THE WISDOM OF SAINTS

Note that many of the quotations on this page and the next were gleaned from the Saint Patrick's Church For All the Saints Index

Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing. -- Be not afraid to tell Jesus that you love Him; even though it be without feeling, this is the way to oblige Him to help you, and carry you like a little child too feeble to walk. --Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

"Consider every day that you are then for the first time--as it were--beginning; and always act with the same fervour as on the first day you began."--Saint Anthony of Padua.

"I am very glad I shall soon go to heaven, but I think of these words of God. 'I carry my reward with me to render to each according to his works,' I tell myself that in my case He will be quite embarrassed. I have no works! He will then be unable to render to me 'according to my works.' Well, He will then render to me according to His own works!" --Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

"I considered that I was born for glory and when I searched out the means of attaining it, [God] make[sic] me understand my own glory would not be evident to the eyes of mortals, that it would consist in becoming a great saint! This desire would certainly appear daring if one were to consider how weak and imperfect I was, and how, after seven years in the religious life, I still am weak and imperfect. I always feel, however, the same bold confidence of becoming a great saint because I don't count on my merits, since I have none, but I trust in Him who is Virutue [sic] and Holiness. God alone, content with my weak efforts will raise me to Himself and make me a saint." -- quoted in Margaret Dorgan: Thérèse of Lisieux: Mystic of the Ordinary

"Whoever sits in solitude and is quiet has escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, and seeing. Yet against one thing he must constantly battle: his own heart." --Saint Anthony Abbot.

"He became what we are that He might make us what He is." --Athanasius"

Reflect that in reality you have a greater need to serve [the poor] than they have of your service." -- Angela Merici

 

"There is still time for endurance, time for patience, time for healing,
time for change. Have you slipped? Rise up. Have you sinned? Cease.
Do not stand among sinners, but leap aside. For when you turn away
and weep, then you will be saved." -- Saint Basil

"Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness, ill- will, bad temper, arrogance
and lying. This state of mind opens the road to heaven. To imitate our
Lord's own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God's little
one's." --Saint Hilary of Poitiers

"Receive from the hand of God poverty as cheerfully as riches, hunger
and want as plenty, and you will conquer the devil and subdue all
your passions." --Saint Macarius

-The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible.
-- Saint Gerard Majella

"All of us are naturally frightened of dying and the dissolution of our bodies, but remember this most startling fact: that those who accept the faith of the cross despise even what is normally terrifying, and for the sake of Christ cease to fear even death. When He became man, the Savior's love put away death from us and renewed us again; for Christ became man that we might become God."
--Athanasius

"Poverty is a remover of cares and the mother of holiness."
-- Saint Meriadoc.

" I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.

" We live in an age of inventions. We need no longer climb laboriously up flights of stairs; in well-to-do houses there are lifts. And I was determined to find a lift to carry me to Jesus, for I was far too small to climb the steep stairs of perfection. So I sought in holy Scripture some idea of what this life I wanted would be, and I read these words: "Whosoever is a little one, come to me." It is your arms, Jesus, that are the lift to carry me to heaven. And so there is no need for me to grow up: I must stay little and become less and less." -- Therese of Lisieux

"God does not insist or desire that we should mourn in agony of heart; rather, it is His wish that out of love for Him we should rejoice with laughter in our soul. Take away sin and tears become superfluous; where there is no bruise, no ointment is required. Before the fall Adam shed no tears, and in the same way there will be no more tears after the resurrection from the dead when sin has been destroyed. For pain, sorrow, and lamentation will then have fled away."
--John Climacus, Abbot

"Birds which are too heavy cannot fly very high. The same is true of those who mistreat their bodies." --John Climacus, Abbot

"Whatever you do, think not of yourselves but of God."
--Saint Vincent Ferrer.

"O Lord our God,
grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart;
that, so desiring, we may seek,
and, seeking, find Thee;
and so finding Thee, may love Thee;
and loving Thee, may hate those sins
from which Thou hast redeemed. Amen."
--Saint Anselm

"It is very much better for you to be one among a crowd of a thousand people and to possess a very little humility, than to be a man living in the cave of a hyena in pride." --Pachomius

"To you, O Master, who loves all mankind
I hasten on rising from sleep.
By your mercy I go out to do your work
and I make my prayer to you.
Help me at all times and in all things.
Deliver me from every evil thing of this world
and from pursuit by the devil.
Save me and bring me to your eternal kingdom,
For you are my Creator,
You inspire all good thoughts in me.
In you is all my hope and to you I give glory,
now and forever." --Saint Macarius

"In an instant many are pardoned for their mistakes, but no one, in a moment's time, acquires calmness of the soul which requires much time, much trouble and a great deal of help from God." --John Climacus, Abbot

 

"Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults
Which Thou has borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly,
Day by day. Amen."
--Saint Richard of Chichester.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
give us a measure of Thy spirit
that we may be enabled to obey
Thy teaching to pacify anger,
to take part in pity,
to moderate desire,
to increase love,
to put away sorrow,
to cast away vain-glory,
not to be vindictive,
not to fear death,
ever entrusting our spirit to immortal God,
who with Thee and the Holy Ghost
liveth and reigneth world without end."
--Saint Apollonius (from part of his defense before Perennis)"

 

Labor in piety in the most excellent work of all. The kingdom of heaven in granted to him who directs study, him who studies, and him who supports the student." --Saint Maolruain.