"It's better to have the whole world against us, than to have offended Jesus. And, therefore, among all who are dear to you, let Jesus alone be your special Friend."
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"You will quickly drive Jesus away and lose his grace if you turn your heart to exterior things. And when you have driven him away from you and lost him, to whom will you have recourse?"
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"Blessed is he who understands what it is to love Jesus and to despise himself for the sake of Jesus. We must leave for this Friend every other friend, because Jesus wants to be loved above all things."
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"A good conscience can bear many things, and it is always joyful in the midst of adversity. A bad conscience instead is always fearful and uneasy. You will rest sweetly if your heart does not reprehend you."
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"We often do wrong, and, what is worse, we excuse ourselves. Sometimes we are moved by passion, and we think it is zeal. We reprove little things in others, and pass over serious things in ourselves. We are quick to resent and ponder that which we suffer from others, but we do not think of how much others suffer from us. He who reflects well and duly weighs his own deeds, would never judge others harshly."
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"Let nothing seem great, high, pleasant, or agreeable to you, except God alone and what comes from God. Consider all consolation which comes to you from any creature as vain. A soul that loves God despises all that which is inferior to God. Only God, who is eternal and immense, fills all things, and is the true consolation of the soul and true joy of the heart."
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"Two wings lift man above earthly things: simplicity and purity. Simplicity must be in the intention, purity in the affection. Simplicity intends God, purity comprehend him and tastes him."
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"If you were good and pure interiorly, you would see and understand all things without any impediment. A pure heart penetrates Heaven and hell."
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"In all things look to your end, and how you will stand before a severe Judge, from whom nothing is hidden; who takes no bribes, nor receives excuses, but will judge that which is just."
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"What other things shall the fire feed on but your sins? The more you spare yourself now and follow the flesh, the more seriously you will suffer hereafter and the more fuel will you lay up for that fire."
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In hell, "there is no vice which will not have its proper torment. There the proud will be filled with confusion, and the covetous be tormented with great want. There one hour of suffering will be more grievous than a hundred years spent in the most rigid penance here. There is no rest, no consolation, for the damned; but here there is sometimes rest from labour, and we receive consolation from our friends."
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The Son of God "loved me and gave himself up for me." By suffering for us he not only provided us with an example for our imitation. He blazed a trail, and if we follow it, life and death are made holy and take on a new meaning.
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To many this seems a hardy saying: "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus" (Mt 16:24). But it will be much harder to hear that last word: "Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire" (Mt 25:41). They, however, who at present willingly hear and follow the precept of the cross, will not then be afraid of hearing the sentence of eternal damnation.
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Drink avidly of the chalice of the Lord if you want to be his friend and to have part with him. As for consolations, leave them to God; to dispose or as pleases him best. But on your part prepare yourself to bear tribulations, and to consider them as the greatest consolations; "for the sufferings of this life are not worthy to merit the glory to come" (Rom 8:18), even though you alone could suffer them all.
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Leave all transitory things, and seek eternal things. What are temporal things, but seductions? And what will all creatures profit you, if you be abandoned by the Creator? Therefore renounce all earthly things, render yourself pleasing and faithful to your Creator, so that you may attain true bliss.
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Grant, O Lord, that the moment your presence strikes my mind, all within my heart may fall prostrate and yield entirely to you. Amen.
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We must listen to the words of Jesus, words most sweet, which surpass all the wisdom of the philosophers and of this world. His words are spirit and life, and are not to be used to gratify a vain complacency, but they must be heard in silence and received with all humility and with great affection.
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Jesus is saying to us that "What I have promised, I will give; what I have said, I will make good; provided a man remains faithful in loving me until the end. I am the remunerator of all good men, and the mighty trier of all the devout."
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Jesus again is saying to us to "Write my words in your heart and meditate them diligently, because they will be most necessary in the time of temptation. What you do not understand when you read, you will know in the day when I shall come to visit you."
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Love is swift, sincere, pious, joyous, and gay; strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, courageous, and never seek itself. Because, when a man seeks himself, then he loves no more.
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"The devout man always carries about with him Jesus, his Comforter, and says to Him: Be with me, O Lord Jesus, in all places and at all times."
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"Love is cautious, humble, and upright, not soft, not light, nor regards vain things; is sober, chaste, firm, quiet, and holds in check all his senses. Love is submissive and obedient to superiors; vile and contemptible in its own eyes; devout and grateful to God, in whom it trusts and hopes even when God does not make himself felt by it; because one does not live in love without suffering."
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"Who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand to the will of the Beloved, is not worthy to be called a lover. He who loves must willingly embrace all that is hard and bitter, for the sake of his Beloved, and never separate himself from him for accidental oppositions."
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The old adversary, the devil, strives by all means to hinder your desire to do good, and to withdraw you from every devout exercise. He suggests to you many evil thoughts so that he may cause you annoyance and frighten you, so that he may withdraw you from prayer and from holy reading. He is displeased with a humble confession; and, if he could, he would cause you to cease from holy Communion. Do not believe him, do not pay attention to him, even though he often has laid his snares to trap you. Blame him with all he suggests to you of wicked and impure things, and say to him: Begone, unclean spirit; be ashamed, miserable wretch; you are very filthy indeed, if you whisper such things in my ears. Depart from me, you wicked seducer, you shall have no place in me, but Jesus will be with me as a strong warrior, and you will remain confused. I would rather die and undergo any pain whatsoever than consent to your suggestions. Be silent. I will hear you no more, although you lay so many snares for me. "The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear? If armies in array should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear" (pS 26:1,3). "The Lord is my helper and my redeemer" (Ps 18:15).
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"Those who are still novices, and inexperienced in the way of the Lord, if they do not regulate themselves according to the counsel of prudent persons, may be easily deceived and lost."
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"It is better to know little with humility and have a weak capacity, than to posess great treasures of wisdom with vain complacency. It is better for you to have less, than much with the danger of becoming proud."
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"When seeking a favour, ask for it only if it be conducive to your salvation and the honour of God."
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"The Church truly knows that only God, whom she serves, meets the deepest longings of the human heart, which is never fully satisfied by what this world has to offer."
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Say each day the words of St Augustine: "Our hearts have been made for you, O God, and they shall never rest until they rest in you."
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I remain stunned, and I consider that "the heavens are not pure in your sight. If you found wickedness in the Angels" (Job 15:5; 4:18) and did not pardon them, what will happen to me?
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The Punishment and Torment in hell is according to God's justice. And by this, some people will be in the worse and worse of torment in hell. (Mt 11:20-24)
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"Since the disciples must always imitate and give witness to the charity and humilty of Christ, Mother Church rejoices at finding within her bosom men and women who more closely follow and more clearly demonstrate the Saviour's self-giving by embracing povery with the free choice of God's sons, and by renouncing their own wills."
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In everything say thus: "Lord, if it be pleasing to you, let this be done. Lord, if it be to your honour, let this be done in your name. Lord, if you see that this is for my good, and you judge it useful to me, then grant that I may use it for your honour. But if you know that it will be harmful for me, and would not be useful for the salvation of my soul, take this desire away from me."
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