May 6th
St John Damascen (676-749), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Damascus, Syria; Feast day May 6th

"Conscious to myself of my own baseness and unworthiness, I ought rather to condemn myself to an eternal silence, weeping, and confessing my sins before God.  But seeing the Church, which is founded on a rock, assailed by a furious storm, I think I ought no longer to remain silent, because I fear God more than an emperor of the earth."

"Without assiduous prayer, reasoning is a great dissipation of the mind, and learning often extinguishes the humble interior spirit of prayer, as wind does a candle."

"Suffer not yourself to be bewitched with the enchantment of geometry.  Nothing will sooner dry up in you the interior spirit of recollection and devotion."

Bl Edmund Rice (1762-1844), Founder, Confessor; Callan, Co. Kilkenney, Ireland; Feast day May 6th

"But let us do ever so little for God, we will be sure He will never forget it, nor let it pass unrewarded."

"Were we to know the merit and value of only going from one street to another to serve a neighbor for the love of God, we should prize it more than silver and gold."

"One thing you may be sure of, that whilst you work for God, whether you succeed or not, he will amply reward you."

"The will of God be done in this and every thing we undertake."

"Have courage; the good seed will grow up in the children's hearts later on."

"O God, did we even now rightly begin to serve you, your loving heart would take us all to its final embrace."

"Be intent on prayer and whatever may happen will turn to our good."

"Cast all your cares into the arms of divine Providence."

"Give to the poor in handfuls."

"If you only acquire this virtue (humility), it will always guide you safely let your paths be ever so cross or difficult."

"Never allow vain notions of your own sense, abilities, or other natural or acquired qualifications to take root in your mind, but always beseech God to make known to you, your sins and imperfections."