Here are some more quotes from Kierkegaard’s book Works of Love.

…but the true lover regards the very requirement of reciprocity to be a contamination , a devaluation, and loving without the reward of reciprocated love to be the highest blessedness. (pg. 227)

No one can hope unless he also loves; he cannot hope for himself without loving, for they are eternally inseperable; but if he loves, he also hopes for others. (pg. 239)

But the lover–what joy for the lover that he always dares to hope; what joy for him that the eternal vouches for him that there is always hope. For the lover, the true lover, does not hope because the eternal vouches for him, but he hopes because he is the lover, and he thanks the eternal that he dares to hope. (pg. 242)

Blessed is the lover, he hopes all things. (pg. 243)

But true love, sacrificing lov, which loves everyhuman being according to its own individuality, is willing to make every sacrifice—it seeks not its own. (pg. 255)

Love hides the multiplicity of sins; for love prevents sin from coming into being, smothers it at birth. (pg. 276)

When a relationship is only between two, one always has the upper hand in the relationship by being able to break it, for as soon as one has broken, the relationship is broken. But when there are three, one person cannot do this. The third, as mentioned, is love itself, which the innocent sufferer can hold to in the break, and then the break has no power over him. (pg 283)

 And this of great importance, since really to be able to be merciful is a far greater perfection than to have money and consequently to be able to give…Yet mercifulness, without money, what does this signify? Yes ultimately the worldly presumption of charity and well-doing even goes so far as to ridicule mercifulness which posses nothing!  (pg. 294)

Mercy is evident most definitely when the poor one gives the two pennies which are his whole possession, when the helpless one is able to do nothing and yet is merciful. (pg 300)

To love human beings is also the only salutary consolation for both time and eternity and to love human beings is the only true sign that you are a “Chrisitan” —truly a profession of faith is not enough. (pg. 344)

Christianity turn attention completely away from the external, turns it inward, makes your every relationship to other human beings into a God-relationship. (pg. 345)

God forgives you neither more or less nor otherwise than as you forgive your trespassers. (pg. 349).

—————————————————–W.