"The holy virtues are like the ladder of Jacob and the unholy vices are like the chains that fell off the chief apostle Peter. The virtues lead from one to another and carry heavenward the man who chooses him. Vices on the other hand beget and stifle one another." Source: St. John Climacus, The [...]
"When He sees a soul who loves Him greatly, He knows that soul can suffer much for Him, whereas one who loves Him little will suffer little. For my own part, I believe that love is the measure of our ability to bear crosses, whether great or small." Source: Saint Teresa of Avila, The [...]
"True, it is hard, and there are few who persevere in it and become saints. They mortify themselves for a time while the passions are still to be feared; and when peace reigns they cease to do so. From this it comes that there are so many of merely ordinary virtue, and that they never [...]
"The economy needs ethics in order to function correctly – not any ethics whatsoever, but an ethics which is people-centered." Source: Pope Benedict XVI, CARITAS IN VERITATE (Charity in Truth), 6/29/2009
"Physical idleness deteriorates the mind, spiritual idleness deteriorates the heart." Source: Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, Way to Happiness, St. Pauls, 1998.
"One way to re-collect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquility, is not to let it wander too far at other times: you should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your [...]
"PRAYER, incessant prayer, otherwise called the habit of prayer, is necessary for every Christian... We can do no good, practice no virtue without prayer, which obtains for us the grace of goodness and virtue. Prayer is the foundation of all the virtues, and faith itself, the beginning of justice, it but the exercise of prayer." [...]
"Either to seek or to shun society is a fault in one striving to lead a devout life in the world, such as I am now speaking of. To shun society implies indifference and contempt for one’s neighbors; and to seek it savors of idleness and uselessness." Source: St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to [...]
"Today, I was talking with the Lord, and He said to me, 'There are souls with whom I can do nothing. They are souls that are continuously observing others, but know nothing of what is going on within their own selves. They talk about others continually, even during this of grand silence, which is reserved [...]
"It is never too late for God’s grace. It is a peculiar psychological fact that those who turn to God late in life generally consider all their previous life wasted." Source: Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, Way to Happiness, St. Pauls, 1998.