If you have a light, and the whole world should come to you in order to take light from it—the light itself does not diminish—and yet each person has it all. It is true that everyone participates more or less in this light, according to the substance into which each one receives the fire…. Each one carries his own candle, that is the holy desire, with which he receives this Sacrament.
–Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380
I long to see you so totally ablaze with loving fire that you become one with gentle First truth. Truly the soul’s being united with and transformed into him is like fire consuming the dampness in logs. Once the logs are heated through and through, the fire burns and changes them into itself, giving them its own color and warmth and power.
— Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
But let our speech and petition when we pray be under discipline, observing quietness and modesty. Let us consider that we are standing in God’s sight. We must please the divine eyes both with the habit of body and with the measure of voice.
–Saint Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200-258)
It is only necessary to seek one thing: to be with Jesus. The man who remains with Jesus is rich, even if he is poor with regard to material things. Who ever desires the earthly more than the heavenly loses both the earthly and the heavenly. But whoever seeks the heavenly is Lord of the whole world.
–Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807-1867)
The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny oneself. To deny oneself means: to give up one’s bad habits, to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world…to be dead to sin and the world, but alive to God. A Christian’s second duty is to take up one’s cross. The word “cross” means sufferings, sorrows and adversities. To “take up one’s cross” means to accept without complaint everything unpleasant, painful, sad, difficult and oppressive that may happen to us in life. In other words, to bear all laughter, scorn, weariness, sorrow and annoyance from others; to bear all poverty, misfortune, illness, without regarding yourself as offended.
— Saint Innocent of Alaska (1797-1879)
With Jesus let us think, with Jesus let us speak; let us labor with Jesus, let us rest with Jesus; with Jesus let us weep, with Jesus let us keep silence; let us pray with Jesus; with Jesus let us live, with Jesus let us die. May Jesus live in our minds. May Jesus live on our tongues. May Jesus live in our hearts. May Jesus live in our souls. May Jesus live at all times. May Jesus live in all places. May Jesus live in all hearts. Yes, let us always say: May Jesus live!
— Saint Gaspar del Bufalo (1786-1837)
