Those who love God….
Those who love God expect nothing in return. If they did, they would love that prize instead of God.
–Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Contemplating God brings…
Contemplating ourselves brings fear and humility; contemplating God brings us hope and love.
–Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Why do you delay…
Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise, and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident… See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving.
–Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Adversity arises…
Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they are in a flame, and begin to rage like a burning mountain. Such people as these are like red-hot coals hidden under ashes. This is not the mildness which Our Lord undertook to teach us in order to make us like Himself.
–Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Reading prayerfully…
Before reading you should empty your soul of everything. Arouse the desire to know about what is being read. Turn prayerfully to God. Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your open heart. If something did not reach the heart, stay with it until it reaches. You should of course read quite slowly. Stop reading when the soul no longer wants to nourish itself with reading. That means it is full. If the soul finds one passage utterly stunning, stop there and read no more… Thus you can take up a little bit each day.
–Saint Theophan the Recluse (1815-1894)
Reform the world…
If a man wants to reform the world, either by reason of the authority of his position or the duty of his office, he must begin with himself.
–Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
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