Among irrational animals the love of the offspring and of the parents for each other is extraordinary because God, who created them, compensated for the deficiency of reason by the superiority of their senses.
Interpretation
Saint Basil highlights the extraordinary bond of love among animals, suggesting that they have a deep connection that compensates for their lack of reason.
In this quote, Saint Basil reflects on the profound love that exists among animals, particularly between parents and their offspring. He suggests that although these creatures may lack human-like reasoning abilities, they possess heightened senses that cultivate an extraordinary emotional connection. This underscores the idea that love is a fundamental force in nature, bridging gaps created by cognitive limitations.
In practice
This quote could be shared during a talk about animal rights to emphasize the emotional bonds among animal families.
Now, if you notice how the swan, putting its neck down into the deep water, brings up food for itself from below, then you will discover the wisdom of the Creator, in that He gave it a neck longer than its feet for this reason, that it might, as if lowering a sort of fishing line, procure the food hidden in the deep water.
When you have become God's in the measure he desires, then he himself will bestow you upon others; unless, to your greater glory, he chooses to keep you all to himself.
What is there astonishing in the death of a mortal? But we are grieved at his dying before his time. Are we sure that this was not his time? We do not know how to pick and choose what is good for our souls, or how to fix the limits of the life of man.
I heard many discourses which were good for the soul, but I could not discover in the case of any one of the teachers that his life was worthy of his words.
To lovers of the truth, nothing can be put before God and hope in Him.
If every man took only what was sufficient for his needs, leaving the rest to those in want, there would be no rich and no poor.
If you think you're free, there's no escape possible.
The spiritual journey is one of continuous learning and purification. When you know this, you become humble.
If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats.
No one ever seems to wonder what happens if it turns out we hate living on a planet? What if the sky’s too big? What if the air stinks? What if we go hungry?’ ‘And what if the air tastes of honey? What if there’s so much food we all get too fat? What if the sky is so beautiful we don’t get any work done because we’re all looking at it too much?
Man with all his shrewdness is as stupid about understanding by himself the mysteries of God, as an ass is incapable of understanding musical harmony.
The government was set to protect man from criminals, and the Constitution was written to protect man from the government.
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