How displeasing to God are rash judgments! The judgments of the children of men are rash because they usurp the office of Our Lord, the just Judge. They are rash because the principal malice of sin depends on the intention and the counsel of the heart, and these are hidden things not known to human judges. They are rash because every person has things that could be judged, and, indeed, on which one should judge oneself. On the cross our Saviour could not entirely excuse the sin of those who crucified him, but he extenuated the malice by pleading their ignorance. When we cannot excuse a sin, let us at least make it worthy of compassion by attributing the most favourable cause we can to it, such as ignorance or weakness. We can never pass judgment on our neighbour.
To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults for which he is corrected and reproved. And, therefore, it is a great sign of advancement in perfection.
We must intend our own salvation in the way God intends it. God desires that we should be saved. We too need constantly to desire what God desires. God not only means us to be saved, but actually gives us all we need to achieve salvation. So we are not to stop at merely desiring salvation, but go a step further and accept all the graces God has prepared for us, the graces constantly offered to us. It is all very well to say, “I want to be saved.” It is not much use merely saying, “I want to take the necessary steps.” We must actually take the steps. We need to make a definite resolution to take and use the graces God holds out to us. Our wills must be in tune with God's. Because God wants us to be saved, we should want to be saved. We should also welcome the means to salvation that God intends us to take... that is why general acts of devotion and prayer should always be followed by particular resolutions.
As often as you can during the day, recall your mind to the presence of God.... Consider what God is doing, what you are doing. You will always find God’s eyes fixed on you in unchangeable love. Our hearts should each day seek a resting-place on Calvary or near our Lord, in order to retire there to rest from worldly cares and to find strength against temptation. Remember frequently to retire into the solitude of your heart, even while you are externally occupied in business or society. This mental solitude need not be hindered even though many people may be around you, for they surround your body not your heart, which should remain alone in the presence of God. As David said, “My eyes are ever looking at the Lord." We are rarely so taken up in our exchanges with others as to be unable from time to time to move our hearts into solitude with God.
Our business is to love what he would have done. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people’s vocations.
Some torment themselves in seeking means to discover the art of loving God, and do not know - poor creatures - that there is no art or means of loving Him but to love those who love Him - that is, to begin to practice those thing which are pleasing to Him.
Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what we have made of it.
All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be.
An action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent than one of a higher virtue, done with less love of God.
10 .The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honouring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us.
Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you.
Fruit that is very delicate and decays easily, like cherries, apricots and strawberries, remains good for a whole year without difficulty, if preserved in sugar or in honey. So, it is not unusual that our hearts, though frail and feeble, are kept safe from the corruption of sin when preserved in the sugar and honey of the incorruptible flesh and blood of God.
The measure of love is to love without measure.
If, when stung by slander or ill-nature, we wax proud and swell with anger, it is a proof that our gentleness and humility are unreal, and mere artificial show.
Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
The truly patient man neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, true, and sincere way, without murmuring, complaining, or exaggerating them.
It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due to them. Unfortunately, they re¬main oblivious of what they owe to others.
God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps; and like a good father who holds his child by the hand, He will accommodate His steps to yours and will be content to go no faster than you. Why do you worry?
The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this ever before you, and remember constantly that God's loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He would desire. Offer up all such occasions to Him, and if sometimes you are put out, and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.
Curiosity, ambition, anxiety, an unawareness or forgetfulness of why we are in this world those are what fill our lives with many more difficulties than duties, much more worry than work, a great deal more bother than business. Foolish, empty, unnecessary pursuits which distract us from the love of God - these are the things that get in our way, not the genuine and proper duties of our state of life.
A naturally affectionate disposition counts for little when it comes to loving God. I would, however, tell every man: “If your heart is inclined to love, why not aim at loving God? Even if you are not naturally affectionate, why not set your heart on loving him? God, from whom this holiest of invitations comes, will himself lovingly bestow it on you.”
You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.
Never be hurried in anything. Do all things calmly and in a spirit of repose. Do not lose your inward peace even if everything seems to be going wrong. What is anything in life compared to peace of soul?
Wild boars sharpen their tusks by rubbing and polishing them with their other teeth which thus become very pointed and sharp. Thus a virtuous person, undertaking to perfect himself in that virtue of which he stands most in need for his perfection, should strengthen and perfect it through the exercise of other virtues. By refining it, all other virtues become more excellent and quite complete.
It is wonderful how attractive a gentle, pleasant manner is, and how much it wins hearts.
Certainly all virtues are very dear to God, but humility pleases Him above all the others, and it seems that He can refuse it nothing.
Do not become upset when difficulty comes your way. Laugh in its face and know that you are in the hands of God.
Have Jesus always for your patron, His Cross for a mast on which you must spread your resolutions as a sail. Your anchor shall be a profound confidence in Him, and you shall sail prosperously.
We all colour devotion according to our own likings and dispositions. One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading a very devout life, so long as he fasts rigorously, although the while his heart is full of bitterness; -and while he will not moisten his lips with wine, perhaps not even with water, in his great abstinence, he does not scruple to steep them in his neighbour's blood, through slander and detraction.
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