"But why have I established such differences? Why do I give this person one virtue and that person another, rather than giving them all to one person? It is true that all the virtues are bound together, and it is impossible to have one without having them all. But I give them in different ways [...]
"The purpose of having is to remedy our incompleteness. If we had perfect life, we would never need nourishment. Because our knowledge is imperfect, we need to complement it with education. Because our personality is inadequate for happiness, we need love." Source: Sheen Fulton, Guide to Contentment, Alba House, 2010.
"Faith alone can reveal Him or teach me what He is; by Faith I learn more of God, and in a very little time, than I could do in the schools after may a long year. Oh! Faith, Faith: oh! Marvelous the knowledge of his Creator. Oh! Virtue altogether lovely, so little known, and still [...]
"True peace of heart, then, is found resisting passions, not in satisfying them. There is no peace in the carnal man, in the man given to vain attractions, but there is peace in the fervent and spiritual man." Source: Thomas a’ Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Dover Thrift Editions, 1940.
"If anyone strives to be delivered from his troubles out of love of God, he will strive patiently, gently, humbly, and calmly, looking for deliverance rather to God’s Goodness and Providence than to his own industry or efforts; but if self-love is the prevailing object he will grow hot and eager in seeking relief, as [...]
"I turned myself over to the vain things of life, paying no attention to the call of grace, although my soul found no satisfaction in any of these things. The incessant call of grace caused me much anguish; I tried, however, to stifle it with amusements. Interiorly, I shunned God, turning with all my heart [...]
"To reject criticism is to show pride, while to accept it is to show oneself free of this fetter." Source: St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
"If you labor at humility, you labor at true sanctity. The more humble you are the more holy you will be. Humility is the exact measure, and it never deceives. Humility is the mother, the root, and the flower of all the virtues. It is the mistress of God's power, the guardian of His treasures [...]
"What does the Gospel mean when it says, describing the Risen Lord’s appearance at Emmaus, 'He gave the impression that He was going on farther; but they urged Him to stay with them'? It means Our Lord passes us by each day in every opportunity to do good. If we neglect the opportunity, He does [...]
"There is no piety without humility, no good prayer, no adoration in spirit and truth, since humility is the rule of all this. If some great virtue were demanded of you, such as fortitude, magnanimity, and penitence you might say 'I am not capable of mounting so high.' But here there is question of descending, [...]