"The true lover of Christ, however, who sincerely pursues virtue, does not fall back upon consolations nor seek such pleasures of sense, but prefers severe trials and hard labors for the sake of Christ." Source: Thomas a’ Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Dover Thrift Editions, 1940.
"Now this sacrament preserves man from sin in both of these ways. For, first of all, by uniting man with Christ through grace, it strengthens his spiritual life, as spiritual food and spiritual medicine, according to Ps. 103:5: '(That) bread strengthens [Vulg.: 'may strengthen'] man's heart.' Augustine likewise says (Tract. xxvi in Joan.): 'Approach without [...]
"The tendency to celebrate the Eucharist only when there was an assembly of the faithful emerged in those years. According to the Council, although everything possible should be done to gather the faithful for the celebration, it is also true that, even if the priest is alone, the Eucharistic offering which he performs in the [...]
"I am sorry for people who lose their souls; it is so easy to miss your way when the paths of the world seem so attractive." Source: St. Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul, Saint Benedict Press, 2010.
"Labor, then, in an orderly manner to acquire virtues. Pursue the work with the spirit of observation, with constancy. Proceed always by principle." Source: St. Peter Julian Eymard, The Divine Eucharist St. Peter Julian Eymard was a priest and the founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. This religious order is "a Catholic [...]
"Had men but always recourse to the Most Blessed Sacrament to seek from It the remedy for their ills, they certainly would not be as miserable as they are. The prophet Jeremias, lamenting, exclaimed: 'Is there no balm in Galaad? or is there no physician there?' (Jer. viii. 22.) Galaad, a mountain of Arabia, rich [...]
"Remember how, at the selfsame time, many religious and other devout persons were kneeling before God, praying or praising Him. Was not their time better spent than yours?" Source: St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Random House, Inc., 2002.
"It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, [...]
"The Eucharist, since it embraces the concrete, everyday existence of the believer, makes possible, day by day, the progressive transfiguration of all those called by grace to reflect the image of the Son of God (cf. Rom 8:29ff.)." Source: Pope Benedict XVI, SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS (Sacrament of Charity), 2/22/2007
"The willing desire to suffer every pain and hardship even to the point of death for the salvation of souls is pleasing to [God]." Source: St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue, Paulist Press, 1980 The Dialogue was dictated by Catherine over a period of five days. Three scribes worked to keep up with Catherine [...]