20 September 2008

Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

[Watching his puppy beg at the table]: Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope. - Martin Luther, Table Talk #274

5 comments:

Rev. Charles Lehmann said...

What a fabulous couplet of quotations!

Dennis Pfleiger said...

In the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, during the Mass there is a prayer called the prayer of humble access. This prayer picks up on this theme and from the Gospel where Jesus says should I take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. Really puts our spiritual life in perspective.

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering if Dr. Luther mentions his dog's name in this quotation.

My understanding is he mentions his pomeranian dog, Belferlein, several times in his writings but whenever I have tried to google any of these sayings I haven't found any.

Thanks, Jeff

William Weedon said...

I've not heard that name for his dog before, but I have heard "Topal." Can't give you a citation though.

Anonymous said...

I haven't been able to find any citations of Luther's dog Belferlein except it always seems to be listed among lists of famous Pomeranian owners.

Jeff