I thought I would be able to serve God much better if I were in good health. This is our mistake : not abandoning ourselves entirely to what the Lord does, for He knows best what is fitting for us. St. Theresa of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 6 : 5.

“I do not love suffering itself; I ask it of God because I desire its fruits: it gives glory to God, saves my brothers in exile, and frees souls from the fires of Purgatory.“ St. Pio of Pietrlcina (1887-1968)

"Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." - Saint Pope John Paul II

“Accept all suffering and incomprehension that comes from Above. In this way you will perfect and sanctify yourself.”  St.  Pio of Pietrlcina

"Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle." - St. Josemaria Escriva

"The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God's kingdom." ~ St. Maximilian Kolbe

Don't neglect your spiritual reading. — Reading has made many saints. - St. Josemaria Escriva

"Jesus Christ, after having given us all He could give, that is to say, the merit of His toils, His sufferings, and bitter death; after having given us His adorable body and blood to be the food of our souls, willed also to give us the most precious thing He had left, which was His holy Mother."  - St. John Vianney

“The news had spread that our blessed Lord had been given an honorable burial, by Joseph the rich man.  Like a bolt out of the blue, the Pharisees run to Pilate to protest against the delivery of the body to Joseph.  As they claimed His life, so they would claim His Death.  In the history of the world, there was never a more ridiculous spectacle than that of a hundred soldiers stationed to keep an eye on a corpse.  No other grave on the face of the earth was ever watched, because the dead man said that He would rise in three days.  But here guards are set, lest the dead walk, the silent speak, and the pierced heart quicken to the throb of life.   They say He is dead; they know He is dead; they will tell you that He will not rise again; but still they watch.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.” St Rose of Lima

All things were a means for my knowing and loving God more，for seeing what I owed Him，and for regretting what I had been.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 10

“Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Reconciliation] There the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one's misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse the miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full.” WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA. (Diary 1448)

“Imagine Jesus crucified in your arms and on your chest, and say a hundred times as you kiss His chest, “This is my hope, the living source of my happiness; this is the heart of my soul; nothing will ever separate me from His love.” St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

Pope Clement VIII, Instruction concerning the rites of the Italo-Greeks, August 30, 1595: “Those ordained by schismatic bishops, who have been otherwise duly ordained, the due form having been observed, receive, indeed, ordination, but not jurisdiction.”

“It  is written (Jn 1:29): ‘Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who taketh  away the sin of the world’: and the reason for the employment of the  singular is that the ‘sin of the world’ is original sin, as a gloss  expounds this passage.”—St. Thomas Aquinas, Sum. Theo., Prima Secundae,  Q. 82, Art. 2

O Mother of Perpetual Help, confidence in thee is a certain pledge of everlasting salvation.   -Bl. Pope Pius IX

“Now we’ve always thought, and rightly so, of Christ the Son on the cross and the mother beneath him. But that’s not the complete picture. That’s not the deep understanding. Who is our Lord on the cross? He’s the new Adam. Where’s the new Eve? At the foot of the cross. … If Eve became the mother of the living in the natural order, is not this woman at the foot of the cross to become another mother? And so the bridegroom looks down at the bride. He looks at his beloved. Christ looks at his Church. There is here the birth of the Church. As St. Augustine puts it, and here I am quoting him verbatim, ‘The heavenly bridegroom left the heavenly chambers, with the presage of the nuptials before him. He came to the marriage bed of the cross, a bed not of pleasure, but of pain, united himself with the woman, and consummated the union forever. As it were, the blood and water that came from the side of Christ was the spiritual seminal fluid.’ And so from these nuptials ‘Woman, there’s your son’ this is the beginning of the Church.” — Archbishop Fulton John Sheen

“Love is inventive, even to infinity.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

“The honor of Mary is so intimately connected with the honor and glory of Jesus that to deny the one is at the same time a denial of the other.”  - Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

“When our Lord surrendered His Spirit to the Heavenly Father on Good Friday, and was cold like all dead men, friends who had shut themselves up in their houses, and anonymous admirers who hid their light under a bushel, now began to appear.  They were not with Him in His agony, when He needed them, but they were with Him in His death, as weavers of wreaths, as weepers of glittering tears, and as eulogists of the dead.  One of these friends was Joseph of Arimathea, who secretly loving the Saviour, was yet not bold enough to declare it while he was alive.  He would now diminish his remorse by providing a tomb for the executed friend.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“Live together as having but one heart and one soul so that by this union of spirit you may be a true image of the unity of God.”  - St. Vincent de Paul

She is His soul ; It is He who has taken her
into His charge, and thus He illumines her.
For she seems that by His assistance,
He is ever guarding her from offending Him
and favoring her and awakening her to His service.
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 10

“In my opinion, you ought not lay so much stress on your little trials, your spiritual darkness and dryness. When we truly and sincerely love God, we regard as little that which we suffer for our divine Lover.” St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

Jesus said to me, "I desire that you make an offering of yourself for sinners and especially for those souls who have lost hope in God's mercy".  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA (Diary 308)

“Since our Divine Lord came to die, it was fitting that there be a Memorial of his death.  Since he was God, as well as man, and since he never spoke of his death without speaking of his Resurrection, should he not himself institute the precise memorial of his own death?  And that is exactly what he did the night of the Last Supper.  His Memorial was instituted, not because he would die and be buried, but because he would live again after the Resurrection.  His Memorial would be the fulfillment of the Law and the prophets; it would be one in which there would be a Lamb sacrificed to commemorate spiritual freedom; above all, it would be a Memorial of a New Covenant, a Testament between God and man.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Life of Christ)

“Bearing physical and moral ailments is the worthiest offering you can make to He who saved us through suffering.” St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  (Letters III, p. 487)

“For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more.” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)

“To pray the Rosary is to hand over our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and His mother.” -St. John Paul II

”There is no one, O Most Holy Mary, who can know God except through thee; no one who can be saved or redeemed but through thee, O Mother of God; no one who can be delivered from dangers but through thee, O Virgin Mother; no one who obtains mercy but through thee, O Filled-With-All-Grace!” - St. Germanus

1.) DIARY QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"Be always ready; I will not leave you in this exile for long. My holy will must be fulfilled in you." WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA. (Diary,1539)

The soul knows very well that they would bring about more good in one day than they would in ten years if for the love of God they thought a lot less of the prestige of their office.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 9

"Tell sinners that no one shall escape My Hand;
if they run away from My Merciful Heart,
they will fall into My Just Hands" WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA (Diary 1728).

"Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Risen Christ."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta

'If the Lord some day open my eyes to the dangers from which He delivered me, and the graces which He bestowed on me, you will find me dead of sorrow and love at the foot of the altar.' St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

"The eternal Father takes pleasure in looking upon the heart of the most holy Virgin Mary as a masterpiece of His hands. The Son takes pleasure in it as the heart of His mother, the source from which He drew the blood that ransomed us. The Holy Spirit dwells in Mary as in His temple."
- St. John Vianney

Have only a few private devotions, but be constant in them. - St. Josemaria Escriva

"I have opened My Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death." WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary1520)

“The enemies of Our Blessed Lord were too optimistic on Good Friday.  He said that He would ‘destroy the Temple, and then rebuild it.’ But the Temple was still standing.  ‘He saved others, but now could not save Himself.’  He said He was a King, but He was proven to be a mock King with a crown of thorns for a diadem, a nail for a scepter, a crucifixion for a coronation.  Joseph of Arimathea boldly goes to Pilate to ask for the body of Our Lord.  The Greek word which the Gospel says Joseph used was Soma, which is the word of respect for a body.  Pilate was too optimistic and he told Joseph that he would give him not the soma, but the proma, which means cadaver or rubbish.  The final optimism of the enemies was the setting of the guards, not to prevent the Resurrection, but to prevent the apostles from stealing the body.  Finally, they rolled a great stone in front of His tomb.  He who had called Himself ‘the Rock’ is now rockbound in a tomb.  On the other hand, the friends of Our Lord were too pessimistic and despairing.  The women go to the grave on Easter morning with spices which they had prepared, not to greet a Risen Lord, but to anoint a dead body.  When Magdalene finds the tomb empty, instead of believing that He has risen, she says to the Angel who asks her why she weeps, ‘because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.’  She runs to tell Peter and John saying, ‘I have seen the Lord.’  But they, hearing it, do not believe it, saying it is a woman’s tale.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten and Easter Inspirations)

“Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is I want it to be a place of consolation for You”. . .St.  Pio of Pietrecina

Pope Pius IX, Vatican Council, Session 2, Jan. 6, 1870, profession of faith: “I, Pius, bishop of the catholic church, with firm faith believe and profess each and every article contained in the profession of faith which the holy RoSaint Quote of the Day (03/26/2016)
St. Francis Xavier, “O Deus! Ego Amo Te”, Prayer composed by him: “Thou art, my God, sole object of my love, Not for the hopes of endless joys above, Nor for the fears of endless pains below, Which those who love thee not must undergo. For me, and such as me, thou deignest to bear The ignominious cross, the nails, the spear; A thorny crown transpierced thy sacred brow, While bloody sweats from every member flow; For me, in tortures thou resign’st thy breath, Embraced me on the cross, and saved me by thy death.”

St. Francis Xavier, “O Deus! Ego Amo Te”, Prayer composed by him: “Thou art, my God, sole object of my love, Not for the hopes of endless joys above, Nor for the fears of endless pains below, Which those who love thee not must undergo. For me, and such as me, thou deignest to bear The ignominious cross, the nails, the spear; A thorny crown transpierced thy sacred brow, While bloody sweats from every member flow; For me, in tortures thou resign’st thy breath, Embraced me on the cross, and saved me by thy death.”

If people spent an hour a week in Eucharistic adoration, abortion would be ended.  -St.  Teresa  of Calcutta

The more that love and humility grow, the greater the fragrance these flowers of virtues give off, both for oneself and for others.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 8

'And this is what the flesh might say in reply: "I will never tell you what you do not already know. I will speak the knowledge we both have. Within me is my begetter, the love of self. The fire that comes to me from outside is too much pampering and care. The fire within me is past ease and things long done. I conceived and give birth to sins, and they when born beget death by despair in their turn. And yet if you have learned the sure and rooted weakness within both you and me, you have manacled my hands. If you starve your longings, you have bound my feet, and they can travel no further. If you have taken up the yoke of obedience, you have cast my yoke aside. If you have taken possession of humility, you have cut off my head."'  St. John Climacus

“Now I shall show them, that as the mother-of-pearl fish lives in the sea without taking in a drop of salt-water, and as there are near the Chelidonian islands springs of fresh water in the midst of the sea, and as the fire-flies fly in the flames without singeing their wings, so a strong and steadfast soul can live in the world without imbibing any worldly humour — can find springs of sweet piety in the middle of the salt-waters of the age— and fly amidst the flames of earthly lusts without burning the wings of the holy desires of the devout life.”—St. Francis de Sales (Quoted in his work Introduction to the Devout Life, Author's Preface, translated from the French, NEW EDITION, RIVINGTONS, WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON, Oxford, and Cambridge, pub. 1877, pg. xvi)

"Write, My daughter, that I am mercy itself for the contrite soul. A soul's greatest wretchedness does not enkindle Me with wrath; but rather, My Heart is moved towards it with great mercy".  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA. (Diary 1739)

“All gifts, virtues, and graces of the Holy Ghost are administered by the hands of Mary to whomever she desires, when she desires, and in the manner she desires, and to whatever degree she desires.”
- St. Bernardine of Siena

“Feel every man’s sin as your own as a mother feels a daughter’s pains.  Only wounded know how to bind up wounds.  You are not alone! You are on a team!  ‘Why should this happen to me? You ask – forgetful that you helped the team to win.  No suffering is wasted!  As clouds carry rain over mountains so your patience with cancer, your resignation to withered limbs rebounds to some soul in Ceylon, and helps a missionary in Seoul.  The greatest tragedy is not what people suffer but that they have no one whom they love to whom they can offer their cross.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“The God of Christians is the metamorphosis; you throw your sufferings into his bosom and you draw out peace; you throw in despair and you see hope coming to the surface.”  St.  Pio of  Pietrelcina

“All our religion is but a false religion, and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone – for the good, and for the bad, for the poor and for the rich, and for all those who do us harm as much as those who do us good.” (St. Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney, Cure d’Ars)

“I ask God to give you a twofold share of His Spirit: the first share to unite you to Him, to act in His holy presence and for love of Him; and the other, for the guidance of the souls entrusted to you.”
- St. Vincent de Paul

Just as in heaven so in the soul His Majesty must have a room where He dwells alone. Let us call it another heaven.     St Teresa of Jesus of Avila The Interior Castle - chapter 7 : 1 : 3

The lives of the saints are a model for the lives of the rest of men. -St. Ambrose

"Do not look  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. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: 'The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me and I in Him."  Saint Francis de Sales

'What toil we must endure, what fatigue, while we are attempting to climb hills and the summits of mountains! What, that we may ascend to heaven! If you consider the promised reward, what you endure is less. Immortality is given to the one who perseveres; everlasting life is offered; the Lord promises His Kingdom.' St. Cyprian of Carthage

"Forty years before the year two thousand, the Devil will be let loose for a period to tempt men. When all will seem lost, God Himself will suddenly bring all evil to an end. The sign of when these events will occur will be when priests will have discarded their holy habits and dress themselves in lay clothes and when women will dress like men and men like women."  St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373)

"The soul that is stripped of self and clothed in Jesus Christ has nothing to fear from the exterior world. Therefore I renounce myself each day so that Christ may increase in me." - Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Carmelite nun

“God does not inspire us to do what cannot be done.”  – St. Thérèse of Lisieux

"Jesus wishes to receive charity from us like a poor man. He wishes to take nothing from us unless we give it freely."   -St. Therese of Lisieux

“Let nature resent suffering because, when when there is no sin, there is nothing more natural than this. With divine help, your will, will always be superior to it, and divine love will never diminish in your soul if you do not cease to pray.” St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

“God takes wonderful pleasure in seeing the suffering of a soul who endures it patiently for love of Him.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

"My child, make the resolution never to rely on people. Entrust yourself completely to My will saying, "Not as I want, but according to Your will, O God, let it be done unto me." These words, spoken from the depths of one's heart, can raise a soul to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul I delight. Such a soul gives Me glory. Such a soul fills heaven with the fragrance of her virtue. But understand that the strength by which you bear sufferings comes from frequent Communions. So approach this fountain of mercy often, to draw with the vessel of trust whatever you need." WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary, 1487)

”We may seek graces, but shall never find them without the intercession of Mary.”  - St. Cajetan

“It is hard for us to see in the accidents and trails of life, in sickness, in bereavement, in financial loss, in cancerous bodies and leprous limbs, any Divine Purpose.  That is why our blessed Lord had to take suffering upon Himself, in order to show us that it is the Father’s Cup.  Every tear, disappointment and grieved heart is a blank check.  If we write our name on it, it is worthless.  If we sign it with Christ’s name, it is infinite in its value.  In prosperity, Christ gives you His gifts; in suffering with faith, He gives you Himself.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“How different the cries, ‘Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him,’ and then, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna, in the highest!’ How different the cries are that now are calling Him ‘King of Israel’ and then in a few days’ time will be saying, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ What a contrast between the green branches and the cross, between the flowers and the thorns! Before they were offering their own clothes for Him to walk upon, and so soon afterwards they are stripping Him of His, and casting lots upon them.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"Life is a Calvary; but we must climb it cheerfully. Crosses are the jewels of the Bridegroom and I am jealous of them. My sufferings are pleasing. I suffer only when I am have nothing to suffer. St. St. Pio of Pietrelcina

The soul sees clearly that everything other than pleasing God is nothing.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 5

"But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." St. Jude Thaddeus

"When you are alone in your room, take your crucifix, kiss its five wounds reverently, tell it to
preach to you a little sermon, and then listen to the words of eternal life that it speaks to your heart; listen to the pleading of the thorns, the nails, the precious Blood. Oh, what an eloquent
sermon!" - Saint Paul of the Cross

The sight of the world in which we live, the need and misery, and an abyss of human malice, again and again dampens jubilation over the victory of light. The world is still deluged by mire, and still but a small flock has escaped from it to the highest mountain peaks. The battle between Christ and the Antichrist is not yet over. The followers of Christ have their place in this battle, and their chief weapon is the cross. St. Edith Stein Love of the Cross

"Before confession, I heard these words in my soul, My daughter, tell him everything and reveal your soul to him as you do before Me. Do not fear anything. It is to keep you in peace that I place this priest between your soul and Myself. The words he will speak to you are My words. Reveal to him your soul's greatest secrets. I will give him light to know your soul." WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA. (Diary 232)".

“Why are you untying it (the ass the disciples were sent to find), this must be your answer.  The Lord has need of it (Lk 19:31).  Perhaps no greater paradox was ever written than this – on the one hand the sovereignty of the Lord, and on the other hand his ‘need.’  This combination of Divinity and dependence, of possession and poverty was the consequence of the Word becoming flesh.  Truly, he who was rich became poor for our sakes, that we might be rich.  Our Lord borrowed a boat from a fisherman from which to preach; he borrowed barley loaves and fishes from a boy to feed the multitude; he borrowed a grave from which he would rise; and now he borrowed an ass on which to enter Jerusalem.  Sometimes God preempts and requisitions the things of man, as if to remind him that everything is a gift from him.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Life of Christ)

“Keep strongly and constantly united to God, consecrating all your affections, torments, and your entire self to Him, patiently awaiting the return of that beautiful sun, whenever the Spouse is pleased to visit you through trials of aridity, desolation and darkness of spirit.”  St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

Pope Julius II, to Francesco Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua, Dec. 17, 1511: “...It is distinguished for you in all diligence and charity that if any of the schismatics who were once cardinals, now detestable heretics, shall arrive in places of your jurisdiction, specifically Bernardinus Carvajal and Federicus of San Severino, they are to be captured at once, and in our name detained, even kept in custody until [such a time] we shall state otherwise.” [ My translation from the Latin: “Enitendum tibi est omni diligentia et caritate ut si qui ex scismaticis olim cardinalibus nunc hereticis detestabilibus in loca tuae ditionis pervenerint presertim Bernardinus Carvajal et Federicus de S. Severino illico capiantur et nomine nostra retineantur atque custodiantur donee aliud statuerimus.” (The copy is in the Gonzaga Archives, Mantua.) Cited in “The History of the Popes: From the Close of the Middle Ages” from the German of Dr. Ludwig Pastor.]

“...inflated with pride, he [Lucifer] wished to be called God.”  St. Augustine, De Qu. Vet. Test. CXIII

"In order to be a devoted servant of the Father, I faithfully desire to be the servant of the mother."
- St. Ildephonsus

A kingdom without an end, which, when the soul tastes only one drop of its water, makes everything here below seem repulsive.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila  The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 1

"Write, speak of My mercy. Tell souls where they are to look for solace; that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Reconciliation] There the greatest miracles take place [and] are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to him one's misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were a soul like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint, there would be no [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full. Oh, how miserable are those who do not take advantage of the miracle of God's mercy! You will call out in vain, but it will be too late". WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA.  (Diary 1448)

“Yes, I love the Cross, the Cross alone; I love it because I see it always on Jesus' shoulders.” St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  (Letters I, p.377)

 “The execrable and hitherto unheard of abuse has grown up in our day, that certain persons, imbued with the spirit of rebellion, and not from a desire to secure a better judgment, but to escape the punishment of some offense which they have committed, presume to appeal to a future council from the Roman Pontiff, the vicar of Jesus Christ, to whom in the person of the blessed PETER was said: "Feed my sheep" [John 21:17], and, "Whatever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven" [Matt. 16:19]. . . . Wishing therefore to expel this pestiferous poison far from the Church of Christ and to care for the salvation of the flock entrusted to us, and to remove every cause of offense from the fold of our Savior . . . we condemn all such appeals and disprove them as erroneous and detestable.”  Pope Pius II, “Exsecrabilis”, Jan. 18, 1460:

“I have often  thought with wonder of the great goodness of God; and my soul has  rejoiced in the contemplation of His great magnificence and mercy. May  He be blessed for ever! For I see clearly that He has not omitted to  reward me, even in this life, for every one of my good desires.”  St. Teresa D’Avila, Autobiography. (As translated from the Spanish by David Lewis in “The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel, Written by Herself”, compared with the original autograph text and re-edited by Very Rev. Benedict Zimmerman, O.C.D., pub. 1916)

“It is hard for us to see in the accidents and trails of life, in sickness, in bereavement, in financial loss, in cancerous bodies and leprous limbs, any Divine Purpose.  That is why our blessed Lord had to take suffering upon Himself, in order to show us that it is the Father’s Cup.  Every tear, disappointment and grieved heart is a blank check.  If we write our name on it, it is worthless.  If we sign it with Christ’s name, it is infinite in its value.  In prosperity, Christ gives you His gifts; in suffering with faith, He gives you Himself.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

 “De non accusandis episcopis”, 523 A.D: “Wherefore also in the Gospel it is written: ‘if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.’ (Lk. 19)... And it is read in Divine Law: ‘Cursed is everyone who moves over his neighbour’s landmarks: and all the people shall say: Amen.’ (Dt. 27)   Pope St. John I, Epistle to Archbishop Zachary,

"I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy."WORDS OF  JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA~(Diary, 1225 )

“Priests have received a power which God has given neither to angels nor to archangels. It was said to them: ‘Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose, shall be loosed.’ Temporal rulers have indeed the power of binding; but they can only bind the body. Priests, in contrast, can bind with a bond which pertains to the soul itself and transcends the very heavens. Did [God] not give them all the powers of heaven?…What greater power is there than this? The Father has given all judgment to the Son. And now I see the Son placing all this power in the hands of men. They are raised to this dignity as if they were already gathered up to heaven.” — St. John Chrysostom

“No man is delivered or preserved from the worldwide snares of Satan save through Mary; and God grants His graces to no one except through her alone.”
- St. Germanus

Blessed is the soul the Lord brings to the understanding of truth !  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila
The Book of Her Life - chapter 21 : 1

"Take advantage of little sufferings even more than of great ones. God considers not so much what we suffer as how we suffer. . . Turn everything to profit as the grocer does in his shop." St. Louis De Monfort (1673.-1716.)

"But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ". -St. Jude Thaddeus

“Always love suffering, which, besides being the work of Divine Wisdom, reveals the work of his love to us even more.”  St. Pio of  Pietrelcina

"It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for "God is Charity" (1John 4:8)" St. Albertus Magnus (1206 - 1280)

“...it was whispered unto his spirit that spiritual merchandise has its beginning in the contempt of the world, and that the warfare of Christ is to be begun by victory over self.”  ―St. Bonaventure

"Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity".  WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA. (Diary 699)

“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.” - Pope St. Pius

“What is the extra ingredient in suffering – which when absent prompts a curse, and when present becomes a joy?  You must unite your sufferings and sorrows with Christ and see your Calvary as coming from the Hand of God.  Our Lord saw the cup of His Passion as given to Him, not by Judas or Pilate or Caiphas or the people, but  by His Father: ‘Shall I not drink the Cup My Father Himself has appointed for Me?’  Pain without Christ is suffering; pain with Christ is sacrifice.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

Joy isn’t found in the material objects surrounding us but in the inner recesses of the soul -St.Therese

"Prayer is the mother and daughter of tears. It is an expiation of sin, a bridge across temptation, a bulwark against affliction. It wipes out conflict, is the work of angels, and is the nourishment of everything spiritual."

~ St. John Climacus, The ladder of Divine Ascent

“The person who loves God cannot help loving every man as himself, even though he is grieved by the passions of those who are not yet purified. But when they amend their lives, his delight is indescribable and knows no bounds.” — St. Maximus the Confessor

'The love of God inspires the love of our neighbor, and the love of our neighbor serves to keep alive the love of God.'  St. Gregory the Great

“Love, and do what you will: whether you hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.” (St. Augustine; Homily 7 on 1 John  8: PL 35)

"Heaven is filled with converted sinners of all kinds, and there is room for more." -St. Joseph Cafasso

"When you reflect upon what I tell you in the depths of your heart, you profit more than if you had read many books. Oh, if souls would only want to listen to My voice when I am speaking in the depths of their hearts, they would reach the peak of holiness in a short time."  WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA. (Saint Faustina's Diary)

While I contemplate the summits of these mountains, which by now have become familiar to me, my spirit frequently turns to Mary.  God has raised her above all angelic and earthly creatures, and has made her our sustenance in the road to heaven. -St. John Paul II

“Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever; and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.”  Saint Augustine

“Our present groanings are creating within us a larger capacity for joy hereafter.  Our Blessed Lord in order to portray this changing of cross into glory, and suffering into joy, compares life to a mother bringing a child into the world.  The labor pangs of mortification are the precursors of resurrection and joy.  Notice how sorrow springs from the same root as gladness.  The two do not clash against each other, but they blend into one another.  Our purest and noblest joys are transformed sorrows.  The sorrow of a contrite heart becomes the gladness of pardoned children.  Every stroke of the ploughshare, and every dark winter’s day, are represented in the broad acres waving with golden wheat.  In suffering, Christ takes you into His Hands, as a poor, dull block of marble, but with His chisel He shapes His purpose in you.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

"This is the soul's deep satisfaction and happiness, to see that it gives to God more than in itself it is worth."   -St. John of the Cross

"When the Holy Rosary is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more meritorious than any other prayer."  - St.  Louis de Montfort

The angels are jealous of us for one reason only; they are not able to suffer for God. Only through suffering can a soul say with certainty, "My God, You see I do love You!"  St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

“Together with Mary, let us seek to be sharers in this death which brought forth fruits of “new life” in the Resurrection: a death like this on the cross was infamous, and it was the death of her Son! But precisely there, at the foot of the cross, “where she stood, not without a divine plan,” did not Mary realize in a new way everything that she had already heard on the day of Annunciation?”  POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II

"Our body is not made of iron. Our strength is not that of stone. Live and hope in the Lord, and let your service be according to reason." -St. Clare of Assissi

“Let us depend entirely on God, full of confidence that no matter what men may do or say, all will turn to our good. Yes, should the whole world unite for our destruction, nothing can happen to us but by the permission of God, in whom we have placed our whole trust.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

“The Lord visited me today and said, ‘My daughter, do not be afraid of what will happen to you. I will give you nothing beyond your strength. You know the power of My grace; let that be enough.’ After these words, the Lord gave me a deeper understanding of the action of His grace.”   WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA. (Diary, 1491)

In this stage true humility is gained so that the soul doesn't care at all about saying good things of itself, nor that others say them.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 20 : 29

“Do not think that you have to be in personal contact with a sinful world in order to do it good.  The most powerful influences are the invisible ones.  You can save a sinner in India, give courage to a leper in Africa, console the bereaved in Vietnam by offering your cross.  You can be like the clouds that gather up moisture from one body of water, and then transport it over mountain heights, letting it fall as gentle dew on distant parched lands.  When a trail or difficulty, a sorrow or cross comes into your life, remember that you are like a child practicing a new lesson.  As the child in the first grade is on his way to being a great musician, a linguist, a scientist, so you under the guidance of the Divine Teacher are on the way to being a saint, for then you shall be flooded with the joy that no one can take from you.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

Have patience and persevere in the holy exercise of meditation; be content to begin with small steps till you have legs to run, better still wings to fly. Be content to be obedient, which is never a small thing for a soul which has chosen God for its portion. And be resigned to be, for the present, a little bee in the hive which will soon become a large bee capable of making honey. St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

“Ex suprernae clementiae dono”, Condemned Errors of Dionysius Foullechat, Dec. 23, 1368: “(1) ‘This blessed, indeed most blessed and sweetest law, namely, the law of love, takes away all propriety and power,’—false, erroneous, heretical.”  Pope Urban V

 “Sweetest Jesus, be not my Judge, but my Saviour.” (Quoted in the Raccolta—An indulgence of 300 days.). St. Jerome Æmiliani

"Immaculate Virgin! Your spotless spiritual beauty is for us a living source of confidence and hope. To have you as Mother, Holy Virgin, reassures us on the path of life as a pledge of eternal salvation. Because of this, O Mary, we have recourse to you with confidence. Help us to build a world where human life is always cherished and defended, every form of violence banished, and the peace of all tenaciously sought."
- Pope St. John Paul II

"Take advantage of little sufferings even more than of great ones. God considers not so much what we suffer as how we suffer. . . Turn everything to profit as the grocer does in his shop."   -Saint Louis De Monfort

When the soul behold this divine Sun, the brightness dazzles it; when it looks at itself, the mud covers its eyes; blind is this little dove. So, very frequently, it is left totally blind, absorbed and frightened.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 20 : 29

"Why should we defend ourselves when we are misunderstood and misjudged? Let us leave that aside. Let us not say anything. It is so sweet to let others judge us in any way they like. O blessed silence, which gives so much peace to the soul!" St. Therese of Lisieux (1873.-1897)

"Take advantage of little sufferings even more than of great ones. God considers not so much what we suffer as how we suffer. . . Turn everything to profit as the grocer does in his shop." -Saint Louis De Monfort

 My daughter, if I demand through you that people revere My mercy, you should be the first to distinguish yourself by this confidence in My mercy. I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.  WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA.  (Diary 742)

“You have five senses which put you in touch with the material and sensate passing world about you.  But did you ever notice that when you wish to do deep thinking you shut your eyes, close the doors of the ear to the rattles of earth, for the more you shut out the things of earth, the more the Spirit of God speaks within you.  You will learn more truth from the Spirit than from books, as the Apostles on Pentecost learned more about the Life of Christ than they did from three years of living with Him in an earthly way.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“Let us bind ourselves tightly to the Sorrowful Heart of our Heavenly Mother and reflect on its boundless grief and how precious is our soul.” St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

“The special motives for which St. Joseph has been proclaimed Patron of the Church, and from which the Church looks for singular benefit from his patronage and protection, are that Joseph was the spouse of Mary and that he was reputed the Father of Jesus Christ. From these sources have sprung his dignity, his holiness, his glory. In truth, the dignity of the Mother of God is so lofty that naught created can rank above it. But as Joseph has been united to the Blessed Virgin by the ties of marriage, it may not be doubted that he approached nearer than any to the eminent dignity by which the Mother of God surpasses so nobly all created natures. For marriage is the most intimate of all unions which from its essence imparts a community of gifts between those that by it are joined together. Thus in giving Joseph the Blessed Virgin as spouse, God appointed him to be not only her life’s companion, the witness of her maidenhood, the protector of her honor, but also, by virtue of the conjugal tie, a participator in her sublime dignity.”   Pope Leo XIII, Quamquam Pluries, August 15, 1889, Par. 3

St. Bernard, Sermon on St. Joseph: “If, then, that Joseph, sold by fraternal envy and carried into Egypt, foreshadowed the selling of Christ; this Joseph, fleeing from the envy of Herod, carried Christ into Egypt. The former, loyal to his master, would have nothing to do with his master’s lady; the latter, recognizing his Lady, the mother of his Lord, to be a virgin, and being himself chaste, guarded her faithfully. To the former was given discernment in the mysteries of dreams; to the latter it was given to know and to share in the heavenly mysteries.” (Quoted in the Roman.          

St. Teresa of Avila said regarding St. Joseph: "I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant."

“Believe me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God’s grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin.”
- St. Philip Neri

"A reciprocal love is thus actually formed between God and the soul, like the marriage union in surrender in which the goods of both are possessed by both together."
- St. John of the Cross

“Mary is the sure path to our meeting with Christ. Devotion to the Mother of the Lord, when it is genuine, is always an impetus to a life guided by the spirit and values of the Gospel.”
- Saint John Paul II

"Remember this, Sister, for your whole life, as waters flow from the mountains down into the valleys, so, too, do God's graces flow only into humble souls." St. Maria Faustina H. Kovalska (1905 – 1938)

The soul is like water in a glass : the water looks very clear if the sun doesn't shine on it; but when the sun shines on it, it seems to be full of dust particles.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 20 : 28

“My daughter, when I was before Herod, I obtained a grace for you; namely, that you would be able to rise above human scorn and follow faithfully in My footsteps. Be silent when they do not want to acknowledge your truth, because it is then that you speak more eloquently.”
WORDS OF JESUS TO SAINT FAUSTINA. (Diary, 1164)

“Whatever man is he is not what he ought to be.  He has all of the machinery but the mainspring is broken.  He is like a fish on top of the Empire State Building.  How the devil tempts.  He tempts by a dialogue which is pious and religious.  He does not say, I am an atheistic monster, and I’m going to destroy your innocence and your loyalty.  He did not deny God; he assumed God.  The devil believes in God.  All temptations begin in sugar form.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter.  St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

Pope Leo XIII, Etsi Cunctas, On the Church in Ireland, Dec. 21, 1888: “To the Bishops of Ireland, Venerable Brothers, Although all and every part of the Lord’s flock entrusted to our care we embrace with deep affection and love, nevertheless, our concern and thoughts go out above all to those we see suffering misfortune... We, accordingly, have always been moved with exceptional sympathy and the most kindly consideration for the Catholics of Ireland so violently and constantly tried by long and lasting hardships. Their remarkable steadfastness in patient endurance has always aroused our deepest esteem, for no tribulation has ever been able to destroy or diminish the faith that is the gift of their fathers... 4. We are in no doubt that it is more and more evident that our fatherly love for the Irish has never changed... 5. We pray for every best gift of heavenly grace for you, venerable brother, clergy and the faithful whom you serve and the whole of Ireland, and lovingly impart our Apostolic Blessing.”

 “After these great miracles, therefore — i.e., after resuscitating the dead; after healing lepers, and the blind, and the deaf, and the lame, and all diseases; after ordaining bishops, and priests, and deacons, and people of all orders in the Church; after teaching the sons of Erin, and after baptizing them ; after founding churches and monasteries; after destroying idols, and images, and druidical arts — the hour of death of St. Patrick approached. He received the Body of Christ from Bishop Tassach, according to the advice of the angel Victor. He resigned his spirit afterwards to heaven, in the one hundred and twentieth year of his age. His body is here still in the earth, with honour and reverence. Though great his honour here, greater honour will be to him in the Day of Judgment, when judgment will be given on the fruits of his teaching, like every great Apostle; in the union of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus; in the union of the nine orders of angels, which cannot be surpassed; in the union of the divinity and humility of the Son of God; in the union of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”.  St. Evin, Tripartite, pg. 500

  “we can effect no work of grace in ourselves, nor for our neighbour, without charity; charity is that sweet and holy bond which binds the soul with her Creator; it bound God in man and man in God. This inestimable charity kept God and Man fastened and nailed upon the wood of the most holy Cross.”St. Catherine of Siena, Letters, Letter 1,   (Cited by Edmund Gardner in “Saint Catherine of Siena, A Study in the Religion, Literature, and History of the Fourteenth Century in Italy.”)

No matter how much a soul labors to become perfect, if this Sun truly takes hold of it, everything is seen as very turbid.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 20 : 28

"A reciprocal love is thus actually formed between God and the soul, like the marriage union in surrender in which the goods of both are possessed by both together." - St. John of the Cross

“Christ is the savior of both soul and body, and the person who follows in His footsteps is freed from evil.”   St. Thalassios the Libyan

“Keep your eyes on the crucifix, for Jesus without the cross is a man without a mission, and the cross without Jesus is a burden without a reliever.” — Archbishop Fulton John Sheen

"Don't allow any sadness to dwell in your soul for sadness prevents the Holy Spirit from acting freely" ~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

“Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do Your will.” — St. Ignatius of Loyola

“This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of My tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it”  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST FAUSTINA
( Diary  420).

"In the mystery of redemption, grace - the gift of God himself - is interwoven with a ‘price’ paid by the human heart. In this mystery we are enriched by a gift from on high and at the same time ‘bought’ by the ransom paid by the Son of God. And Mary, who more than anyone was enriched by gifts, pays all the more. With her heart. Inseparable from this mystery is the extraordinary promise spoken of by Simeon during the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple: ‘so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.’” (Lk 2:35)
- Pope St. John Paul II

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

www.MiraculousMedal.org

“As human love relieves the physical pains of others, so Divine Love relieves the moral evils of others.  True love is proven not by words but by offering something to the one loved, and the greatest offering one can give is not what one has, but one’s very life.  He rose not with wounds for those would betoken a weakness after battle, but with scars, glorious medals of victory on Hands and Feet and Side.  As a little child may say to a wounded or scarred soldier: ‘how did that happen?’ so Our Lord shows us his scars, that by our childish questioning, He might tell us: ‘I did this all for you!’  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

"Have courage and do not fear the assaults of the Devil. Remember this forever; it is a healthy sign if the devil shouts and roars around your conscience, since this shows that he is not inside your will." St. Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968)

I am oblivious of everything in that anxious longing to see God ; desert and solitude seem to the soul better than all the companionship of the world. If anything could give the soul consolation, it would be to speak to someone who had suffered this torment.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 20 : 13

“If men were to understand the value of the Holy Mass, for every Mass such crowds would come to church that police would be needed to keep order.” — St. Pio of Pietrelcina

'Be ruled by God and rule over your senses; and, being on a higher level, do not give authority to what is inferior to you.'  St. Thalassios the Libyan

"These persons will know only their own misery and keep it so much in sight that they will have no opportunity to watch anyone else's conduct."  -St. John of the Cross

“The world may be in the throes of a new birth, when the Christian message shall pass from the Western to the Eastern world.  Within a short time the Mystical Christ, Who has been crucified, will take His bleeding Hands to the Japanese, who will lay their Lotus flower upon them to change the wounds of hate into the scars of love.  To the Chinese, He will bring His bruised and torn Body and the lame, and blind, the hungry and the famished will bring their healing hands and cover up from sight those imprints of a night forever past.  To the people of India, He will show His open wounded Side, and they who sought their peace in a Nirvana of unconsciousness, will be drowned at last in the Sacred Heart, in a love that is a healing of the soul.  Finally, He Who went into darkness through a crown of thorns, will turn to Africa and the people of the midnight Madonnas, and they shall pluck out His thorns, and crown Him with blossoms and with flowers as white as their souls, as perfumed as their faith.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

"The contemplation of Christ has an incomparable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. It was in her womb that Christ was formed, receiving from her a human resemblance, which points to an even greater spiritual closeness. No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary. The eyes of her heart already turned to Him at the Annunciation when she conceived Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the months that followed she began to sense His presence and to picture His features. When at last she gave birth to Him, her eyes were able to gaze tenderly on His face as she ‘wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger.’”  - Pope St. John Paul II

"May 1, [1938]. This evening, Jesus said to me, My daughter, do you need anything? I answered, "O my Love, when I have You I have everything." And the Lord answered, If souls would put themselves completely in My care, I Myself would undertake the task of sanctifying them, and I would lavish even greater graces on them. There are souls who thwart My efforts, but I have not given up on them; as often as they turn to Me, I hurry to their aid, shielding them with My mercy, and I give them the first place in My compassionate Heart."  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST FAUSTINA
(Diary 1682)

“The abyss of God’s immensity encounters the abyss of the creature’s nothingness,” and “God embraces this nothingness” St Elizabeth of the Trinity

“Kiss Jesus often with love and you will recompense Him from the sacrilegious and unfaithful kiss of Judas.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly." -St. Ignatius of Loyola

On one occasion I heard these words in my soul, "Make a novena for your country. This novena will consist of the recitation of the Litany of the Saints. Ask your confessor for permission". I received permission at my next confession and began the novena that very evening. Towards the end of the litany I saw a great radiance and, in the midst of it, God the Father. Between this radiance and the earth I saw Jesus, nailed to the Cross in such a way that when God wanted to look at the earth, He had to look through the wounds of Jesus. And I understood that it was for the sake of Jesus that God blesses the earth.  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA (Diary 59 - 60)

"Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbor. Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner." - St. Anthony of Padua

“We must always strictly observe the two virtues; kindness with our neighbors and holy humility with God.”  St.  Pio  of Pietrelcina (Letters III, P. 952)

Pope St. Gregory II, “Desiderabilem mihi”, to St. Boniface, Nov. 22, 726: “You have said that some without the profession of the Creed were baptized by adulterous and unworthy priests. In these cases may your love hold to the ancient custom of the Church: that, whoever has been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may in no case be rebaptized; for not in the name of the one baptizing, but in the name of the Trinity has one received the gift of this grace. And let that which the Apostle says be observed: One God, one faith, one baptism [Eph. 4:51. But we recommend that to such you teach more zealously the spiritual doctrine.”

Our Guardian Angels are our most faithful friends~St. John Vianney

“God does not frown on your complaint.  Did not His Mother in the Temple ask: ‘Son why hast Thou done so to us?  ‘And did not Christ on the Cross complain: ‘My God why hast Thou abandoned Me?’  If the Son asked the Father, and the Mother, the Son – why should not you?  But let your wails be to God, and not to man.  And at end of your sweet complaining prayer you will say: ‘Father into Thy Hands I commend my spirit.’  They who complain to others never see God’s purposes.  They who complain to God find that their passion, like Christ’s turns into compassion.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

"To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others." -St. John Paul II

”It is impossible to save one's soul without devotion to Mary and without her protection.” - St. Anselm

"The Holy Rosary: the joys, the sorrows, and the glories of the life of Our Lady weave a crown of praises, repeated ceaselessly by the Angels and the Saints in Heaven–and by those who love our Mother here on earth. Practice this holy devotion every day, and spread it." - St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, 621

"We cannot say, as did Pilate, "What is truth?" Truth we possess, since the beloved Jesus dwells in our hearts." -St. Therese of Lisieux

'Blessed the one who manages his possessions in accordance with God's will and has not been condemned by God the Saviour as a lover of money without compassion for his neighbour.'  St. Ephrem of Syria

"Yes, my heart’s dear one, Jesus, is here with His cross. Since you are one of His favorites, he wants to make you into His likeness;
why be afraid that you will not have the strength to carry this cross without a struggle? On the way to Calvary, Jesus did indeed
 fall three times and you, poor little child, would like to be different from your spouse, would rather not fall a hundred times if
necessary to prove your love to Him by getting back up with even more strength than before your fall!" — St. Therese of Lisieux

Remember how many sick people there are who are poor and have no one to complain to ; now it is nonsense to think one can be poor and live in comfort. St Teresa of Jesus of Avila The Way of Perfection - chapter 11 : 3

“Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.” — St. Peter Chrysologus

Instead of seeking the best for myself, Lord, teach me that only my very best is good enough for those I will be serving today. St. Vincent de Paul

“Jesus was never off the Cross!  As the atom reflects the solar system, so Bethlehem was the cameo of Calvary.  Once elderly Simeon spoke of His Death Mary saw the shadow of nails in the Child’s Hands.  An un-suffering Christ would be a professor of ethics.  The three temptations were three short-cuts from the Cross: Feed the Hungry – Be a sociological Christ.  Do breath taking wonders – Be a scientific Christ.  Be a social revolutionist – Be a Communist Christ.  So long as men wear scars the imprints of a night forever past will trumpet: My Pain! My Scars! My Death!”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lenten & Easter Inspirations)

“Therefore, don't fear at all, but consider yourself extremely fortunate to have been worthy of participating in the sufferings of the God-Man. So there is no abandonment, but love, and great love which God is showing you. Your state is not one of punishment, but on of exquisite love. Therefore bless the Lord for this, and resign yourself to drinking the chalice of Gethsemane.” St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"What joy fills My Heart when you return to me. Because you are weak, I take you in My arms and carry you to the home of My Father." WORDS  OF JESUS TI ST. FAUSTINA (DIARY, 1486)

“Firstly, I want to tell you that Jesus needs those who groan with Him at human sinfulness and, for this reason, He is leading you along paths filled with suffering, about which you tell me in your letter.  But may his charity always be blessed; that charity which knows how to mix the sweet with the bitter and convert the transitory sufferings of life to eternal reward.” St. Pio of Pietrelcina. (Letters III, p. 417)

“Three times Our Saviour was tempted on the mountain, and three times He fell on the way to the mountain of Calvary.  Thus did He atone for our three falls to the temptation of the flesh, the world, and the devil.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Stations of the Cross)

"These persons will know only their own misery and keep it so much in sight that they will have no opportunity to watch anyone else's conduct."
-St. John of the Cross

"If you say the Holy Rosary every day, with a spirit of faith and love,mour Lady will make sure she leads you very far along her Son's path." - St. Josemaria Escriva

In all the events of life, you must recognize the Divine will. Adore and bless it, especially in the things which are the hardest for you.  St.  Pio of Pietrelcina