Silence promotes the presence of God, prevents many harsh and proud words, and suppresses many dangers in the way of ridiculing or harshly judging our neighbors… If you are faithful in keeping silence when it is not necessary to speak, God will preserve you from evil when it is right for you to talk.
— François Fénèlon (1651-1715)
It is a loving act to show sadness when our dear ones are torn from us, but it is a holy act to be joyful through hope and trust in the promises of God… Thankful joy is more acceptable to God than long and querulous grief.
–Saint Paulinus of Nola (c. 354-431)
Those who in fact risk all for God will find that they have both lost all and gained all.
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
God does not give Himself wholly to us until He sees that we are giving ourselves wholly to Him.
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
If our Lord has promised to be with his faithful people every day, we can expect him to be even closer to us on the day of his birth. The greater our eagerness to serve him, the more we shall perceive his presence among us.
–Saint Odilo of Cluny (c.962-1049)
There is no perfect prayer if the solitary perceives that he is praying.
–attributed to St. Anthony of Egypt (251-356) by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange (1877–1964)
