A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord’s pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put...

The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit.

How friendly all men would be one with another, if no regard were paid to honour and money! I believe it would be a remedy for everything.

I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him.

Discontent with this world gives such a painful longing to quit it that, if the heart finds comfort, it is solely from the thought that God wishes it to remain here in banishment.

Nothing can be compared to the great beauty and capabilities of a soul; however keen our intellects may be, they are as unable to comprehend them as to comprehend God, for, as He has told...

I had many friends to help me to fall; but as to rising again, I was so much left to myself, that I wonder now I was not always on the ground. I praise God...

God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely...

The devil put before me that I could not endure the trials of the religious life, because of my delicate nurture. I defended myself against him by alleging the trials which Christ endured, and that...

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...

Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul: it seems that no other name fell from his lips than that of Jesus, because the name of Jesus was fixed and embedded in his heart.

In a state of grace, the soul is like a well of limpid water, from which flow only streams of clearest crystal. Its works are pleasing both to God and man, rising from the River...

I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible.

Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.

O my God, what must a soul be like when it is in this state! It longs to be all one tongue with which to praise the Lord. It utters a thousand pious follies, in...

To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.

All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding His life we find that He is the best example.

Do you think it is only a little thing to possess a house from which lovely things can be seen?

To have courage for whatever comes in life – everything lies in that.

If I should say anything that is not in conformity with what is held by the Holy Roman Catholic Church, it will be through ignorance and not through malice. This may be taken as certain,...

Reflect carefully on this, for it is so important that I can hardly lay too much stress on it. Fix your eyes on the Crucified and nothing else will be of much importance to you.

Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs and desires it finds.

All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.

I am more afraid of those who are terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself.

More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.

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...

Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.

What value is there in faith without works? And what are they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good?

My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that he never could be persuaded to keep slaves, for he pitied...

When the soul, through its own fault… becomes rooted in a pool of pitch-black, evil smelling water, it produces nothing but misery and filth.

It is no small misfortune and disgrace that, through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin.

I had a father and mother, who were devout and feared God. Our Lord also helped me with His grace. All this would have been enough to make me good, if I had not been...

If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend.

The custom of speaking to God Almighty as freely as with a slave – caring nothing whether the words are suitable or not, but simply saying the first thing that comes to mind from being...

Our souls may lose their peace and even disturb other people’s, if we are always criticizing trivial actions – which often are not real defects at all, but we construe them wrongly through our ignorance...

I don’t know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer.

I was living an extremely burdensome life, because every time I prayed, I became more clearly aware of my faults. On the one hand, God was calling me. On the other, I was following the...

It is a most certain truth, that the richer we see ourselves to be, confessing at the same time our poverty, the greater will be our progress, and the more real our humility.

For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.

There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.

Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to...

If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.

God has been very good to me, for I never dwell upon anything wrong which a person has done, so as to remember it afterwards. If I do remember it, I always see some other...

While the soul is in mortal sin, nothing can profit it; none of its good works merit an eternal reward, since they do not proceed from God as their first principle, and by Him alone...

Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.

The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.

We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can – namely, surrender our will and fulfill God’s will in us.

What friends or kindred can be so close and intimate as the powers of our soul, which, whether we will or no, must ever bear us company?

Anyone who truly loves God travels securely.

My good works, however wretched and imperfect, have been made better and perfected by Him Who is my Lord: He has rendered them meritorious. As to my evil deeds and my sins, He hid them...