And I saw a river over which every soul must pass to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, and the name of that river was suffering…and then I saw a boat which carried souls across the river, and the name of the boat was Love. -St. John of the Cross
Today I had the joy of offering Jesus several sacrifices with respect to my dominant fault, but how much they cost me! There I recognized my weakness. When I am unjustly reproved, I feel as though the blood were boiling in my veins. My whole being rises in revolt! ……
To be truly a victim of love, we must give ourselves up entirely; for we are only consumed by love in the degree that we give ourselves to love. – St. Therese
Remember that there are few souls who stay with Him and follow Him in His trials…that there are actually people who insult Him and with great irreverence drive Him away from their homes. In many places He is neglected and ill-treated, but He suffers everything and will continue to do…
Anyone in constant struggle, let him have recourse to you who are a tranquil sea…Whoever is tempted,… let him have recourse to you, who are the mother of humility; and nothing drives away the devil more than humility. Let them, one and all, have recourse to you, O Mary! -St.…
I am glad to recognize that when we love God our heart expands, and we can give incomparably more tender love to those who are dear to us than when our love is selfish and barren… Love is fed by and develops from sacrifice. – St. Therese
In judging others a man labors in vain, often errs, and easily sins: but in judging and in looking into himself, he always labors with fruit. – St. Therese
I didn’t know You, my Lord, because I still desired to know and relish things. – St. John of the Cross
Blessed is he who, setting aside his own liking and inclination, considers things according to reason and justice before doing them. – St. John of the Cross
When under the action of detachment and spiritual darkness, faith plants firm roots in the soul, hope and charity likewise flow into it; a charity that logically does not manifest itself by giving a sensation of sweetness, but rather by producing in the soul a strength, a more decisive courage,…