How dry and hard you are without Jesus! How foolish and vain if you desire anything but him! Is it not a greater loss than losing the whole world? For what, without Jesus, can the world give you? Life without Him Is a relentless hell, but living with Him is a sweet paradise. If Jesus be with you, no enemy can harm you.
— Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
Endeavor to have always in your hand a pious book, that with this shield you may defend yourself against bad thoughts.
–Saint Jerome (c. 340-420)
Sit in the presence of the Lord every moment of your life, as you think of him and remember him in your heart. Otherwise, when you only see him after a period of time, you will lack freedom of converse with him, out of shame; for great freedom of converse is born out of constant association with him.
–Saint Isaac of Syria (Seventh Century)
Christ died for love of us: let us suffer for love of Him. He carried His cross: let us help Him to bear it. He was dishonored, therefore renounce honor: He suffered torments, let them come to me. He lived [lacking] many necessities, let me go destitute. Jesus made Himself a stranger for me, let me have nothing in which my heart can rest. He died for me; may my life be a continual death for the love of Him. Therefore, care less for temporal things and attend instead to those which are more important. Withdraw your heart from the world before God takes your body from it: keep your mind in perfect peace however much it is occupied in business.
–Saint John of Avila (1500 – 1569)
Those who imagine they can attain to holiness by any wisdom or strength of their own will find themselves after many labors, and struggles, and weary efforts, only the farther from possessing it, and this in proportion to their certainty that they of themselves have gained it.
–Saint John of Avila (1500-1569)
The soul that journeys to God, but doesn’t shake off it’s cares and quiet it’s appetities, is like someone who drags a cart of dirt uphill.
–Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591)
