Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'Mary's sorrow was less when she saw her only Son crucified, than it is now at the sight of man offending Him by sin.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

[Shin]

'If any of the irrational creatures fail thee, I desire thee to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks to his Majesty, and bless them for their obedience to the Creator. If the rational creatures persecute thee, love them with all thy heart and regard them as the instruments of divine justice, which afford thee some opportunity of rendering satisfaction for thy deficiency. Rather strengthen and console thyself in labors, adversities and tribulations, not only considering them as fully deserved by the faults committed, but deeming them ornaments of the soul and most rich jewels given thee by thy Spouse.'

The Blessed Virgin, to Ven. Mary of Agreda

[Shin]

'To a useless question we should answer only by silence.'

St. Vincent Ferrer

[Shin]

'You propose to give up everything to God; be sure, then, to include yourself among the things to be given up.'

St. Benedict

[Shin]

'Trials come upon us because of our former sins, bringing what is appropriate to each offence.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'The amassing of money fuels the passions, for it leads to increasing indulgence in all kinds of sensual pleasure.'

St. Thalassios the Libyan

[Shin]

'Diseases of the soul come posting in on horseback, but leave slowly and on foot.'

St. Francis de Sales

[Shin]

'Blessed the one who has become wholly free in the Lord from all the earthly things of this vain life and loved God alone, the good and compassionate.'

St. Ephrem of Syria

[Shin]

'Let them not call bondage to pleasure freedom, as if bitterness were sweet.'

St. Clement of Alexandria

[Shin]

'Keep a continual remembrance of the sufferings of your heavenly Spouse. Endeavor to fathom the love with which He endured them. The shortest way is to lose yourself completely in that abyss of sufferings. Truly does the prophet call the Passion of Jesus a sea of love and of sorrow. Ah! therein lies the great secret which is revealed only to humble souls. In this vast sea the soul fishes for the pearls of virtues, and makes her own the sufferings of her Beloved. I have a lively confidence that your Spouse will teach you this divine method of fishing; He will teach it to you if you keep yourself in interior solitude, your mind free from all distraction, detached from all earthly affection, from every created thing, in pure faith and holy love.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'As I hear, so I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.'

John 5:30

[Shin]

'The greatest event in the whole history of the world was the Incarnation of the eternal Word by whom the world was redeemed and peace was restored between God and men. Our Lady was chosen as his instrument for this tremendous event, and it was put into effect when she was greeted with the Angelic Salutation. The archangel Gabriel, one of the leading princes of the heavenly court, was chosen as ambassador to bear these glad tidings.'

St. Louis Marie de Montfort

[Shin]

'And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us. And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.'

Luke 2:15-20

[Shin]

'There are two principal occupations of a solitary, to pray, and to do penance. Behold the Infant Jesus in the little grotto of Bethlehem giving us the example. He, in the crib which he chose for his oratory upon earth, never ceases to pray, and to pray continually, to the Eternal Father. There he constantly makes acts of adoration, of love, and of prayer.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'Do not reject me. I do not deserve it; but I feel that Thou dost invite me by Thy sweet voice, speaking to my heart. Yes, I come, O my beloved Infant! I will leave all things to pass my whole life alone with Thee, my dear little hermit, the only love of my soul.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'The divine love for man was extreme, and so it had been from all eternity: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee" But heretofore it had not appeared how great and inconceivable it was. Then it truly appeared, when the Son of God showed himself a little one in a stable on a bundle of straw: The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared. The Greek text reads: The singular love of God towards men appeared.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori