"Christ does not save all those who say to Him, 'Lord, Lord.' But he saves all those who out of a pure heart give a piece of bread to a starving man, without thinking of Him in the least little bit. And these, when He thanks them, reply: 'Lord, when did we feed thee?' An atheist and an infidel, capable of pure compassion, are as close to God as is a Christian, and consequently know Him equally well, although their knowledge is expressed in other words, or remains unspoken. For 'God is love.' "
I am not familiar with the details of Weil's theology, although I've read she had a mystical interfatih bent, but I think this passage demonstrates a dimension of the concept of salvation that has been lost in the focus on the supernaturalistic legalism surrounding the obsession with the 'afterlife'.
Thanks for this great quote and commentary. I've just read Anthony DeMello's book "Awareness" and found him (a Jesuit Priest from India) saying much the same. It is ever-heartening to see our religious traditions reaching beyond their own dogmas toward a deeper unity.
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