Love is like a fisherman's hook. The fisherman cannot catch a fish until it gets caught on the hook. Once the fish is hooked, it belongs to him. Even when it struggles back and forth, the catch is certain. And so I say about love: whoever is caught by it has the strongest bonds, yet bears a pleasant yoke. And nothing brings a person closer to God like this sweet burden: whoever takes it up goes much further and makes greater progress than through all the harsh practices that people use. And they can also joyfully endure and overcome everything that befalls them, whatever God permits; and they can also joyfully forgive anything bad that happens to them. Nothing brings you closer to God, nothing ties God to you as much as this sweet bond of love. Whoever has found this path does not need to seek another. Whoever hangs on this hook is caught so tightly that their legs and arms, mouth, eyes, and heart, and whatever a person has, all belongs solely to God… Therefore, look for this hook, so that you may be blissfully caught: for the more you are caught, the more you are free.
(Master Eckhart OP /1260–1327/, Sermo 4)
