Prayer Quotes

[George]

He who serves God willingly is heard;
His petition reaches the heavens.
The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds;
It does not rest till it reaches it's goal,
nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds,
judges justly and affirms the right.
Sirach 3: 17-19

Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to heaven.
St. John climacus

One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying.
He is offering up his sufferings to God,
and many a time he is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and meditates his head off and,
if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that is prayer.
St. Teresa of Avila

A soul arms itself by prayer for all kinds of combat. In whatever state the soul may be, it ought to pray.
A soul which is pure and beautiful must pray, or else it will lose it's beauty;
A soul which is striving after this purity must pray, or else it will never attain it;
A soul which is newly converted must pray, or else it will fall again;
A sinful soul, plunged in sins, must pray so that it might rise again.
There is no soul which is not bound to pray, for every single grace comes to the soul through prayer.
St. Faustina

Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit,
and raises man to Heaven.
St. Ephraem of Syria

Prayer is an inspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven,
it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of Trial as well as joy;
It is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus.
St. Therese of Lisieux

If a man wants to be always in God's company, he must pray regularly and read spiritual books regularly.
When we pray we talk to God; when we read, God talks to us.
St. Isadore of Seville

It is an old custom of the saints of God to have some little prayers ready
and to be frequently darting them up to heaven during the day,
lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world.
He who adopts this plan will obtain great fruits with little pain.
St. Phillip Neri

We set forth our petitions before God, not in order to make known to Him our needs and desires,
but rather so that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is necessary to turn to God for help.
St. Thomas Aquinas

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.
St. Augustine

It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life.
St. John Chrysostom

There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.
St. Teresa of Avila

Christian perfection consists in three things: praying heroically, working heroically, and suffering heroically.
St. Anthony Mary Claret

We have loved the departed during life; let us not abandon them until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord.
St. Ambrose of Milan

Purity is the fruit of prayer.
Blessed Mother Teresa

What prayer could be more true before God the Father than that which the Son, who is truth, uttered with his own lips.
St. John Chrysostom

Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness,
a protection against sadness.
St. John Chrysostom

Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray
Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him
and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord,
and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5: 13-15

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
Elijah was a human being like us;
Yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.
Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced it's fruit.
Jmes 5: 16-18

Let us resign ourselves into his hands, and pray that in all things He may guide us to do His holy will.
When thoughts of this or that come I turn to Him and say:
"Only what you will, my God. Use me as you will."
Blessed Mary MacKillop

How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.
St. Teresa of Avila

The most potent and acceptable prayer is the prayer that leaves the best effects.
I don't mean it must immediately fill the soul with desire.
The best effects are those that are followed by actions,
when the soul not only desires the honor of God, but really strives for it.
St. Teresa of Avila

He who prays most receives most.
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again:
Rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving.
Make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds, in Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:4-7

[Patricia]

Great quotes!!

[George]

Shin , should I keep modifying and adding on the same post or post separately each time? I have a lot more quotes.
George

[Shin]

Thank you George! I am happy to read!

You can keep on adding new posts to this thread as you may. I will keep track.

I am going to move the thread however to the 'Submissions' sub-forum. You will find it there. 

[George]

OK, how do I find the sub forum?

[Shin]

OK, HOW DO i FIND THE SUB FORUM

You're already in it. The replies and notifications are taking you to the thread properly.

There's a list of forums on the front page of the forums, or if you click 'forums', or 'home'. Each of the forums listed is a link to that forum.

[George]

My little children, your hearts, are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.
Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us.
Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the soul and makes all things sweet.
When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.
St. John Vianney

Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire it makes a lot of little flames.
But gather these straws into a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column
into the sky; public prayer is like that.
St. John Vianney

He who believes himself to be a saint is a fool. Genuine saints always look upon themselves as the worst sinners.
And when our Lord grants a favor through their prayers, they credit such favors to this or that saint, where as their own faith was largely responsible for them.
St. John Bosco

Take courage and pray; Your guardian angel will also pray for you, and your prayers will be answered.
St. John Bosco

Faith and prayer. These are our weapons and our supports.
St. John Bosco

We must speak to God as a friend speaks to his friend, servant to his master; now asking some favor,
now acknowledging our faults, and communicating to Him all that concerns us, our thoughts, our fears,
our projects, our desires and in all things seeking His counsel.
St. Ignatius of Loyola

During mental prayer, it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us,
that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to bear and forgive these things patiently,
in imitation of our savior. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.
St. Phillip Neri

How often i failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.
St. Teresa of Avila

Prayer ought to be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering and accompanied with great reverence.
One should consider that he stands in the presence of a God, and speaks with a Lord before whom the angels tremble from awe and fear.
St. Mary Magdelen de Pazzi

The prayer most pleasing to God is that made for others and particularly the poor souls.
Pray for them, if you want your prayers to bring high interest.
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich

I would never want any prayer that would not make the virtues grow within me.
St. Teresa of Avila

Let him never cease from prayer who has once begun it, be his life ever so wicked; for prayer is the way to amend it,
and without prayer such amendment will be much more difficult.
St. Teresa of Avila

Vocal prayer, must be accompanied by reflection. A prayer in which a person is not aware of whom he is speaking to,
what he is asking, who it is who is asking and of Whom, I don't call prayer, however much the lips may move.
St Teresa of Avila

Much more is accomplished by a single word of the Our Father said, now and then, from our heart,
than by the whole prayer repeated many times in haste and without attention.
St. Teresa of Avila

Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.
St. John Vianney

Without prayer nothing good is done. God's works are done with our hands joined, and on our knees.
Even when we run, we must remain spiritually kneeling before Him.
Blessed Luigi Orione

We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect.
Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini

Read some chapter of a devout book. It is very easy and most necessary, for just as you speak to God when at prayer,
God speaks to you when you read.
St. Vincent de Paul

Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayer which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God His fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness.
Saint Mary Alacoque

It often happens that we pray to God to deliver us from some dangerous temptation, and yet God does not hear us but permits the temptation to continue troubling us. In such a case, let us understand that God permits even this for our greater good. When a soul in temptation recommends itself to God, and by his aid resists, O how it then advances in perfection.
St. Alphonsus Liguori

[Shin]

There is so much that can be said about prayer, isn't there?

[George]

There is so much that can be said about prayer, isn't there?

Yes. There would be no joy without it.

[George]

We meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: "I will pray, and then I will understand."
This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work.
In meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others.
St. Charles Borromeo

We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives, that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Prayer ought to be short and pure, unless it be prolonged by the inspiration of divine grace.
St. Benedict

In order to succeed in prayer, it should be done when we first awaken, when our whole being is calm and recollected.
We need to make our meditation before anything else.
St. Peter Julian Eymard

As far as possible, you should pray in quiet silent devotion. Try to have a favourite topic of prayer, such as a devotion to the passion of Jesus,
the blessed sacrament, awareness of the divine presence: go directly to Jesus without too much fuss.
St. Peter Julian Eymard

Have confidence in prayer. It is the unfailing power which God has given us. By means of it you will obtain the salvation of the dear souls whom God has given you and all your loved ones." Ask and you shall receive", Our Lord said, be yourself good with the Lord.
St. Peter Eymard

[George]

There is so much that can be said about prayer, isn't there?

Yes. There would be no joy without it.

Here's a fine way to look at prayer, I don't know if I posted this before , if I did I apologize.

I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers to God make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of the effects down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives.
Peter Kreeft

[Shin]

It's interesting to read St. Benedict's quote and St. Elizabeth's quote.

I definitely appreciate St. Peter Julian Eymard's quote, the morning is the time to get started on the right foot!

 

[George]

Pray with great confidence, with confidence based upon the goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ.
God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray.
St. Louis de Montfort

A great method of prayer is to have none. If in going to prayer one can form in oneself a pure capacity for receiving the spirit of God, that will suffice for all method.
St. Jane Frances de Chantal

He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.
St. Benedict of Nursia

Never forget that it is at the beginning of each day that God has the necessary grace for the day ready for us.
He knows exactly what opportunities we shall have to sin, and will give us everything we need if we ask him then.
That is why the devil does all he can to prevent us from saying our morning prayers or to make us say them badly.
St. John Vianney

What souls we can convert by our prayers. The one who saves a soul from hell saves this soul and his own as well.
St. John Vianney

If Saint Paul exhorts us to pray for one another, and we gladly think it is right to ask every poor man to pray for us, should we think it evil to ask the holy saints in heaven to do the same?
St. Thomas More

Seek by reading and you will find by meditating. Knock by praying, and it will be opened to you in contemplation.
St. John of the Cross

We should to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.
St. Vincent de Paul

The limitless loving devotion to God, and the gift God makes of Himself to you, are the highest elevation of which the heart is capable;
it is the highest degree of prayer. The souls that have reached this point are truly the heart of the church.
St. Teresa Benedicta - Edith Stein

I can't stop praying for poor sinners who are on the road to hell. If they come to die in that state, they will be lost for all eternity.
What a pity! We have to pray for sinners!
Praying for sinners is the most beautiful and useful of prayers because the just are on the way to heaven, the souls of purgatory are sure to enter there, but the poor sinners will be lost forever.
All devotions are good but there is no better one than such prayer for sinners.
St. John Vianney

I am only content when I am praying for sinners. The Good God has made me to see how much he loves that I pray for poor sinners.
I don't know if it were really a voice I heard or a dream, but, whatever it was, it woke me up and told me  to save a soul in the state of sin
is more pleasing to God than all sacrifices. For that reason, I do all my resolutions for penance.
St. John Vianney

We should spend as much time thanking God for all His benefits as we do in asking Him for them.
St. Vincent de Paul

Man has a noble task: That of prayer and love. To pray and love, that is the happiness of man on earth.
St. John Vianney

Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When the heart is pure and united with God it is consoled and filled with sweetness;
it is dazzled by a marvelous light.
St. John Vianney

There are those who lose themselves in prayer, like fish in water, because they are absorbed in God.
There is no division in their hearts. How I love those noble souls.
St. John Vianney

[Shin]

We should spend as much time thanking God for all His benefits as we do in asking Him for them.
St. Vincent de Paul

This is for our benefit, for we become happy when we are grateful!

A great method of prayer is to have none. If in going to prayer one can form in oneself a pure capacity for receiving the spirit of God, that will suffice for all method.
St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Holy simplicity and purity of heart!

There are those who lose themselves in prayer, like fish in water, because they are absorbed in God.
There is no division in their hearts. How I love those noble souls.
St. John Marie Baptiste Vianney

 

[martin]

What wonderful quotes. 

The following quote is taken from a beautifl little book by St. Alphonsus Liguori titled, A Short Treatise on Prayer. It can be found on Saints Books.

Pray, pray and never cease to pray; for, if you pray, your salvation is secured; if you neglect prayer, your perdition is inevitable.
St. Alphonsus Liguori.

I read a quote before (I don't know which saint) that said something like, "The difference between the greatest saint and the most depraved apostate is, the former prays, the latter does not.

[George]

What wonderful quotes. 

The following quote is taken from a beautiful little book by St. Alphonsus Liguori titled, A Short Treatise on Prayer. It can be found on Saints Books.

Pray, pray and never cease to pray; for, if you pray, your salvation is secured; if you neglect prayer, your perdition is inevitable.
St. Alphonsus Liguori.

I read a quote before (I don't know which saint) that said something like, "The difference between the greatest saint and the most depraved apostate is, the former prays, the latter does not.

Thank you Martin, I believe in this so much, at times it does get hard, not seeing your prayer immediately answered, but the older I get I can honestly say I've seen exceedingly more prayers answered than not. Now if I can get my kids back in church