Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'How about the sin, then, of a husband and wife, of a brother and sister, who spew out all sorts of blasphemies upon one another? They would tear out one anothers' eyes if they could, or even take away each others' lives. . . They do not appreciate what they are saying. Alas! Unhappy people, your curses take effect more often than you think. . . But what should we do then? This is what we should do. We should make use of all the annoyances that happen to us to remind ourselves that since we are in revolt against God, it is but just that other creatures should revolt against us. We should never give others occasion to curse us. . . If something irritating or troublesome happens, instead of loading with curses whatever is not going the way we want it, it would be just as easy and a great deal more beneficial for us to say: "God bless it!"'

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars

[Shin]

'It is not so much good thoughts in the intelligence, as good acts of the will, or holy desires, that unite us to God; and such are the acts that we perform in meditation, acts of humility, confidence, self-sacrifice, resignation, and especially of love and of repentance for our sins. Acts of love, says St. Teresa, are those that keep the soul inflamed with holy love.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'Pray for our poor congregation, whose mission it is to mourn, without ceasing, the sorrows and the death of our beloved Redeemer. God wishes it to produce a great number of good laborers, who, as trumpeters of the Holy Ghost, will preach to the world and destroy sin.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'If man remembered that it is written: "By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned," (Matt 12:37) he would choose to remain silent.'

St. Poemen

[Shin]

'It is very necessary to be cheerful, but we must not on that account give in to a buffooning spirit.'

St. Philip Neri

[Shin]

'Do not grieve if you do not at once receive from God that which you ask. He wishes to benefit you still more by making you persist longer in your patient prayer before Him. For what can be higher than to address one's converse to God and be in communion with Him?'

St. Nilus of Sinai

[Shin]

'If you wish to be saved, welcome words of truth, and never reject criticism uncritically.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

[Shin]

'When you find yourself lost in interior solitude, and when you would rest more peacefully on the bosom of your heavenly Father, lament as a child and tell Him of the demon's wickedness towards you. He knows it already, but He wishes you to complain with the simplicity of a child. Tell Him, but with deep humility, not to allow the demon to molest you any longer.'

St. Paul of the Cross