Not to advance…

Remember also the teaching of the Fathers of the spiritual life that not to advance in perfection is to go back. It is in the midst of combat and contemplation that virtue is perfected. Fill your soul with the seeds of grace, wisdom and the judgements of the Spirit of God to accomplish the design of the Christian and religious perfection that the Lord has for you.
–Saint Joan Antide-Thouret (1765-1826)

Give thanks to…

Give thanks to Jesus Christ as soon as you get up in the morning for the blessings and graces he gives us continually, having created you to his own image and likeness, and having given us the grace of being Christian.
–Saint John of God (1495-1550)

How to pray…

You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, ‘Lord, I don’t know how to pray!” you can be sure you have already begun.
— Saint  Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975)

Talk about what?

You write, “To pray is to talk with God. But about what?” About what? About Him, about yourself—joys, sorrows, successes and failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petitions—and Love and reparation.  In a word, to get to know him and to get to know yourself—”to get acquainted!”
–Saint Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)