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Reflect that your guardian angel does not always move your desire for an action, but he does always enlighten your reason. Hence, in order to practice virtue do not wait until you feel like it, for your reason and intellect are sufficient.

Seek in reading and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation.

In these aridities the soul practices corporally and spiritually all the virtues, theological as well as cardinal and moral.

Often they beseech God, with great yearnings, that He will take from them their imperfections and faults, but they do this that they may find themselves at peace, and may not be troubled by them, rather than for God’s sake; not realizing that, if He should take their imperfections from them, they would probably become prouder and more presumptuous still.

And in this elevation of all things through the Incarnation of his Son and through the glory of his resurrection according to the flesh not only did the Father beautify creatures partially, but, we can say, he clothed them entirely in beauty and dignity.

Like the blind, they must lean on dark faith, accept it for their guide and light, and rest on nothing of what they understand, taste, feel, or imagine.

There is no way to catch in words the sublime things of God...The appropriate language for the person receiving these favors is that he understand them, experience them within himself, enjoy them, and be silent.

Not all the faculties and senses have to be employed in things, but only those which are required; as for the others leave them unoccupied for God.

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.

Good works wrought in the season of spiritual dryness and hardness are like the freshness of the winter morning. What we then do for God in dryness of spirit is most precious in His eyes. It is then that we acquire abundant virtues and graces, and what we achieve with toil and labor is in general better, more perfect and lasting than what we acquire in spiritual sweetness.

Death can hold no bitterness for the soul that loves. It brings with it all the sweetness and delights of love. There is no sadness in the remembrance of it when it opens the door to all joy.

Ordinarily this contemplation, which is secret and hidden from the very one who receives it, imparts to the soul, together with the dryness and emptiness it produces in the senses, an inclination to remain alone and in quietude.