The earth has grown old with its burden of care, But at Christmas it always is young.
Phillips BrooksRead
Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches but for wings.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote encourages people to have bold and ambitious hopes in their prayers, seeking greatness rather than limitations.
Phillips Brooks emphasizes that our prayers should reflect our highest aspirations and dreams. He suggests that when we pray, we should not limit ourselves by asking for small or trivial things, as God is capable of granting much more than we can envision. Instead of seeking mere support or assistance (represented by 'crutches'), we should aim for empowerment and the ability to soar (symbolized by 'wings'), allowing us to achieve our fullest potential.
Themes
PrayerFaithAspirationAmbitionEmpowerment
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to encourage people to pursue their dreams.
More from Phillips Brooks
All quotes →We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.
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The truest help we can render an afflicted man is not to take his burden from him, but to call out his best energy, that he may be able to bear the burden.
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To believe in the God over us and around us and not in the God within us - that would be a powerless and fruitless faith.
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To say, 'well done' to any bit of good work is to take hold of the powers which have made the effort and strengthen them beyond our knowledge.
Phillips BrooksRead
Think of life as a voyage. The truest liver of the truest life is like a voyager who, as he sails, is not indifferent to all the beauty of the sea around him.
Phillips BrooksRead
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