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In the Passion and death of Christ our sins were consumed by fire. If we accept that in faith, and if we accept the whole Christ in faith-filled surrender, which means, however, that we choose and walk the path of the imitation of Christ, then He will lead us "through His Passion and cross to the glory of His Resurrection." This is exactly what is experienced in contemplation: passing through the expiatory flames to the bliss of the union of love. This explains its twofold character. It is death and resurrection.

To find God we must work ourselves according to our capacity. The soul therefore, remembering the saying of the Beloved 'Seek and you shall find', is resolved to seek Him actively and not rest until it finds Him. For there are many who do not want God to cost them anything except empty words.

One must go to the Lord with confidence. Fear makes the spirit troubled, and a troubled spirit cannot raise itself to God.

In all the events of life, however untoward they may be, the wise man encourages us to rejoice instead of giving way to sadness. In so doing we will not lose the greater good, peace of mind in both prosperity and adversity.

He has borne with many offences and much unworthiness in you, yet these have not sufficed to make Him turn away; is it much to ask that you should sometimes shift your gaze from earthly things to fix it on Him?

It benefits me little to be alone making acts of devotion to our Lord, proposing and promising to do wonders in his service, if I then go away and when the occasion offers itself do everything the opposite. If his Majesty showed us his love by means of such works and frightful torments, how is it you want to please him only with words?

The more God gives the more He makes us desire, until we are empty and He is able to fill us with good things.

I am the happiest creature in the world. God is infinite joy.

Be therefore earnest in prayer, and hope in detachment and emptiness. Your good will not be long in coming.

I know, too, that our progress has nothing to do with the body, which is the thing that matters least. What the journey which I am referring to demands is great humility, and it is the lack of this, I think, if you see what I mean, which prevents us from making progress.

If a man is moved to love God apart from any sweetness he feels, he is already focusing his love upon God, who he does not feel.

In what does true poverty consist? It is to not even possess our own will, in being detached from our own judgement.