Thomas Merton Quotes

Charity is a naked child, giving honey to a bee without wings.

There is great joy in doing something for somebody else with no thought in receiving anything in return.

In charity there is no excess.

True charity is the desire to be useful to others with no thought of recompense.

When our cup runs over, we let others drink the drops that fall, but not a drop from within the rim, and call it charity; when the crumbs are swept from our table, we think it generous to let the dogs eat them; as if that were charity which permits others to have what we cannot keep.

Practice giving things away, not just things you don't care about, but things you do like.

The Secret of living is giving

Give, but give until it hurts.

In the world take always the position of the giver. Give everything and look for no return. Give love, give help, give service, give any little thing you can, but keep out barter. Make no conditions and none will be imposed on you. Let us give out of our own bounty, just as God gives to us.

Generosity is doing something for someone else expecting nothing in return.

Find something that makes you want to give and give and give 'til it hurts.

They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one packet, maybe I share that packet with somebody who has not got even one cigarette, and that's the beginning of love, to give until it hurts.

There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.

What good being object of charity? Give away, ne'er turn to ask in return, Should there be the wealth treasured in thy heart.

When paying charity, one should smile and be humble, allowing the hand of the indigent to be above the giver's hand.

This only is charity, to do all, all that we can.

Dâna, charity. There is no higher virtue than charity. The lowest man is he whose hand draws in, in receiving; and he is the highest man whose hand goes out in giving. The hand was made to give always. Give the last bit of bread you have even if you are starving. You will be free in a moment if you starve yourself to death by giving to another. Immediately you will be perfect, you will become God.

To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own.

God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with.

Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others.

Helping others isn't a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is.

Even if you don't have a lot, you can help someone.

Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.

Some of our finest work comes through service to others.

I have found that the only thing that does bring you happiness is doing something good for somebody who is incapable of doing it for themselves.