Eucharist, Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
We feed as on the food of life, we constantly refresh our souls with his precious blood, as from a fountain. Yet we are always thirsting, burning to be satisfied. But he himself is present for those who thirst and in his goodness invites them to the feast day. Our Savior repeats his words: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” He quenched the thirst not only of those who came to him then. Whenever anyone seeks him he is freely admitted to the presence of the savior. The grace of the feast is not restricted to one occasion. Its rays of glory never set. It is always at hand to enlighten the mind of those who desire it.
–Saint Athanasius the Great (c. 296-373)
Gregory Nazianzen (329-c. 391), Page: Quotes, Possessions, Quote Author, Quote Topic
Not one of this world’s blessings belongs to its owner securely enough to prevent time destroying it, or envy transferring it elsewhere…Let us profit by them in the only good way we can, that is, let us gain possession of our souls by giving alms, and share our earthly goods with the poor so as to enrich ourselves with the wealth of heaven.
–Saint Gregory Nazianzen (329-c. 391)
Abandonment (of self), Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Sainthood
It seems to me that the saints are souls completely oblivious of self, lost in Him Whom they love, with never a thought of self or of creatures, so that they are able to say with St. Paul: “I live, yet not I, but Jesus Christ lives in me.”
–Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
Isaac of Syria (Seventh Century), Page: Quotes, Quote Author, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
The ladder unto the Kingdom is hidden within you and within your soul. Dive into yourself, freed from sin; there you wilt find steps along which you can ascend.
–Saint Isaac of Syria (Seventh Century)
Page: Quotes, Prayer (why), Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
The more you pray, the more you will be illumined; the more you are illumined, the more profoundly and intensely you will see the Supreme Good, the supremely good Being. The more profoundly and intensely you see him, the more you will love him; the more you love him, the more he will delight you. And the more he delights you, the more you will understand him and become capable of understanding him. You will arrive successively to the fullness of light, because you will understand that you cannot understand.
–Saint Angela of Foligno (1248-1309)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability— and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you; your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste. Don’t try to force them on,as though you could be today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.
–Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955)
