Love (others), Page: Quotes, Suffering
Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human. It is not surprising that compassion, understood as suffering with, often evokes in us a deep resistance and even protest.
— Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)
Charity, Love (others), Page: Quotes
We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.
— Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
Love (others), Page: Quotes
Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.
— Saint Vitalis of Gaza (d. 625)
Love (others), Page: Quotes
To judge sins is the business of one who is sinless, but who is sinless except God? Who ever thinks about the multitude of his own sins in his heart never wants to make the sins of others a topic of conversation. To judge a man who has gone astray is a sign of pride, and God resists the proud. On the other hand, one who every hour prepares himself to give answer for his own sins will not quickly lift up his head to examine the mistakes of others.
— Saint Gennadius of Constantinople (Fifth Century)
Love (others), Page: Quotes
Be sincerely kind to every one according to the words of our Lord: “Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” Thus you are imitating God, of whom it is said: “He has disposed all things pleasantly.” And again Jesus said: “My yoke is easy and my burden light.”
— Saint Angela Merici (1474-1540)
Love (others), Page: Quotes
When you are wronged and your heart and feelings are hardened, do not be distressed, for this has happened providentially; but be glad and reject the thoughts that arise within you, knowing that if they are destroyed at the stage when they are only provocations, their evil consequences will be cut off, whereas if the thoughts persist the evil may be expected to develop.
— Saint Mark the Ascetic (Fifth Century)
