"In the incarnate Son of God all the virtues work fully, and that He left in Himself the way of salvation; so that faithful people both small and great can find in Him the right step on which to place their foot in order to ascend to virtue, so that they can reach the best [...]
"Indeed there are more bad than good results arising from it (sorrow), for the only good ones are mercy and repentance; whereas there are six evil results, namely, anguish, sloth, indignation, jealously, envy, and impatience." Source: St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Random House, Inc., 2002.
"Cheerfulness is that quality which enables one to make others happy. It takes its origin half in personal goodness, and half in the belief of the personal goodness of others. It is the opposite of the morbid, the morose, the fretful, the grumbling, the somber." Source: Fulton Sheen, Guide to Contentment, Alba House, 2010 [...]
"My child, I will teach you now the way of peace and true liberty. Seek, child, to do the will of others rather than your own. Always choose to have less rather than more. Look always for the last place and seek to be beneath all others. Always wish and pray that the will of [...]
"Resolve, sisters, that it is to die for Christ, and not to practice self-indulgence for Christ, that you have come here." Source: Saint Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection, Dover Thrift Editions, 2012.
"Our Lord is there. He offers you His grace and His strength, but on one condition, and that is, that you recognize that you can do nothing without it, and that you humbly and earnestly ask for it. The humble sentiment of our own weakness produces confidence. You are discouraged only because you have not [...]
"The humility and love of the Immaculate Virgin penetrated my soul. The more I imitate the Mother of God, the more deeply I get to know Jesus." Source: St. Faustina, Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul
"Pride makes us forget our sins, for the remembrance of them leads to humility." Source: St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
"PRAYER is our sanctification by means of God. It ought, then, to produce reformation of manners. That is the immediate end of prayer, its practical conclusion, its necessary result. Above all, in this matter, let us not forget that 'not they who say, Lord, Lord, shall possess the kingdom of heaven, but they who faithfully [...]
"When you are conscious that you are growing anxious, commend yourself to God, and resolve steadfastly not to take any steps whatever to obtain the result you desire, until your disturbed state of mind is altogether quieted unless indeed it should be necessary to do something without delay." Source: St. Francis de Sales, Introduction [...]