughly-one-of-the-principal-objects/) [D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/) > [Ethnically, Tuareg describe themselves as white. And they don't look Arab or black. Many Tuareg have light skin, light eyes and sharp angular noses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/ethnically-tuareg-describe-themselves-as-white-and-they-don-t-look/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [We are fascinated with our own history, and we are fascinated with the Romans because they were millennia ago, and yet they still capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-harington/we-are-fascinated-with-our-own-history-and-we-are-fascinated-with-the/) [Kit Harington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-harington/) > [If you go back to the really long-run questions that interested me, the big question was why, over the centuries, the millennia, has growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/if-you-go-back-to-the-really-long-run-questions-that-interested-me/) [Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/) > [People sense that our reaction to phenomena such as epidemics or religious war is not that different to how we reacted to plagues or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/people-sense-that-our-reaction-to-phenomena-such-as-epidemics-or/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) > [In most, if not quite all, parts of the world, the size, shape and longevity of the human body have changed more substantially, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fogel/in-most-if-not-quite-all-parts-of-the-world-the-size-shape-and/) [Robert Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fogel/) > [Well documented, the relationship of literature to myth in the Western world has undergone much change over the millennia, as first the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bernheimer/well-documented-the-relationship-of-literature-to-myth-in-the-western/) [Kate Bernheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bernheimer/) > [“Part of the resistance to Darwin and Wallace derives from our difficulty in imagining the passage of the millennia, much less the aeons. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/part-of-the-resistance-to-darwin-and-wallace-derives-from-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Awakened by a thousand dogs, a passing truck, the tailspin of a poisoned mosquito (or, perhaps, merely the silence of my dreams), I had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-calder/awakened-by-a-thousand-dogs-a-passing-truck-the-tailspin-of-a/) [Richard Calder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-calder/) > [The spiritual activity of millennia is deposited in language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-spiritual-activity-of-millennia-is-deposited-in-language/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The decline of violence is a fractal phenomenon. You can see it over millennia, over centuries, over decades and over years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-decline-of-violence-is-a-fractal-phenomenon-you-can-see-it-over/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More by Pope Benedict XVI > [The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-fact-that-the-lord-can-work-and-act-even-with-insufficient-means/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Continue to witness to the Gospel every day and commit yourselves generously in the next missionary initiatives in the Diocese of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/continue-to-witness-to-the-gospel-every-day-and-commit-yourselves/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Jesus’ example of fidelity to prayer challenges us to examine the time and effort we devote to our own prayer. While prayer is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-example-of-fidelity-to-prayer-challenges-us-to-examine-the-time/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [“Joseph Ratzinger never developed his own theological system. As a theologian he took on what was there, discerned its essentials, situated it in relation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joseph-ratzinger-never-developed-his-own-theological-system-as-a/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Jesus Christ does not teach us a spirituality “of closed eyes”, but one of “alertness”, one which entails an absolute duty to take notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-christ-does-not-teach-us-a-spirituality-of-closed-eyes-but-one/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Joy is the true gift of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joy-is-the-true-gift-of-christmas/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Material possessions, in themselves, are good. We would not survive for long without money, clothing and shelter. We must eat in order to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/material-possessions-in-themselves-are-good-we-would-not-survive-for/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church's missionary consciousness in recent decades, has been the growing desire of many lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/one-of-the-promising-indications-of-a-renewal-in-the-church-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [God loves us despite our shortcomings and sins, and his love gives meaning to our lives and to the life of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/god-loves-us-despite-our-shortcomings-and-sins-and-his-love-gives/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [It's a great responsibility before God, the judge who guides us, who draws us to truth and good, and in this sense the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/it-s-a-great-responsibility-before-god-the-judge-who-guides-us-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Discovering the beauty and joy of faith is a path that every new generation must take on its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/discovering-the-beauty-and-joy-of-faith-is-a-path-that-every-new/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Apostolic and missionary fruitfulness is not principally due to programmes and pastoral methods that are cleverly drawn up and "efficient", but is the result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/apostolic-and-missionary-fruitfulness-is-not-principally-due-to/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Ultimately, in the battle against lies and violence, truth and love have no other weapon than the witness of suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/ultimately-in-the-battle-against-lies-and-violence-truth-and-love/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) [Explore all 575 Pope Benedict XVI quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) ## More Force quotes > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. 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The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) [Browse all 10,458 Force quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a force for good that survives through millennia; here is truly light from light.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope Benedict XVI" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Force" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/321/pope-benedict-xvi-414_force_if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-lumi_44203.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see…” — Pope Benedict XVI", "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": "Pope Benedict XVI", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we look to the saints,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/#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 } } ] } ```