The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it.

When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become.

Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.

The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it

a spiritual life without prayer is like the gospel without Christ.

Joy is based on the spiritual knowledge that, while the world in which we live is shrouded in darkness, God has overcome the world.

Christian life is not a life divided between times for action and times for contemplation. No. Real social action is a way of contemplation, and real contemplation is the core of social action.

In solitude we realize that nothing human is alien to us.

Theological formation is the gradual and often painful discovery of God's incomprehensibility. You can be competent in many things, but you cannot be competent in God.

The world is evil only when you become its slave.

People who read your ideas tend to think that your writings reflect your life.

Sometimes you forget you're famous. You wonder, Why is that person staring at me?

I am moved more by melodies, song structure, and evocative textures.

I grew up listening to all kinds of music, everything from country to rock, pop, R&B and even rap, so for me, music is music and a great song is a great song.

God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas and creativity

A hero is a goddam stupid thing to have in the first place and a general block to anything you might wanta accomplish on your own.

Friends do everything they can to protect each other." --Polly

Teaching is like trying to hold 35 corks underwater at once.

In answer to the question, "Shouldn't the commandments be rewritten?," someone thoughtfully replied, "No, they should be reread."

By definition, risk-takers often fail. So do morons. In practice it's difficult to sort them out.

Every Iranian artist, in one form or another, is political. Politics have defined our lives.