Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'They who aspire to reform the morals of others lose their time and their pains, by not preaching by example, in correcting themselves first.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

[Shin]

'One does not conquer his anger by flying the cause, but by fighting it. Solitude does not do away with impatience, but only conceals it.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

[Shin]

'When the afflictions of this life overcome us, let us encourage ourselves to bear them patiently by the hope of heaven.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'Some passions pertain to the soul's incensive power, and others to its desiring aspect. Both kinds are aroused through the senses. They are aroused when the soul lacks love and self-control.'

St. Maximos the Confessor

[Shin]

'To make ourselves disaffected to the things of the world, it is a good thing to think seriously of the end of them, saying to ourselves, "And then? And then?"'

St. Philip Neri

[Shin]

'The more you devote yourself to study of the sacred utterances, the richer will be your understanding of them, just as the more the soil is tilled, the richer the harvest.'

St. Isidore of Seville

[Shin]

'You cannot please both God and the world at the same time, they are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.'

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars

[Shin]

'That the State must be separated from the Church is a thesis absolutely false, a most pernicious error. Based, as it is, on the principle that the State must not recognize any religious cult, it is in the first place guilty of a great injustice to God; for the Creator of man is also the Founder of human societies, and preserves their existence as He preserves our own. We owe Him, therefore, not only a private cult, but a public and social worship to honor Him. Besides, this thesis is an obvious negation of the supernatural order. It limits the action of the State to the pursuit of public prosperity during this life only, which is but the proximate object of political societies; and it occupies itself in no fashion (on the plea that this is foreign to it) with their ultimate object which is man's eternal happiness after this short life shall have run its course. But as the present order of things is temporary and subordinated to the conquest of man's supreme and absolute welfare, it follows that the civil power must not only place no obstacle in the way of this conquest, but must aid us in effecting it. The same thesis also upsets the order providentially established by God in the world, which demands a harmonious agreement between the two societies. Both of them, the civil and the religious society, although each exercises in its own sphere its authority over them. It follows necessarily that there are many things belonging to them in common in which both societies must have relations with one another. Remove the agreement between Church and State, and the result will be that from these common matters will spring the seeds of disputes which will become acute on both sides; it will become more difficult to see where the truth lies, and great confusion is certain to arise. Finally, this thesis inflicts great injury on society itself, for it cannot either prosper or last long when due place is not left for religion, which is the supreme rule and the sovereign mistress in all questions touching the rights and the duties of men. Hence the Roman Pontiffs have never ceased, as circumstances required, to refute and condemn the doctrine of the separation of Church and State.'

Pope St. Pius X, 'Vehementor Nos'

[Shin]

'For not all sins need exhortation and counsel; some sins, of their very nature, demand cure by a quick and sharp excision. The wounds we can tolerate respond to more gentle cures; those which have festered and cannot be cured, those which are feeding on the rest of the body, need cauterization with a point of steel. So is it with sins. Some need long exhortation; others need sharp rebuke. This is why Paul did not enjoin us to exhort in every case but also to rebuke sharply: "Wherefore rebuke them sharply". Therefore, I will now rebuke them sharply, so that they may accuse themselves and feel shame for what they have done.'

St. John Chrysostom

[Shin]

'Look upon the lowly path as the real one our Lord has traced out for us, and the surest to reach Him. Walk steadily therein in peace and thanksgiving.'

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

[Shin]

'What idea do you have of me? The Holy Virgin only chose me because I was the most ignorant. If she could have found someone else more ignorant, she would have chosen her.'

St. Bernadette Soubirous

[Shin]

'When a thought lingers within a man, this indicates his attachment to it; but when it is quickly destroyed, this signifies his opposition and hostility to it.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'It is true that highwaymen, grave-robbers, and sorcerers have their sides torn to pieces; it is also true that the martyrs undergo this same suffering. What is done is the same, but the purpose and reason why it is done is different. And so it is that there is a great difference between the criminals and martyrs.

In these cases we not only consider the torture but we first look for the intention and the reasons why the torture is inflicted. And this is why we love the martyrs - not because they are tortured but because they are tortured for the sake of Christ. But we turn our backs on the robbers - not because they are being punished but because they are being punished for their wickedness.

So, too, in the matter of fasting, you must pass a judgment. If you see people fasting for the sake of God, approve what they do; if you see that they do this against God's will, turn your back on them and hate them more than you do those who drink, revel, and carouse. And in the case of this fasting we must inquire not only into the reason for fasting but we must consider also the place and the time.'

St. John Chrysostom

[Shin]

'One day when Blessed Alan was saying Mass, Our Lord, Who wished to spur him on to preach the Holy Rosary, spoke to him in the Sacred Host: "How can you crucify Me again so soon?" Jesus said. "What did you say, Lord?" asked Blessed Alan, horrified. "You crucified Me once before by your sins," answered Jesus, "and I would willingly be crucified again rather than have My Father offended by the sins you used to commit. You are crucifying Me again now because you have all the learning and understanding that you need to preach My Mother's Rosary, and you are not doing so. If you only did this you could teach many souls the right path and lead them away from sin - but you are not doing so and so you yourself are guilty of the sins that they commit." This terrible reproach made Blessed Alan solemnly resolve to preach the Rosary unceasingly.'

St. Louis Marie de Montfort

[Shin]

'If a monk can overcome two things, he can become free from the world. Bodily ease and vain-glory.'

St. Poemen

[Shin]

'I love my Sovereign Master and think more of Him than of His gifts and benefits, which I esteem only in Him and as coming from Him.'

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque