Ashley

“the exchange of love is illegitimate if one or the other’s consent does not proceed from the central point of the soul where the ‘yes’ can only be eternal. The obligation of marriage, which is now so often regarded as a simple social convention, is written into the very nature of human thought by the affinity between carnal love and beauty. Everything that has some relationship to beauty should be exempted (unaffected) by the passage of time. Beauty is eternity here below.”
― Simone Weil, Awaiting God: A New Translation of Attente de Dieu and Lettre a Un Religieux

“Obedience is the only pure motive, the only one which does not in the slightest degree seek a reward for the action, but leaves all care of reward to the Father who is in secret and who sees in secret.”
― Simone Weil, Gravity And Grace

“The essential instruction of centering prayer says, When engaged with your thoughts return ever so gently to the sacred word. As contemplation deepens, you appreciate how important the attitude of gentleness is for letting the living Word of God infuse your practice with the sacred word. Many people struggle with the question “How can I be gentle with the sacred word?” Gentleness is something you learn and practice. You learn gentleness in centering prayer by consciously returning to the sacred word with an ease of spirit. You also learn gentleness in centering prayer by being gentle with yourself when you are effortful. And the best way to learn how to act with gentleness in prayer is to let God teach you. God is gentle. As you let go of thoughts and of thinking about thoughts, you let go of your own strategies about being gentle, and you have space in your awareness for God.”
― David Frenette, The Path of Centering Prayer: Deepening Your Experience of God

“The attitude that brings about salvation does not resemble any human activity. The Greek word that expresses this is ὑπομονή, which patientia translated quite poorly. It is expectant waiting (attente), attentive immobility and fidelity that lasts indefinitely and can never be shaken by any shock. The slave that listens before the door to open it when the master knocks is the best image of it. He must be ready to die of hunger and exhaustion rather than changing his attitude. It must be possible for his comrades to call him, speak to him and hit him without causing him to even turn his head. Even if someone told him that the master was dead—and even if he believed it—he would not budge. If someone told him the master was irritated with him and would beat him on his return—and if he believed it—he would not budge.”
― Simone Weil, Awaiting God: A New Translation of Attente de Dieu and Lettre a Un Religieux