I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness – nay, I have never found common sense in any Jew.
The more closely we see ourselves being watched by our enemies, the more time intent we should be to avoid their slanders.
It is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself.
We are not to look to what men in themselves deserve but to attend to the image of God which exists in all and to which we owe all honor and love.
Those little children have not yet any understanding to desire His blessing; but when they are presented to Him, He gently and kindly receives them, and dedicates them to the Father by a solemn act of blessing.
Whenever our sins press hard against us, whenever Satan would drive us to despair, we must hold up this shield, that God does not want us to be overwhelmed in everlasting destruction, for He has ordained His Son to be the salvation of the world.
If there had been any unbelief in Mary, that could not prevent God from accomplishing his work in any other way which he might choose. But she is called blessed, because she received by faith the blessing offered to her, and opened up the way to God for its accomplishment.
It is a very important consideration that we are consecrated and dedicated to God; it means that we may think, speak, meditate, or do anything only with a view to his glory.
Unless we endeavor to do good to our neighbor, through our cruelty we transgress this law.
If we are proud of our talents we betray our lack of gratitude to God.
We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God’s benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and meditation upon them shall overcome all sorrow.
This is plainly to ascribe divinity to ‘free will.’
Free will is an empty term.
Each eye can have its vision separately; but when we are looking at anything our vision, which in itself is divided, joins up and unites in order to give itself as a whole to the object that is put before it.
Faith and patience are exceptional virtues in those that suffer. Patience is the fruit and evidence of faith.
It is a promise which eminently deserves our observation that all who are united to Christ and acknowledge Him to be Christ and Mediator will remain to the end safe from all danger, for what is said of the body of the Church belongs to each of its members since they are one in Christ.
There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.
But the present life should never be hated, except insofar as it subjects us to sin, although even that hatred should not properly be applied to life itself.
For though we very truly hear that the kingdom of God will be filled with splendor, joy, happiness and glory, yet when these things are spoken of, they remain utterly remote from our perception, and as it were, wrapped in obscurities, until that day.
It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining Mary to be the Mother of his Son, granted her the highest honor.