I added a fourth Path to Virtue based on the life of St. Dominic Savio. Dominic is a great saint and the youngest non-martyr canonized. He led an exemplary life and impacted the lives of many. Amazingly, he did this while living only fourteen years. Dominic provided two paths to virtue. The first, he adopted [...]
"The trust we put in God, honors Him much, and draws down great graces." Source: Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims
The Eucharist is the foundation and heart of the Church. From the very beginning and throughout the entire history of the Church, the Eucharist has been the central element of our liturgy. We see this in Scripture: Last Supper - Jesus institutes the Eucharist as the fulfillment of the Passover and the beginning of the [...]
"I want it to be set down in writing, not to forget that we in this house, and for that matter anyone who would be perfect, must flee a thousand leagues from such phrases as: 'I had right on my side'; 'They had no right to do this to me'; 'The person who treated me [...]
"A sacrament is so termed because it contains something sacred. Now a thing can be styled sacred from two causes; either absolutely, or in relation to something else. The difference between the Eucharist and other sacraments having sensible matter is that whereas the Eucharist contains something which is sacred absolutely, namely, Christ's own body; the [...]
"Here is the first-class humility that we ought to imitate… Let us then, refer all to God. Return to Him His graces, which He lends you only that you may make them fructify to His profit and glory. Do not pride yourselves on God's gifts. Do not appropriate them, as if they came from yourself, [...]
"When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the memorial of her Lord’s death and resurrection, this central event of salvation becomes really present and “the work of our redemption is carried out”. This sacrifice is so decisive for the salvation of the human race that Jesus Christ offered it and returned to the Father only after [...]
"For when He gave them bread, and filled their bellies, they said that He was a Prophet, and sought to make Him a King: but when He taught them concerning spiritual food, concerning eternal life, when He led them away from objects of sense, and spoke to them of a resurrection, and raised their thoughts [...]
"I would not affect either folly or wisdom; for just as humility deters me from pretending to be wise, so simplicity and straightforwardness deter me from pretending to be foolish; and just as vanity is opposed to humility, so all affection and pretense are opposed to honesty and simplicity." Source: St. Francis de Sales, [...]
St. Faustine describes failing greatly when trying to perfect a virtue. Although we should work hard to develop virtue, our progress is dependent on grace. If we do not cooperate with God, we will be frustrated and fail. "When one day I resolved to practice a certain virtue, I lapsed into the vice opposed to [...]