"Let us love the virtues and inward goodness, and let us always apply ourselves and take care to avoid attaching importance to externals." Source: Saint Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection, Dover Thrift Editions, 2012.
"Such is the dignity of this sacrament that it is performed only as in the person of Christ. Now whoever performs any act in another's stead, must do so by the power bestowed by such a one. But as the power of receiving this sacrament is conceded by Christ to the baptized person, so likewise [...]
"In the Church, gathering particularly today in a special way around the Eucharist and desiring that the authentic Eucharistic community should become a sign of the gradually maturing unity of all Christians, there must a lively-felt need for penance, both in its sacramental aspect, and in what concerns penance as a virtue." Source: Pope [...]
"Ah! if people thought seriously that the confession they are about to make, or are making at that very moment, may decide their eternity, that it may be the last absolution they shall receive, the last confession before death, they would make it better!" Source: Â St. Peter Julian Eymard, The Divine Eucharist St. Peter [...]
"However long the temptation may persist, it cannot harm us so long as it is unwelcome to us." Source: St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Random House, Inc., 2002.
"Let no man deceive himself. Both the things which are in heaven, and the glorious angels, and rulers, both visible and invisible, if they believe not in the blood of Christ, shall, in consequence, incur condemnation. 'He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.'" Source: St. Ignatius of Antioch, Epistles [...]
"A great thing is a faithful man, being richest of all rich men. For to the faithful man belongs the whole world of wealth, in that he disdains and tramples on it." Source: St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures
"At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples' attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: 'I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.' Whenever the Church celebrates the [...]
"The Spouse in the sacred Canticles went about seeking for her Beloved; and not finding Him, she asked all whom she met: 'Have you seen Him whom my soul loveth?' (Cant. iii. 3.) Jesus was not then on earth; but now, if a soul which loves Him seeks Him, she can always find Him in [...]
"I would have you know that every virtue of yours and every vice is put into action by means of your neighbors. If you hate [God], you harm your neighbors and yourself as well (for you are your chief neighbor), and the harm is both general and particular." Source: St. Catherine of Siena, The [...]