All the troubles of the Church, all the evils in the world, flow from this source: that men do not by clear and sound knowledge and serious consideration penetrate into the truths of Sacred Scripture.
–Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Do what you can and pray for what you cannot yet do.
–Saint Augustine (354-430)
Happiness is not what makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy.
–David Steindl-Rast (1926-
Let us love one another, and we shall be loved by God. Let us be long-suffering toward one another, and he will be long-suffering toward our sins. Let us not render evil for evil, and he will not render to us according to our sins. We shall find remission of our transgressions in forgiving our brethren; for God”s mercy toward us is concealed in our mercifulness toward our neighbor. This is also why the Lord said: “Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. And if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.” After this, our salvation is already in our power.
–Saint Maximos the Confessor (580-662)
The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
–CS Lewis (1863-1929)
Before reading you should empty your soul of everything. Arouse the desire to know about what is being read. Turn prayerfully to God. Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your open heart. If something did not reach the heart, stay with it until it reaches. You should of course read quite slowly. Stop reading when the soul no longer wants to nourish itself with reading. That means it is full. If the soul finds one passage utterly stunning, stop there and read no more.
— Saint Theophan the Recluse (1815-1894)
