A fish in water does not drown. A bird in the air does not plummet. Gold in fire does not perish. Rather, it gets its purity and its radiant color there. God has created all creatures to live according to their nature. How, then, am I to resist my nature? I must go from all things to God, Who is my Father by nature, My brother by His humanity, My bridegroom by love, And I His bride from all eternity.
–Mechthild of Magdeburg (1208-1282)
The love of God is born in us by grace, fed with the milk of reading, nourished with the food of meditation, strengthened and enlightened by prayer.
–William of Saint-Thierry (1085-1148)
We all receive God’s blessings equally. But some of us, receiving God’s fire, that is, His word, become soft like beeswax, while the others like clay become hard as stone. And if we do not want Him, He does not force any of us, but like the sun He sends His rays and illuminates the whole world, and he who wants to see Him, sees Him, whereas the one who does not want to see Him, is not forced by Him. And no one is responsible for this privation of light except the one who does not want to have it.
–Saint Peter of Damascus (d. 750)
Give not your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.
–Saint Poeman (c. 340 – c. 450) (a Desert Father)
Let us keep our eyes on Jesus Christ to contemplate Him, our mouth employed to praise Him, our whole heart intent on nothing less than to please Him without limits.
–Saint Francis de Sales, (1567-1622)
It is right that you should begin again every day. There is no better way to complete the spiritual life than to be ever beginning it over again.
–Saint Francis de Sales, (1567-1622)
