Dorothy Day was a Catholic social activist with some Anarchist (or, at the very least, radical) affinities who helped establish the Catholic Worker Movemenr together with Peter Maurin. Aside from her involvement in different causes in favor of social justice, she was also quite well known for her pacifism, as well as her use of civil disobedience. She is widely known as a clear exponent of the social doctrine of the Church, at least in the United States.

The Reckless Way of Love is a collection of Dorothy Day's reflections on contemplation, the practice of a Christian life, and practical advice on following Jesus. Unlike other books that cover her social and economic views, this collection has a clear personal dimension. It is, therefore, more religious than social or economic (and perhaps of little interest to anyone who does not care about spiritual issues). What follows is just a selection of some quotes from the book.

Faith came before understanding. And faith is a gift of God. It cannot be imparted by any other person. I cannot give it to you. Only God.

(p. 5)

To grow in faith in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit, that is the thing. Without him we can do nothing. With him we can do all things.

He will raise up leaders who will know how to combat the secular, or rather how to integrate the spiritual and material, so that life will be a more balanced one of joy and sorrow.

(p. 11)

Our greatest danger is not our sins but our indifference. We must in love with God. It is not so much to change what we are doing, but our intention, our motive. It is not sufficient that we refrain from insulting a person; we must love... When we say that we love God with your whole heart, it means whole. We must love only God. And that sets up the triange —God, the soul, the world.

The wife wants the husband's whole love. Suppose a husband pays no attention to his wife, and we say, "Well, he does not beat you, does he? You should be satisfied that he does not kill you. What are you complaining about?"

It is the same with God. He is not just content that we are not in a state of mortal sin... We must do more than just stay in a state of grace.

(p. 33)

Two people who are deeply in love are thinking of each other all the time and what they can do for each other. So we must be with God. The love of God is more intense than any human love. Keep asking for his love.

(p. 34)

The main thing is never to get discouraged at the slowness of people or results. People may not be articulate or active, but even so, we do not ever know the results, or the effect on souls. That is not for us to know. We can only go ahead and work with happiness at what God sends us to do.

(p. 63)

Meditation on the bus. Rainy and cold. Thinking gloomily of the sins and shortcomings of others, it suddenly came to me to remember my own offenses, just as heinous as those of others. If I concern myself with my own sins and lament them, if I remember my own failures and lapeses, I will not be resentful of others. This was most cheering and lifted the load of gloom from my mind. It makes one unhappy to judge people and happy to love them.

(p. 78)

When we suffer, we are told we suffer with Christ. We are "completing the sufferings of Christ." We suffer his loneliness and fear in the garden when his friends slept. We are bowed down with him under the weight of not only our own sins but the sins of each other, of the whole world. We are those who are sinned against and those who are sinning. We are identified with him, one with him. We are members of his Mystical Body.

(p. 83)

The only answer in this life, to the loneliness we are all bound to feel, is community. The living together, working together, sharing together, loving God and loving our brother, and living close to him in community so we can show our love for Him.

(p. 104-105)

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