Quotes from Georges Bernanos

Oh, everybody knows that although they may be hard workers, they are not easy to deal with, and they've skimmed the district for all the cream they can get. But after all, though they may rob us, at least they respect us. That makes for a kind of social solidarity between us and them—deplore it or not, it exists, and everything that exists should be used for some good purpose.

But thoughts which have stirred our hearts too deeply are always in some way troubled and confused.

True pain coming out of a man belongs primarily to God, it seems to me. I try and take it humbly to my heart, just as it is. And I endeavour to make it mine, to love it. I can understand all the hidden meaning of the expression which has become hackneyed now: to commune with, Because I really "commune" with his pain.

No se puede decir más que con espanto el número de hombres que nacen, viven y mueren sin haber usado ni una sola vez su alma

Vice is perhaps less dangerous to us than a certain staleness. There is softening of the brain. Softening of the heart is worse.

Am I where Our Lord would have me be? Twenty times a day I ask this question. For the Master whom we serve not only judges our life but shares it, takes it upon Himself. It would be far easier to satisfy a geometrical and moralistic God.

Rzeczy drobne wydajÄ… siÄ™ nieistotne, ale to one zapewniajÄ… nam spokój.

When writing of oneself one should show no mercy.

Le sacrifice de l'Homme à l'Humanité, de l'Humanité au Progrès, pour aboutir ridiculement au sacrifice du progrès lui-même à la dictature de l'Économique, tel fut le crime auquel restera toujours attaché le mot de la Démocratie, forme bourgeoise de la Révolution.

Le mensonge n'a jamais paru répréhensible à Mouchette, car mentir est le plus précieux, et sans doute l'unique privilège des misérables.

Il ne s'agit pas d'édifier à grand-peine des institutions libérales, il s'agit d'avoir encore des hommes libres à mettre dedans.

You understand absolutely nothing about modern civilization unless you first admit that it is a universal conspiracy against all interior life.

Tous les dictateurs, à toutes les époques de l'Histoire, ont invoqué la justice sociale, c'est toujours au nom de l'égalité qu'on a étranglé la Liberté, il ne peut y avoir d'égalité que sous un maître absolu.

Notre vie est déjà pleine de morts, et pour chacun le plus mort des morts est le petit garçon qu'il fut. Et pourtant l'heure venue, c'est lui qui reprendra sa place à la tête de ma vie, rassemblera mes pauvres années jusqu'à la dernière, et comme un jeune chef ses vétérans, ralliant la troupe en désordre entrera le premier dans la maison du Père.

Man would have known he was the son of God; and therein lies your miracle. And not just a notion picked up in books. Because we'd have made that idea the basis of everything: habits, customs, relaxation, pleasure, down to the simplest needs. That wouldn't have stopped the labourer ploughing, or the scientist swotting at his algorithms... what we would have torn from the very heart of Adam is the sense of his own loneliness.

L'honneur d'un peuple appartient aux morts et les vivants n'en ont que l'usufruit

Cuando a los sabios se les agota la sabiduría, conviene escuchar a los niños.

you find them wreathed in knowing deprecating smiles; they beg you to spare them.

What is the use of working out chances? There are no chances against God.

Well, they will keep on saying: 'Why worry?' But what else are we here for, in heaven's name?

After all, to cultivate clever people is merely a way of dining out, and a priest has no right to go out to dinner in a world full of starving people.

For those who have the habit of prayer, thought is too often a mere alibi, a sly way of deciding to do what one wants to do.  Reason will always obscure what we wish to keep in the shadows.

When I was your age we had men in the church—don't frown, it makes me want to clout you—men I say—make what you like of the word-heads of a parish, masters, my boy, rulers.  They could hold a whole country together, that sort could—with a mere lift of the chin.  Oh, I know what you're going to say: they fed well, drank good wine and didn't object to a game of cards.  Well, what of it?

Oh! Je sais bien que la compassion d'autrui soulage un moment, je ne la méprise point. Mais elle ne désalèere pas, elle s'écoule dans l'âme comme a travers un crible. Et quand notre souffrance passe de pitié en pitié, ainsi que de bouche en bouche, il me semble que nous ne pouvons plus la respecter, ni l'aimer...