John Irving Quote

But you of all people! I said to him. Look at me—I never was a believer, not until this happened. If I can believe it, why can’t you? I asked Mr. Merrill. He began to stutter. It’s easier for you to j-j-j-just accept it. Belief is not something you have felt, and then not felt; you haven’t l-l-l-lived with belief, and with unbelief. It’s easier f-f-f-for you, the Rev. Mr. Merrill repeated. You haven’t ever been f-f-f-full of faith, and full of d-d-d-doubt. Something j-j-j-just strikes you as a miracle, and you believe it. For me, it’s not that s-s-s-simple, said Pastor Merrill. But it is a miracle! I cried. He told you that dream—I know he did! And you were there—when he saw his name, and the date of his death, on Scrooge’s grave. You were there! I cried. How can you doubt that he knew? I asked Mr. Merrill. He knew—he knew everything! What do you call that—if you don’t call it a miracle? You’ve witnessed what you c-c-c-call a miracle and now you believe—you believe everything, Pastor Merrill said. But miracles don’t c-c-c-cause belief—real miracles don’t m-m-m-make faith out of thin air; you have to already have faith in order to believe in real miracles. I believe that Owen was extraordinarily g-g-g-gifted—