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Kinship
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Father Gregory Boyle is tolerant of many different cultures, lifestyles, and religions. Nevertheless, he advances the argument that a good life, characterized by kinship and compassion for others, is only possible if one worships God and accepts Jesus Christ.
In almost every chapter of Tattoos on the Heart, Boyle makes comparisons between episodes from his life and episodes from the life of Jesus Christ. Boyle certainly isn’t suggesting that he’s a modern-day Jesus—rather, he’s suggesting that people should model their lives on the life of Jesus Christ. Boyle wants Christians to devote their lives to caring for other people, as Christ did. Furthermore, he argues that good Christians should go beyond the act of caring for other people—they should immerse themselves in the lives of others. Put a different way, Boyle believes that it’s not enough simply to give lots of money to charity, or even to volunteer in homeless shelters—people have a duty to respect others and get to know them with compassion, rather than simply regarding them as mouths to feed. This is one reason why being a Christian and leading a good life are, in Boyle’s opinion, one and the same. By modeling their behavior on Christ’s, people do more good than they’d otherwise do: they not only accomplish measurable, good deeds—they also become better, more compassionate people.
But the embrace of Christianity isn’t only about imitating specific Christian deeds, Boyle writes. It’s also important that people accept the existence of an almighty, loving God. The belief in such a God is important because it necessarily includes the belief that boundless, unconditional love is possible. This belief is one of the most important that Boyle tries to impart in his capacities as teacher, priest, and organizer. Boyle gives many examples of employees and troubled gang members who commit horrible crimes because they don’t think that they’re worthy of love—and seem not to believe that unconditional love is possible. By exposing these people to Christianity and the concept of boundless love, Boyle encourages them to treat other people with respect, and accept that they, too, are worthy of love. The book is full of inspiring stories of people who turn their lives around because of Boyle’s teachings on love and kinship. One such man, an ex-convict named Speedy, makes the decision to get a job, marry, and have children after (and, according to Boyle, because) a church congregant tells him that “it would break [her] heart in two” if anything happened to him.
In general, Tattoos on the Heart isn’t exactly a theological text, but it’s full of important Christian ideas. Above all, Boyle stresses that worshipping God is the key to a good, moral life. It is not enough to want to be good, Boyle argues: people need to accept the existence of total love, as represented by God, and they need a role model (Jesus Christ) on whom to base their own moral behavior. When they accept God and Jesus in their lives, Boyle argues, people—even serious criminals—are capable of living upright, moral lives and redeeming their sinful behavior.
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The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Christianity appears in each chapter of Tattoos on the Heart. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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Christianity Quotes in Tattoos on the Heart
Below you will find the important quotes in Tattoos on the Heart related to the theme of Christianity.
Introduction Quotes
Suddenly, the welcome mat was tentatively placed out front. A new sense of "church" had emerged, open and inclusive, replacing the hermetically sealed model that had kept the "good folks" in and the “bad folks" out.
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In the introduction to his memoir, Boyle describes his career as a priest in the Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles between the 1980s and the 2000s. For well over twenty years, Boyle has remained committed to the principle that a good Christian church should welcome everyone—no matter how intimidating, frightening, or socially outcast. Boyle founded a school in his church, designed to educate young gang members who’d been expelled from school. He also started a nonprofit for ex-prisoners unable to find work—again, premised upon the idea that it’s Christian to extend welcome to everyone. Here, Boyle describes his model Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus pos
Chapter 1 Quotes
Our image of who God is and what's on God's mind is more tiny than it is troubled. It trips more on our puny sense of God than over conflicting creedal statements or theological considerations.
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In Chapter One, Boyle explores one of the most basic tenets of Christianity, and of his philosophy of life: the existence of an all-powerful, loving God. The Christian God (to many denominations) is considered to be a being of boundless goodness. He loves humanity and all individual human beings, no matter how wicked or socially outcast. Accepting God’s love, Boyle has found, can be a powerful experience. Many of the ex-convicts with whom Boyle works have experienced profound life changes after converting to Christianity: they accept they God loves them and, by the same token, that they’re worthy of love. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaq
Chapter 2 Quotes
There is a longing in us all to be God-enthralled. So enthralled that to those hunkered down in their disgrace, in the shadow of death, we become transparent messengers of God's own tender mercy. We want to be seized by that same tenderness; we want to bear the largeness of God.
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In Chapter Two, Boyle builds on some of the conclusions that he reached in Chapter One and explores how human beings interact with God. Some people, he argues, find it difficult to embrace God and accept his love. However, Boyle firmly believes that all human beings, by definition, have the capacity to love and be loved by God. They want to experience total love—God created them to feel this way. Boyle allows his theological views to guide his nonprofit work. He doesn’t judge ex-convicts or gang members because he believes in the innate capacity of all humanity to accept and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omn
All throughout Scripture and history, the principal suffering of the poor is not that they can't pay their rent on time or that they are three dollars short of a package of Pampers. […] The principal suffering of the poor is shame and disgrace. It is a toxic shame—a global sense of failure of the whole self.
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In this somewhat controversial passage, Boyle advances his Christian view of poverty. Poverty, Boyle says upfront, is a horrible condition. It’s utterly unfair that some people, through no fault of their own, have to worry about feeding their children and finding a place to sleep at night. But as horrible as the material effects of poverty are, Boyle argues, they pale in comparison with the psychological side of poverty. Fear, shame, and self-loathing are common among impoverished people, in part because they blame themselves for their misfortunes and in part because they haven’t always had the luxury of growing up Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque pla
Out of the wreck of our disfigured, misshapen selves, so darkened by shame and disgrace, indeed the Lord comes to us disguised as ourselves. And we don't grow into this—we just learn to pay better attention.
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In this emotional section, Boyle sums up the life of Speedy, a young gang member who was inspired to rethink his life after a woman named Yolanda told him that she cared whether he lived or died. This frank, relatively simple expression of kindness is stunning for Speedy: tragically, he hasn’t had many people in his life to tell him that they care about him. Yolanda’s kind words are the perfect example of what Boyle has been arguing throughout the chapter: compassion can be a powerful force of change. In Speedy’s case, Yolanda’s compassion inspires him to leave the gang Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Ac
Chapter 3 Quotes
To love the enemy and to find some spaciousness for the victimizer, as well as the victim, resembles more the expansive compassion of God. That's why you do it.
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In this emotional passage, Boyle discusses the death of a young boy named Betito, who’s accidentally killed in a gang shootout. Betito’s story is all too common in the Dolores Mission: he’s an innocent, happy kid who happens to be in a dangerous place at the wrong time. It would be easy for Boyle to be furious with Betito’s killers. But instead, Boyle opts for something very different. He forgives Betito’s killers for their horrible crime, recognizing that, even if they’re wicked people, they also have the capacity to love and be loved by God. Loving one’s enemy is a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus.
"You will not clean this up. If there are people in our community who are disparaged and hated and left out because they are mojados (wetbacks) . . ." Then she poises herself on the edge of the couch, practically ready to leap to her feet. "Then we shall be proud to call ourselves a wetback church."
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In this passage, Boyle recalls the day that he discovered the derogatory term “wetback” (a nasty way of referring to immigrants, particularly from Latin America) spray-painted on his church. Boyle’s first instinct is to remove the offensive graffiti at once. But one of his congregants, a woman named Petra, says that they should keep it there—they should be proud to be a “wetback” church. Boyle’s decision to let the graffiti remain might seem odd. But there’s a long Christian precedent for accepting one’s enemies’ insults without fighting back—going all the way back to Christ’s plea that stricken people “turn the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commo
This man sees all this and shakes his head, determined and disgusted, as if to say "tsk tsk."
"You know," he says, "This used to be a church."
I mount my high horse and say, "You know, most people around here think it's finally a church.”
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In this passage, Boyle spars with a congregant who believes that Boyle is making a horrible mistake by allowing people of all kinds, including criminals and gang members, to enter his church. The congregant seems to subscribe to a totally different idea of what a church should be—a closed-off place, meant only for “decent” people. Boyle proudly shoots back that the Dolores Mission Church has finally become a church—it’s finally lived up to Christ’s plea to embrace all human beings, no matter how socially outcast they might be. There’s a strong Christian precedent for embracing outcasts and extending a welcoming Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at.
They refuse to receive communion. I beg them. They will not budge. I go to the congregation and invite them to receive communion. Not one person comes forward. I beg and plead, but no one steps up. I discover later, with the help of some Jesuit scholastics, that the Indians' sense of cultural disparagement and toxic shame was total. Since the time of the Conquista, when the Spaniards “converted” the Indians, they baptized them, but no roofs ever got ripped open. This was to be their place—outside of communion—forever.
Maybe we call this the opposite of God.
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This is one of the few passages in the book in which Boyle talks about specific Christian rituals, rather than abstract Christian principles such as love and compassion (which many people, even non-Christians, will be likely to agree with). Boyle is reminiscing about being a priest in Bolivia years ago. He meets with Bolivian locals who refuse to take communion, one of the central practices of Catholicism. Boyle learns that Bolivian native people will not accept Christian rituals; therefore, Boyle concludes that these people are “outside” communion and in a sense, outside God altogether. Not everyone would agree that people Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero
Chapter 7 Quotes
'THE LORD IS NOTHING I SHALL WANT."
There is enough strained obligation in what we think God asks of us that our mantra might as well be "The Lord is nothing I shall want." But the task at hand is only about delighting—with joy at the center. At ease. We can all relax.
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In this chapter, Boyle recalls a young man named Olivier who misreads the Lord’s Prayer. Instead of saying “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” Olivier says, “The lord is nothing I shall want.” While this is a funny malapropism, Boyle finds a serious point in it. For many people, God is something undesirable—something too big and intimidating to be desired, or something that requires too much work to be worthwhile. In short, Boyle argues that many people are afraid of loving God and receiving his love. Boyle’s comments here, however, suggest that he sees the practice of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta
Chapter 8 Quotes
Are you, in the end, successful? Naturally, I find myself heartened by Mother Teresa's take: "We are not called to be successful, but faithful." This distinction is helpful for me as I barricade myself against the daily dread of setback.
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Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta was an influential Catholic missionary, and also an important role model for Father Boyle. Mother Teresa, much like Boyle himself, devoted her life to helping the unfortunate. She was criticized for not doing enough to better the poor materially—in effect, giving them spiritual comfort, but not addressing the root causes of their poverty. Mother Teresa summed up her philosophy by arguing that worldly success is ultimately less important than faith. Boyle upholds Mother Teresa’s ideas by emphasizing the spiritual side of impoverished people’s lives, rather than prioritizing their literal, material success. While his efforts are Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde e
“As I saw this kid,” she tells me, “I just kept thinking of what my friends might say if they were here with me. They'd say, ‘Pray that he dies.’” But she just looked at this tiny kid, struggling to sidestep the fate of her sons, as the doctors work and scream ...WE'RE LOSING HIM. WE'RE LOSING HIM."
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In this moving passage, Boyle remembers a woman named Soledad who loses two of her children to gang violence. Soledad is, of course, shattered by these tragedies. But she doesn’t allow her grief to poison her. Once, she’s at the hospital and sees a small child from a rival gang—the same gang responsible for murdering her kids. Instead of wishing for revenge (i.e., wishing for the child to suffer) Soledad begins to weep, and feels a strong sense of compassion for the wounded child. The passage is a good example of the kind of forgiveness that Boyle celebrates. While many Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusand
Chapter 9 Quotes
Bandit hangs back. "Can I tell you something, dog?" I ask, standing in the parking lot. "I give you credit for the man you've chosen to become. I'm proud of you."
"Sabes qué?" he says, eyes watering, "I'm proud of myself. All my life, people called me a lowlife, a bueno para nada. I guess I showed 'em."
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In this passage, Boyle describes a man named Bandit. Bandit used to be a gang member, but he begins to work for Homeboy Industries and take Boyle’s advice to clean up his life. After a while, Bandit starts a family and moves away. He meets with Boyle years later and proudly tells Boyle that his child is about to start college. Bandit is one of the many success stories that Boyle has witnessed during his time in the Dolores Mission. Bandit was a social outcast by almost any measure—he couldn’t get a job, and people called him a “lowlife.” With Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae vol
But who wouldn't be proud to claim Chico as their own?
His soul feeling its worth before its leaving.
The mortician's incredulity reminds me that kinship remains elusive. Its absence asserts that any effort to help someone like Chico just might be a waste of our collective time.
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Father Boyle ends his memoir with a poignant example of the transience of life. A young man named Chico, who works for Boyle’s nonprofit, is shot, presumably by rival gang members. Boyle is horrified by Chico’s sudden death: Chico was a likeable young man who clearly wanted to live a good, moral life. But when Boyle speaks with the mortician, the mortician is shocked that Boyle considers Chico a “terrific kid.” The mortician’s sudden, cynical reaction is the perfect example of what Boyle is trying to fight in the course of his work as a priest. Boyle wants to teach Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum volup
