What does the poor man do at the rich man’s door, the sick man in the presence of his physician, the thirsty man at a limpid stream? What they do, I do before the Eucharistic God. I pray. I adore. I love.
Grant me the treasure of sublime poverty: permit the distinctive sign of our order to be that it does not possess anything of its own beneath the sun, for the glory of your name, and that it have no other patrimony than begging.
Don’t change the world, change worlds.
If a superior give any order to one who is under him which is against that man’s conscience, although he do not obey it yet he shall not be dismissed.
When we pray to God we must be seeking nothing – nothing.
Alms are an inheritance and a justice which is due to the poor and which Jesus has levied upon us.
I have sinned against my brother the ass.
You should never praise anyone until you see how he turns out in the end!
St. Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden when someone asked what he would do if he were suddenly to learn that he would die before sunset that very day. “I would finish hoeing my garden,” he replied.
It is not fitting, when one is in God’s service, to have a gloomy face or a chilling look.
We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen away, and to bring home those who have lost their way. Many who seem to us to be children of the Devil will still become Christ’s disciples.
You can show your love to others by not wishing that they should be better Christians.
Don’t canonize me too soon. I’m perfectly capable of fathering a child.
Man should tremble, the world should vibrate, all heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.
It was easy to love God in all that was beautiful. The lessons of deeper knowledge, though, instructed me to embrace God in all things.
You cannot all abandon your possessions, but at least you can change your attitude about them. All getting separates you from others; all giving unites to others.
What could you do to a man who owns nothing? You can’t starve a fasting man, you can’t steal from someone who has no money, you can’t ruin someone who hates prestige.
All getting separates you from others; all giving unites to others.
Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily. To lean upon Thy great strength, trustfully, restfully. To wait for the unfolding of Thy will, patiently, serenely. To meet others, peacefully, joyously. To face tomorrow, confidently, courageously.
Be praised, O my Lord by Brother Wind, By air and cloud and every clime To whom Thou givest sustenance unto their kind.