The man who loves God with a true heart, and prizes him above all things, sometimes sheds floods of tears at prayer, and has in abundance of favors and spiritual feelings coming upon him with such vehemence, that he is forced to cry out, “Lord! let me be quiet!” But a man ought not to seek for these sweetnesses and sensible devotions forcibly, for he will be easily deluded by the devil, and will run a risk of injuring his health.
— Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
The fervor of spirituality is usually very great in the beginning, but afterwards, the Lord … makes as though He would go farther: in such a case we must stand firm and not be disturbed, because God is then withdrawing His most holy Hand of sweetnesses to see if we are strong; and then, if we resist and overcome those tribulations and temptations, the sweetnesses and heavenly consolations return.
— Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
He who wishes to advance in spirituality, should never slur over his defects negligently without particular examination of conscience, even independent of the time of sacramental confession.
— Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
If in times of dryness in prayer we make acts of humility, self-knowledge, protestations of our own inability to help ourselves, and petitions for God’s assistance, all this is real and substantial prayer.
— Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.
— Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
In spiritual life, when you cease to climb, you begin to descend.
— Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
