Is it not a great temptation to be so valiant in imagination and so cowardly in execution?
Do not fret under such assistance as is needful; therein lies one great grace of poverty. It were overambitious to aim at being poor without suffering any inconvenience, in other words, to have the credit of poverty and the convenience of riches.
There are no galley-slaves in the royal vessel of divine love – every man works his oar voluntarily!
Many would be willing to have afflictions provided that they not be inconvenienced by them.
I see crosses at every turn. My flesh shudders over it, but my heart adores them. Yes, I hail you, crosses little and great, I hail you, and kiss your feet, unworthy of the honor of your shadow.
The spirit cannot endure the body when overfed, but, if underfed, the body cannot endure the spirit.
The state of marriage is one that requires more virtue and constancy than any other; it is a perpetual exercise in mortification.
The highest point of humility consists in not merely acknowledging one’s abjection, but in taking pleasure therein, not from any want of breadth or courage, but to give the more glory to God’s Divine Majesty, and to esteem one’s neighbour more highly than one’s self.
Humility makes our lives acceptable to God, meekness makes us acceptable to men.
A spoon full of honey gets more flies than a barrel full of vinegar.
In everything, love simplicity.
The damned are in the abyss of Hell, as within a woeful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments, in all their senses and members, because as they have employed all their senses and their members in sinning, so shall they suffer in each of them the punishment due to sin.
I recommend to you holy simplicity.
Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.
The merit of the cross does not consist in its heaviness, but in the manner in which we carry it. I would even say that it is sometimes more virtuous to carry a cross of straw than a heavy cross because we have to be more attentive for fear of losing it.
Obedience is a consecration of the heart, chastity of the body, and poverty of all worldly goods to the Love and Service of God. Blessed indeed are the obedient, for God will never permit them to go astray.
I have the same opinion of dances that physicians have of mushrooms: the best of them are good for nothing.
He who complains, sins.
Nothing appeases an enraged elephant so much as the sight of a little lamb.
Naturally we all have an inclination to command, and a great aversion to obey; and yet it is certain that it is more for our good to obey than to command; hence perfect souls have always had a great affection for obedience, and have found all their joy and comfort in it.