God’s plan is that we be holy. Let us not refuse Him anything for love of Him and for our sanctification. No one can sanctify himself without suffering, it is necessary to follow our divine Master. The saints followed Him, and that is what made them arrive in Heaven,
there is no other road.
–Saint Joan Antide-Thouret (1765-1826)
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)
God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since God is good, and especially to those who are faithful to him, let us hold fast to him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy his light and see his glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy.
— Saint Ambrose of Milan (339-397)
Nothing is more powerful than meekness. For as fire is extinguished by water, so a mind inflated by anger is subdued by meekness. By meekness we practice and make known our virtue, and also cause the indignation of our brother to cease, and deliver his mind from perturbation.
–Saint John Chrysostom (347-407)
Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what we have made of it.
–Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
No man of himself can succeed in voiding himself of all his desires in order to come to God.
–Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591)
