Quote for the Night

[Shin]

'Though God gave me the grace to discern the truth from error, even before the definition of the Holy See, still I have never had any feeling of complacency or vain joy because my judgment was formed in conformity with that of the Church fully recognizing that it was an effect of the pure mercy of God towards me, to Whom, therefore, I must render all the glory.'

St. Vincent de Paul

[Shin]

'But it was not so much the sorrows of his Passion which saddened and embittered the life of our Redeemer, as the sight of all the sins which men would commit after his death. These were the cruel executioners which made him live in continual agony, oppressed by such an overwhelming grief that pain alone would have been enough to make him die of pure sorrow. Father Lessius says that the sight alone of the ingratitude of mankind would have been sufficient to make Jesus Christ die of grief a thousand times.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Shin]

'Wherefore it is said: Awake thou sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten thee.'

Ephesians 5:14

[Shin]

'Behold, this is the true and the Christian humility. In this you will be able to achieve victory over every vice, by attributing to God rather than to yourself the fact that you have won.'

St. Martin of Braga

[Shin]

'I think you would please Our Lord by going to Him with the dispositions of the prodigal son, in such wise that fear may not banish confidence. It is not said, however, that this son, after having returned to his father, left him a second time.'

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

[Shin]

'Brethren and fathers, people in the world when they erect a luxurious house give themselves no rest at night and at the end of the day they toil and plan, labouring until they have achieved their object; and such is the longing that fills them that their mind is wholly occupied in this and in considering how the roof may be well-covered, how the floor, adorned with many different marbles with every other form of elegance, will offer lovers of fine sights the most pleasing appearance. But if someone were to wish to tear them away from that care, they would be most distressed, as though they were being seriously wronged. But we, when we are building not a corruptible house but an incorruptible, not one made out of stones and wood but one skilfully constructed from spiritual graces, how can we be idle and come far below these others in zeal? How should this not be the greatest of wrongs? That other house harbours people who love the flesh and when it has passed through many masters it will be pulled down and deserted. The other knows that it welcomes the Holy Spirit, since we are a temple of the living God and the Spirit of God dwells in us, as the divine Apostle says. Moreover with those who depart from things here it leaves too and abides in heaven intact and eternal. What is the material of this building? The assumption of the virtues. Take first, if you will, as a foundation stone, the fear of God, since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Next understanding, courage, sobriety, justice; and so with one attached firmly to the other and fitted together with the bond of love it will grow into a holy temple of the Lord, as it is written.'

St. Theodore the Studite

[Shin]

'If you purify your soul of attachment to and desire for things, you will understand them spiritually. If you deny your appetite for them, you will enjoy their truth, understanding what is certain in them.'

St. John of the Cross

[Shin]

'Just as a tempered metal can sharpen soft or rusty metal, so can a zealous brother set a tepid one on the right track.'

St. John Climacus

[Shin]

'And remember that tomorrow you must not work, because this is commanded by Holy Church; and I warn you that whosoever shall gather in grapes tomorrow for the vintage, the devil will carry him away; and whosoever shall pour out the wine from the jars, the devil will dwell in the house wherin he dwelleth.'

St. Bernardine of Siena

[Shin]

'May the will of God be our food, our centre, our repose; therein we shall enjoy a peaceful sleep, which nothing can disturb.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

'That which man judges to be perfect, in the sight of God is defect. For all the works of man, which appear faultless when he considers them feels, remembers, wills and understands them, are, if he does not refer them to God, corrupt and sinful. For, to the perfection of our works it is necessary that they be wrought in us but not of us. In the works of God it is he that is the prime mover, and not man.'

St. Catherine of Genoa

[Shin]

'. . . they do not consider how far they are from the perfect and humble obedience of Christ Jesus. After the twenty-nine years during which he was subject and obedient, hiding the loftiness of the divinity under the shadow of his virginal humanity, once again more openly and as though he had done nothing by laboring in this obedience, he bore and sustained great and varied sufferings and derision.'

St. Catherine of Bologna

[Shin]

'Have recourse trustfully to God's loving kindness and He will not forsake you, for He longs to bestow His graces. Though you may have had the misfortune to offend Him, He is always ready to receive you, provided you return humbly to Him.'

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

[Shin]

'For a man's good will comes before many other gifts from God, but not all of them. One of the gifts it does not antedate is -- just itself! Thus in the Sacred Eloquence we read both, "His mercy goes before me," and also, "His mercy shall follow me." It predisposes a man before he wills, to prompt his willing. It follows the act of willing, lest one's will be frustrated. Otherwise, why are we admonished to pray for our enemies, who are plainly not now willing to live piously, unless it be that God is even now at work in them and in their wills? Or again, why are we admonished to ask in order to receive, unless it be that He who grants us what we will is he through whom it comes to pass that we will? We pray for enemies, therefore, that the mercy of God should go before them, as it goes before us; we pray for ourselves that his mercy shall follow us.'

St. Augustine

[Shin]

'Provided that humility and sweetness are not lacking in you, the goodness of God will not fail to help you to fulfil, not only without repugnance, but even with joy, whatever promises you have made Him.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola