Unanswered questions and enigmas…

If knowing answers to life’s questions is absolutely necessary to you, then forget the journey. You will never make it, for this is a journey of unknowables—of unanswered questions, enigmas, incomprehensibles, and most of all, things unfair.
–Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717)

Does not advance…

Ahead! Courage! In the spiritual life the one who does not advance goes backward. It happens with a boat, which must go ahead. If it stands still the wind will blow it back.
— Saint Pio (1887-1968)

The real conflict…

The real conflict is inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the catacombs of concentration camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are victories on the battle-field if we ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves?
— Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941)