Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
God purifies, humbles, instructs our souls, and renders them pliable to his will; everything defective, everything deformed, everything disagreeable to his sight, he removes from them, and at the same time embellishes them with all the ornaments which can make them pleasing in his eyes. And when he finds them faithful, full of patience and good-will; when the long endurance of tribulations has brought them, with the assistance of his grace, to such a degree of perfection that they suffer with tranquillity and joy all manner of temptation and afflictions: then he unites them not intimately to himself, confides to them his secrets and his mysteries and communicates himself to them without reserve.
–Saint Louis de Blois (1506-1566)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
A well ordered exterior results from an awareness of God’s presence.
–Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
Let us prepare our hearts so that he himself may deign to dwell in them and enlighten them by his presence. But let us also take care to set the hearts of our neighbors alight, so that they too may praise their Creator and engage in the works of love. Indeed, either way we build a house to the Lord: whether we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness or, by our words and example, inspire those whom we can to walk in the way of holiness.
–Venerable Bede (c. 673-735)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.
–Saint Peter Chrysologus (c. 380 – c. 450)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
Lose yourself completely in God, rest on his divine breast, adore him, and, if you cannot say a word, that’s even better. Remain continually in prayer, recollected in God. Love speaks little and expresses itself more in silence. One loving word is enough: “Father! Great Father! Goodness! Love!” One word is enough to hold a loving soul for a long time in prayer.
— Saint Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)
Page: Quotes, Quote Topic, Spiritual (life)
At other times, when I apply myself to prayer, I feel all my spirit and all my soul lift itself up without any care or effort of mine; and it continues as it were suspended and firmly fixed in God, as in its center and place of rest.
–Brother Lawrence (1614-1691)
