Ella McKinlay

“Forgiveness may be rejected by some as a weakness that denies the seriousness of wrongdoing. But Christian forgiveness does not say that the thing that happened to us didn’t hurt, it wasn’t wrong, or it didn’t matter. Forgiveness means that the incident did hurt, it was wrong and it does matter. Since every human being has been made in the image of God, our suffering matters profoundly. But we have the power to forgive...”
― Amy Orr-Ewing, Lead Like the Real You: Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God's Calling, and Leading with Courage

“We must not overlook the connection between faith and love. The woman saw Jesus and recognised who he was and who dwelt in him. That Vision was her faith. She knew he was forgiving and accepting her before he ever said, “Your sins are forgiven.” She knew because she had seen a goodness in him that could only be God, and it broke her heart with gratitude and love.

Speaking in the language of today, we would say she went “nuts” about Jesus. Her behavior obviously was the behavior of a “nutty” person. (We really do have to use colloquial language to capture responses to Jesus. More formal, literary, or theological language cannot do it.) When we see Jesus as he is, we must turn away or else shamelessly adore him.”⠀”
― Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God

“The saint isn’t someone who makes us think, ‘That looks hard; that’s a heroic achievement of will’ - with the inevitable accompanying thought, ‘That’s too hard for me’ - but someone who makes us think, ‘How astonishing! Human lives can be like that, behaviour like that can look quite natural’ - with perhaps the thought, ‘How can I find what they have?’

(Silence and Honeycakes)”
― Rowan Williams

“But life can be interpreted in so many different ways,’ said Ianthe in her quiet voice. ‘Perhaps there the novelist has the advantage and he can let his imagination go where it will.’ She saw herself again in John’s room in Pimlico, washing up at the sink in the corner. ‘Even the most apparently narrow and uneventful life,’ she began thoughtfully, then stopped, uncertain of what she was going to say next. What did it mean for her — that little episode — what was its significance in the pattern?”
― Barbara Pym, An Unsuitable Attachment