Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'An intellect in control of itself is the temple of the Holy Spirit, but that of a glutton is like a nest of crows.'

St. Thalassios the Libyan

[Shin]

'Distress that accords with God's will shatters the heart; it is produced by the fear of punishment. Such distress purifies the heart, expelling from it the defilements of sensual pleasure.'

St. Thalassios the Libyan

[Shin]

'Bossuet remarks that this truth does not depend upon whether a person believes in it; even though he doesn't believe in hell, he'll go there if he has the misfortune of dying in mortal sin, no matter what his opinion on the subject. I tell you quite frankly that whenever I see sinners, I grow restless, I cannot quiet down, I cannot be consoled, my heart goes out to them. To give you an idea of how I feel, I will draw a comparison. If a loving mother saw her child in danger of falling from a high window or into an open fireplace, would not she run and shout, "Look out, baby, you are going to fall!" Wouldn't she run up behind the child and take hold of him and pull him back if she could? My brothers and sisters, you should know that grace is stronger and braver than nature. Well then, if the natural love a mother feels for her child can make her run to him, shout at him, take hold of him, and pull him back from the brink of ruin, that is just what grace does in me.'

St. Anthony Mary Claret

[Shin]

'Think how many saints there are in heaven who see their fathers, mothers, brothers, and other relatives in the damnation of hell, which is the misfortune of misfortunes and the height of all woes; and notwithstanding they adore, they love, they bless with joy and happiness that most just will because they see such a decree of divine justice concerning these relatives.'

St. Jean Eudes

[Shin]

'Knowledge of what is good for him has been given to every-one by God; but self-indulgence leads to negligence, and negligence to forgetfulness.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'It is better to pray devoutly for your neighbor than to rebuke him every time he sins.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'Make great account of your precious trials, both interior and exterior; it is thus that the garden of Jesus is adorned with flowers, that is, with acts of virtue.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'Blessed the one who keeps in mind the fire that came down on Mount Sinai and the sounds of the trumpets and Moses standing there with fear and trembling and who does not neglect his own salvation.'

St. Ephrem of Syria

[Shin]

'Listen. God ever remembers Himself, understands Himself, loves Himself. If thou, therefore, after thy poor fashion, art unweariedly mindful of God, if thou understandest God, if thou lovest God, thou wilt then be man "to His Image;" for thou wilt be striving to do that which God does eternally.'

St. Anselm of Canterbury

[Shin]

'I shall conclude this subject with what St. Basil said to his monks: If, my children, we desire to raise the soul towards heaven, let us direct the eyes towards the earth. From the moment we awake in the morning, let us pray continually in the words of holy David: Turn away my eyes, that they may not behold vanity.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'But, you ask, after I have thus burst the chains of my unholy bondage, will no traces remain, and shall I not still carry the scars on my feet-that is, in my wounded affections? Not so, my child, if you have attained a due abhorrence of the evil; in that case all you will feel is an exceeding horror of your unworthy affection, and all appertaining thereto; no thought will linger in your breast concerning it save a true love of God.'

St. Francis de Sales

[Shin]

'He who does something good and expects a reward is serving not God but his own will.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'Adam was headless as guardian of Paradise, for the crafty thief stealthily entered; leaving aside the fruit -- which most men would covet -- he stole instead the Garden's inhabitant! Adam's Lord came out to seek him; He entered Sheol and found him there, then led and brought him out to set him once more in Paradise.'

St. Ephrem of Syria

[Shin]

'You have been commanded to mortify the acts of the body (cf. Col. 3:5) so that when the soul has been made dead to pleasure you may bring it back to life through your ascetic labors.'

St. Thalassios the Libyan

[Shin]

'Be grateful to the person who nurses you; take whatever she offers you. In brief, act as a child in the arms of its mother. Remain in your bed as on the cross. Jesus prayed for three hours on the cross, and His was a truly crucified prayer, with no comfort from within or without.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'The second weapon is mistrust of self, that is, to believe firmly and without doubt that one could never do anything good by oneself, as Christ Jesus said: "Without me you can do nothing" (Jo 15.5). Nor could one resist successfully the fury of the infernal enemies for their cunning wickedness. And if someone does confide in her own wisdom and will not do this, let her know for certain that by just judgment she will fall into great ruin and let her be aware that this enemy is more malicious than others even in this wickedness.'

St. Catherine of Bologna