Inspirational Teachings from the writings of the Saints on:

Christian Charity

The man of charity spreads his money about him,
but the man who claims to possess both charity and money
is a self-deceived fool.

--- St. John Climacus (c. 605)

In order to avoid discord, never contradict anyone except in case of sin or some danger to a neighbor; and when necessary to contradict others,
do it with tact and not with temper.

--- King St Louis IX (1215 - 1270)

If we possessed every virtue, but lacked humility,
those virtues would be without root and would not last

--- St. Vincent de Paul(1581-1660)

Fathers and mothers owe four things to their children:maintenance, instruction, correction, and good example.

--- St. John Baptist de la Salle (1651 - 1719)

True charity means returning good for evil - always.

--- St. Mary Mazzarello (1837 - 1881)

True charity consists in putting up with all one's neighbor's faults,
never being surprised by his weakness,
and being inspired by the least of his virtues.

--- St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)

Christian Unity

The time will come when there shall be
one flock and one shepherd, one faith and one clear knowledge of God.

--- St. Birgitta of Sweden (1330-1381)

Christian Zeal

The devil strains every nerve to secure the souls which belong to Christ. We should not grudge our toil in wresting them from Satan and giving them back to God.

--- St. Sebastian(??-287)

Poor human reason, when it trusts in itself,
substitues the strangest absurdities for the highest divine concepts.

--- St. John Chrysostom (344-407)

The greater and more persistent your confidence in God,
the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.

--- St. Albert the Great (1200-1280)

Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God.

--- St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1470)

Occupy your minds with good thoughts,
or the enemy will fill them with bad ones.
Unoccupied, they cannot be.

--- St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

Take care not to frighten away sinners by stern rigor
who are trying to lay bare the shocking state of their souls.
Speak to them rather of the great mercy of God.
sometimes people are helped by your telling them
about your own lamentable past.

--- St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

If you wish to make any progress in the service of God,
we must begin every day of our life with new ardor.

--- St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

The saints were so dead to themselves
that they cared very little whether others agreed with them or not.

--- St. John Vianney (1786-1859)

First tell the devil to rest,
then I will rest too.

--- St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.

--- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (20th Century)

Love of God

Whatever a man prefers to God, that he makes a god to himself.

--- St. Cyprian (210-258)

Love Him totally who gave Himself totally for your love.

--- St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

I will not mistrust God, though I shall feel myself weakening
and on the verge of being overcome with fear....
I trust He shall place His holy hand on me
and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning.

--- St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

Love is strong as death since both equally separate
the soul from the body and all terrestrial things,
the only difference is,
that the separation is real and effectual when caused by death,
whereas that occasioned by love is usually confined to the heart.

--- ST. Francis De Sales (1566-1622)

Love of Neighbor

Let none of you take a merely natural attitude toward his neighbor,
but love one another continually in Jesus Christ.

--- St. Ignatius of Anntioch (c. 107)

No one heals himself by wounding another.

--- St. Ambrose (340-397)

That man is truly humble who converts humiliation into humility.

--- St. Bernard (1040 - 1153)

Our friends then are all those who unjustly afflict us with
trials and ordeals, shame and injustice,
sorrows and torments, martyrdom and death;
we must love them greatly
for we all possess eternal life because of them.

--- St. Frances of Assisi (1181-1226)

Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family.

--- St. Angela Merici (1474 - 1540)

Whoever bids other folks to do right, but gives and evil example by acting the opposite way, is like a foolish weaver who weaves quickly with one hand and unravels the cloth just as quickly with the other.

--- St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

Labour without stopping;
do all the good works you can while you still have the time.

--- St. John of God (1495 - 1550)

If we wish to keep peace with our neighbor,
we should never remind anyone of his natural defect.

--- St. Philip Neri (1515 - 1595)

You should do no harm to anybody whatsoever,
and as much as it is possible, do good to all.

--- St. Peter Fourier (1565 - 1640)

In our neighbor, we should observe only what is good.

--- St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)

Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy form us?

--- St. Vincent de Paul(1581-1660)

Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God.
Do all that you do with love.

--- St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)

God's Mercy

No one is safe by his own strength,
but he is safe by the grace and mercy of God.

--- St. Cyprian (210-258)

To him who still remains in this world, no repentance is too late.
The approach to God's mercy is open.

--- St. Cyprian (210-258)

Just as water extinguishes a fire, so love wipes away sin.

--- St. John of God (1495-1550)

Take care not to frighten away sinners by stern rigor
who are trying to lay bare the shocking state of their souls.
Speak to them rather of the great mercy of God.
sometimes people are helped by your telling them
about your own lamentable past.

--- St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

One just soul can attain pardon for a thousand sinners.

--- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 - 1690)

If the greatest sinner on earth should repent at the moment of death,
and draw his last breath in an act of love,
neither the many graces he has abused,
nor the many sins he had committed would stand in his way.
Our Lord would receive him into his mercy.

--- St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897)

God's Love

Love tends to union with the object loved. Now Jesus Christ loves a soul that is in a state of grace with an immense love; He ardently desires to unite Himself with it..
This is what Holy Communion does.

--- St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

God's WILL

Take away all evil and much good would go with it. God's care is to bring good out of evils that happen, not to abolish them.

--- St. Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274)

The highest perfection consists not in interior favors or in great raptures,
but in the bringing of our wills so closely into conformity with the Will of God that, as soon as we realize that he wills anything,
we desire it ourselves with all out might.

--- St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

It is necessary, too, that we shun the occasions which have been the cause of sin. We must have recourse to fervent prayer, receive frequently and worthily the sacraments. He who does this will be sure to persevere.

--- St. John Vianney (1786-1859)

If you will whatever God wills, you will have exactly what you want.

--- Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Faith

Nothing is far from God.

--- St. Monica (332 - 387)

The greater and more persistent your confidence in God,
the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.

--- St. Albert the Great (1200-1280)

If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all.

--- St. Peter Canisius (1512 - 1597)

He who trusts in himself is lost.
He who trusts in God can do all things.

--- St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

Let the crucifix be not only in my eyes and on my breast,
but in my heart.

--- St. Bernadette (1844-1879)

There are some who pass through this life
as through a tunnel, without ever understanding
the splendour and the security and the warmth of the sun of faith.

--- St. JoseMaria Escriva

As for us, we hold to what we believed ten and twenty years ago; to what our forefathers believed one hundred years ago, and one thousand years ago, and to that which the whole Catholic world has always believed.

--- Br. Solomon Le Clerq

Our Final Judgement

There is only one thing to fear, only one trial and that is sin.

--- St. John Chrysostom (344-407)

Whoever entertains in his heart any trace of hatred for anyone,
regardless of what the offense may have been,
is a complete stranger to the love of God.

--- St. Maximus the Confessor (580-662)

Earthly riches are like the reed. Its roots are sunk in the swamp,
and its exterior is fair to behold; but inside it is hollow.
If a man leans on such a reed, it will snap off and pierce his soul.

--- St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)

Think well. Speak well. Do well.
These three things, through the mercy of God,
will make a man go to Heaven.

--- St. Camilus de Lellis (1550-1614)

At the end of our life, we shall be judged by love.

--- St. John of the Cross (1654-1734)

The gate of Heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.

--- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821)

A pure soul is like a fine pearl. As long as it is hidden in the shell at the bottom of the sea, no one thinks of admiring it. But if you bring it into the sunshine, this pearl will shine and attract all eyes. Thus the pure soul which is hidden from the eyes of the world, will one day shine before the angels in the sunshine of eternity.

--- St. John Vianney (1786-1859)

Fly from bad companions as from the bite of a poisonous snake. If you keep good companions, I can assure you that you will one day rejoice with the blessed in Heaven; whereas if you keep with those who are bad, you will become bad yourself, and you will be in danger of losing your soul.

--- St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

What will be the crown of those who, humble within and humilated without, have imitated the humility of our Savior in all its fullness!.

--- St. Bernadette (1844-1879)

Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to heaven.
There are others: Innocence, but that is for children;
penance, but we are afraid of it;
generous endurance of trials of life,
but when they come we weep and ask to be spared.
The surest, easiest, shortest way is the Eucharist.

--- Pope St. Pius X (1835-1914)

If the greatest sinner on earth should repent at the moment of death,
and draw his last breath in an act of love,
neither the many graces he has abused,
nor the many sins he had committed would stand in his way.
Our Lord would receive him into his mercy.

--- St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897 )

Anything that does not lead you to God is a hindrance.
Root it out and throw it far from you.

--- Ven. Jose Escriva

Penance

Repentance is returning from the unnatural to the natural state,
from the devil to God, through discipline and effort.

--- St. John of Damascus (676 - 749)

Do you not know that fasting can master concupiscence,
lift up the soul, confirm it in the paths of virtue, and prepare a fine reward for the Christian?

--- St. Hedwig of Silesia (1173-1243)

Peity

For our leader, the Divine Word, does not demand
a strong body and beautiful countenance, or high and noble birth,
but a pure soul, well-grounded in holiness.

--- St. Justin Martyr (100 - 165)

Our own evil inclinations are far more dangerous than any external enemies.

--- St. Ambrose (340-397)

Happy the man whose words issues from the Holy Spirit
and not from himself.

--- St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)

Occupy your minds with good thoughts,
or the enemy will fill them with bad ones.
Unoccupied, they cannot be.

--- St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

Never do anything that you cannot do in the presence of all.

--- St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Do not grieve over the temptations you suffer. When the Lord intends to bestow a particular virtue on us, He often permits us first to be tempted by the opposite vice. Therefore, look upon every temptation as an invitation to grow in a particular virtue and a promise by God that you will be successful, if only you stand fast.

--- St. Philip Neri (1515 - 1595)

Turn yourself around like a piece of clay and say to the Lord:
I am clay, and You Lord, the potter.
Make of me what You will.

--- St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)

St. James tells us that this virtue comes from Heaven and that we shall never have it unless we ask it of God. We should therefore, frequently ask God to give us purity in our eyes, in our speech, and in all our actions.

--- St. John Vianney - Curé of Ars - (1786-1859)

God does not ask of us the perfection of tomorrow,
nor even of tonight, but only of the present moment.

--- St. Madeliene Sophie Barat (1779-1865)

Hear Mass daily; it will prosper the whole day. All your duties will be performed the better for it, and your soul will be stronger to bear its daily cross. The Mass is the most holy act of religion; you can do nothing that can give greater glory to God or be more profitable for your soul than to hear Mass both frequently and devoutly. It is the favorite devotion of the saints.

--- St. Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

Prayer

He knows how to live well who knows how to pray well.

--- St. Augustine (354-430)

He causes his prayers to be of more avail to himself, who offers them also for others.

--- Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604)

The greater and more persistent your confidence in God,
the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.

--- St. Albert the Great (1200-1280)

It is impossible for a person who prays regularly to remain in serious sin; because the two are incompatible, one or the other will have to be given up.

--- St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Without prayer it is impossible to resist temptations and to keep the Commandments.

--- St. Alphonsus De Ligouri (1696-1787)

I have many distractions, but as soon as I am aware of them,
I pray for those people the thought of whom is diverting my attention.
In this way, they reap the benefit of my distractions.

--- St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)

Suffering

Thank the good Lord for having visited you with suffering;
if we knew the value of suffering, we would ask for it.

--- Bl. Brother Andre

Without the burden of afflictions,
it is impossible to reach the height of grace.
The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase.

--- St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

I travel, work, suffer my weak health, meet with a thousand difficulties, but all these are nothing, for this world is so small. To me, space is an imperceptible object, as I am accustomed to dwell in eternity.

--- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Temptation

As water extinguishes fire,
so prayer extinguishes the heat of the passions.

--- St. John Chrysostom (344-407)

Do not oppose the thoughts which the enemy sows in you,
but rather cut off all converse with them by prayer to God.

--- St. Issak of Syria ( )

Earthly riches are like the reed. Its roots are sunk in the swamp,
and its exterior is fair to behold; but inside it is hollow.
If a man leans on such a reed, it will snap off and pierce his soul.

--- St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)

Occupy your minds with good thoughts,
or the enemy will fill them with bad ones.
Unoccupied, they cannot be.

--- St. Thomas More (1478-1535)

Do not grieve over the temptations you suffer. When the Lord intends to bestow a particular virtue on us, He often permits us first to be tempted by the opposite vice. Therefore, look upon every temptation as an invitation to grow in a particular virtue and a promise by God that you will be successful, if only you stand fast.

--- St. Philip Neri (1515 - 1595)

If you intend to serve God, prepare your soul for temptation,
for it is an infallible truth that no one is exempt from temptation
when he has truly resolved to serve God.

--- ST. Francis De Sales (1566-1622)

The devil is a big dog on a chain,
who threatens and makes a lot of noise
but who only bites those who go too near him.

--- St. John Vianney - Curé of Ars - (1786-1859)

When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him; he trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.

--- St. John Bosco (1815-1888)

In the moment of temptation,
think of the Love that awaits you in heaven;
foster the virtue of hope.

--- Ven. Jose Escriva

Temperance

Excess in eating and drinking has killed many a man,
frugality has killed no one.

--- St. AMBROSE (340-397)

It is a great poverty that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.

--- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (20th Century)

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