Overcome temptations…
If a man tries to overcome temptations without prayer and patient endurance, he will become more entangled in them instead of driving them away.
–Saint Mark the Ascetic (Fifth Century)
The soul is…
The soul is a breath of living spirit, that with excellent sensitivity, permeates the entire body to give it life. Just so, the breath of the air makes the earth fruitful. Thus the air is the soul of the earth, moistening it, greening it.
–Saint Hildegarde of Bingen (1098-1179)
Evil in misuse…
Food is not evil, but gluttony is. Childbearing is not evil, but fornication is. Money is not evil, but avarice is. Glory is not evil, but vainglory is. Indeed, there is no evil in existing things, but only in their misuse.
–Saint Maximos the Confessor (580-662)
Self-indulgence takes many…
Self-indulgence takes many forms. A man may be self-indulgent in speech, in touch, in sight. From self-indulgence a man comes to idle speech and worldly talk, to buffoonery and cracking indecent jokes. There is self-indulgence in touching without necessity, making mocking signs with the hands, pushing for a place, snatching up something for oneself, approaching someone else shamelessly. All these things come from not having the fear of God in the soul and from these a man comes little by little to perfect contempt.
–Saint Dorotheus of Gaza (Sixth Century)
Three necessary things…
Three things are necessary to everyone regardless of status, sex, or age, i.e., truth of faith which brings understanding; love of Christ which brings compassion; endurance of hope which brings perseverance. No adult is in state of salvation unless he has faithful understanding in his mind, loving compassion in his heart, and enduring perseverance in his actions.
–Saint Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Reading one good…
Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book.
–Saint John Bosco (1815-1888)
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