There are two ways of knowing how good and loving God is. One is by never losing Him, through the preservation of innocence, and the other is by finding Him after one has lost Him. Repentance is not self-regarding, but God-regarding. It is not self-loathing, but God-loving.
–Blessed Fulton Sheen (1895-1979
Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love than in your weakness.
–Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)
The years have gone by, one after the other, without our reflecting on how we have spent them, and whether there was anything in our conduct to improve, add or remove. We have lived thoughtlessly and unmindful that one day the eternal Judge shall call each of us and ask us to give an account of our deeds and how we made use of our time. And yet we shall have to give a most strict account of every minute, every grace, every holy inspiration and every occasion offered to us to do good.
–Saint Pio (1887-1968)
Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day’s work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it.
–Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942)
Whatever did not fit in with my plan did lie within the plan of God. I have an even deeper and firmer belief that nothing is merely an accident when seen in the light of God, that my whole life down to the smallest details has been marked out for me in the plan of Divine Providence and has a completely coherent meaning in God’s all-seeing eyes. And so I am beginning to rejoice in the light of glory wherein this meaning will be unveiled to me.
–Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942)
All authentic prayer is prayer of the church. Through every sincere prayer something happens in the church, and it is the church itself that is praying therein, for it is the Holy Spirit living in the church that intercedes for every individual soul “with sighs too deep for words.” This is exactly what “authentic” prayer is, for “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord!’ except by the Holy Spirit.” What could the prayer of the church be, if not great lovers giving themselves to God who is love!
–Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942)
