Archive

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.

...if you see a person praised, the Lord wants you to be much happier than if you yourself were being praised. This, indeed, is easy, for if you have humility you will feel sorry to see yourself praised. But this happiness that comes when the virtues of the Sisters are known is a very good thing; and when we see some fault in them, it is also a very good thing to be sorry and hide the fault as though it were our own.

He teaches during the brief moments we spend in prayer; however lukewarm these moments may be, God esteems them highly.

Do not let your weakness make you unhappy. When, in the morning, we feel no courage or strength for the practice of virtue, it is really a grace: it is the time to 'lay the ax to the root of the trees,' (Matt. 3:10) relying upon Jesus alone. If we fall, an act of love will set all right, and Jesus smiles. He helps us without seeming to do so; and the tears which sinners cause Him to shed are wiped away by our feeble love. Love can do all things.

This knowledge, when purer, is even at times the cause of darkness because it dispossesses the intellect of its customary lights, forms, and phantasies and effects a noticeable darkness.

We shouldn’t build castles in the air. The Lord doesn’t look so much at the greatness of our works, but at the love
with which they are done.

Those who work for God with purest love not only care nothing about whether others see their works, but do not even seek that God himself know of them. Such persons would not cease to render God the same services, with the same joy and purity of love, even if God were never to know of these.

God thirsts for the love of His creatures. God Himself is our beggar. Let's give ourselves to Him. Let's not be stingy, because God is entirely goodness and generosity towards us.

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.

Here one can only endeavor to live with ever greater fidelity and purity the life that one has chosen in order to offer it as an acceptable sacrifice for all those with whom one is united.

Be careful never to waste an occasion for mortification by complaining.

“When I think how much I have to acquire!” said a sister to St. Therese. “Say rather ‘to lose'” Therese answered, “for Jesus has charge of filling your soul with virtues as fast as you will get rid of the imperfections.”