Walter Hilton: Quotes about love

Walter Hilton was English Augustinian mystic.. Explore interesting quotes on love.
Walter Hilton: 22 quotes0 likes

“A venial sin of your own is a greater obstacle to your experiencing the love of Jesus Christ than the sin of anyone else, however great it may be.”

Walter Hilton

Book I, ch. 16 (p. 18)
The Ladder of Perfection (1494)
Context: A venial sin of your own is a greater obstacle to your experiencing the love of Jesus Christ than the sin of anyone else, however great it may be. It is clear, then, that you must harden your heart against yourself, humbling and detesting yourself more strongly for all the sins that hold you back from the vision of God than you detest the sins of others. For if your own heart is free from sin, the sins of others will not hurt you. Therefore, if you wish to find peace, both in this life and in heaven, follow the advice of one of the holy fathers, and say each day: "What am I?" and do not judge others.

“Others, who have the common amount of charity and have not yet grown in grace to this extent, but are guided by their own reason, struggle and strive all day against their sins in order to acquire virtues. Like wrestlers, they are sometimes on top, and sometimes underneath. Such people are doing well. They acquire virtues through their own reason and will, but not because they love and delight in virtue, for they have to exert all of their energy to overcome their natural instincts in order to possess them. Consequently they never enjoy true peace or final victory. They will receive a great reward, but they are not yet sufficiently humble. They have not yet put themselves wholly into God's hands, because they do not yet see Him.”

Walter Hilton

Book II, ch. 36 (p. 211)
The Ladder of Perfection (1494)

“I desire the love of God not because I am worthy, but because I am unworthy.”

Walter Hilton

Book II, ch. 22 (p. 160)
The Ladder of Perfection (1494)

“One who loves God retains this humility at all times, not with weariness and struggle, but with pleasure and gladness.”

Walter Hilton

Book II, ch. 37 (p. 214)
The Ladder of Perfection (1494)