340 quotes by saints for you to enjoy

Truly, love is delightful and pleasant food, supplying, as it does, rest to the weary, strength to the weak, and joy to the sorrowful. It in fact renders the yoke of truth easy and its burden light. Saint Bernard

Charity never lacks what is her own, all that she needs for her own security. Not alone does she have it, she abounds with it. She wants this abundance for herself that she may share it with all; and she reserves enough for herself so that she disappoints nobody. For charity is perfect only when full. Saint Bernard

The impudence of the sinner displeases God as much as the modesty of the penitent gives him pleasure. Saint Bernard

God Pleasure Gives Him Sinner Impudence Modesty Much

A man who prides himself on being better than his fellow-men thinks it a disgrace if he does not do something more than they do, whereby his superiority may be apparent. Saint Bernard

Man Better Something Superiority More He Himself Does His Than Disgrace May Being Whereby Apparent Who Thinks

Sorrow for sin is indeed necessary, but it should not be an endless preoccupation. You must dwell also on the glad remembrance of God's loving-kindness; otherwise, sadness will harden the heart and lead it more deeply into despair. Saint Bernard

God You Heart Sadness Will Despair Otherwise Indeed Must More Glad Lead Remembrance Sin Also Sorrow Endless Dwell Should Preoccupation Harden Deeply Necessary

Custom turns everything upside down. Give it time, and what can resist its hardening effect? What does not yield to use? How many find that the bitterness they had formerly dreaded has, unfortunately, through use alone, turned to sweetness? Saint Bernard

Alone Time Bitterness Down Everything Dreaded Find Give Through Had Does How Effect Yield Upside Upside Down Unfortunately Custom Turned Turns Use Sweetness Many Hardening Resist

The mind must first reflect upon itself in order that it may frame a rule of Justice, and not be inclined to do to another what it would not have done to itself, nor refuse to another what it desires for itself. These two assuredly comprise the whole sphere of Justice. Saint Bernard

Knowledge is sometimes superfluous: when we need it, we have it not. Saint Bernard

Knowledge Sometimes Superfluous Need

Keep to the middle if you wish to keep moderation. The mid way is the safe way. Moderation abides in the mean, and moderation is virtue. Every abiding place outside the bounds of moderation is only exile to the wise man. Saint Bernard

In the matter of learning, the difference between the earnest and the careless student stands out clearly. The same holds true in the mastering of passion and the weaknesses to which our nature is subject, as in the acquiring of virtue. Saint Ignatius

So with that will prompt and prepared to serve all those whom I perceive to be servants of my Lord, I will speak of three things with simplicity and love as if I were speaking to my own soul. Saint Ignatius

Love Soul Speak Simplicity Will Three Own Those Prompt Perceive My Own Lord Were Speaking Prepared Whom Servants Serve Things

While studying at Barcelona, Ignatius was in doubt whether, after completing his studies, he should enter some Religious Order, or go from place to place, according to his custom. He decided to enter upon the religious life. Saint Ignatius

Little by little he came to recognize the difference between the spirits that agitated him, one from the enemy and one from God. Saint Ignatius

God Enemy Recognize Spirits He Between Him Came Difference Little

He who aims at making an entire and perfect oblation of himself, in addition to his will, must offer his understanding, which is a further and the highest degree of obedience. Saint Ignatius

Obedience Will Degree Understanding Addition Aims Further Must Entire Perfect Highest He Highest Degree Himself Making His Offer Which Who

Spiritual infirmities such as tepidity are caused, not only by chills but also by fevers, that is, by excessive zeal. Saint Ignatius

Spiritual Only Excessive Also Caused Chills Zeal

I have vowed to my God to teach the heathen, though I be despised by some. Saint Patrick

God Despised Though Some Vowed Heathen Teach

No one should ever say that it was my ignorance if I did or showed forth anything however small according to God's good pleasure; but let this be your conclusion and let it so be thought, that - as is the perfect truth - it was the gift of God. Saint Patrick

When I took the habit, the Lord immediately showed me how He favours those who do violence to themselves in order to serve Him. No one saw what I endured... At the moment of my entrance into this new state I felt a joy so great that it has never failed me even to this day; and God converted the dryness of my soul into a very great tenderness. Saint Teresa of Avila

God Day Great Me Soul Joy State Took Saw Immediately Those Favours My Soul Entrance Habit Tenderness Never No-One He Failed New Him Felt How Lord Very Order Endured Converted Themselves Moment Who Even Serve Violence

I don't know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer. Saint Teresa of Avila

Prayer Practice Penance Would Rather Gladly Know Undertaken Than Heavy

Action without a name, a 'who' attached to it, is meaningless. St. Jerome

Action Attached Name Without Meaningless Who

Quotes by Saints