May 26th
St Philip Neri (1515-1595), Confessor; Firenze, Italy; Feast day May 26th
"God has no need of man."
"Devotion to the Blessed Virgin is actually necessary, because there is no better means of obtaining God's graces than through His most holy Mother."
"We must accept the adversities which God sends us without reasoning too much upon them, and we must take for granted that it is the best thing which could happen to us."
"We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does."
"There is nothing more to the purpose for exciting a spirit of prayer, than the reading of spiritual books."
"There is nothing good in this world: Vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas."
"A man without prayer is an animal without the use of reason."
"A most excellent means of learning how to pray, is to acknowledge ourselves unworthy of such a benefit, and to put ourselves entirely into the hands of the Lord."
"The true preparation for prayer consists in the exercise of mortification; for he who wishes to give himself up to prayer without mortification, is like a bird wishing to fly before it is fledged."
"In the warfare of the flesh, only cowards gain the victory; that is to say, those who fly."
"When a person puts himself in an occasion of sin, saying, "I shall not fall, I shall not commit sin," it is an almost infallible sign that he will fall, and with all the greater damage to his soul."
"It is a most useful thing to say often, and from the heart, 'Lord, do not put any confidence in me, for I am sure to fall if Thou dost not help me;' or, 'O my Lord, look for nothing but evil from me.'"
"The stench of impurity before God and the angels is so great, that no stench in the world can equal."
"One of the very best means of obtaining humility, is sincere and frequent confession."
"In trying to get rid of bad habits, it is of the greatest importance not to put off going to confession after a fall, and also to keep to the same confessor."
"In visiting the dying we should not say many words to them, but rather help them by praying for them."
"If a man finds it very hard to forgive injuries, let him look at a crucifix, and think that Christ has shed all His blood for him, and not only forgave His enemies, but prayed the Eternal Father to forgive them also."
"Men are generally the carpenters of their own crosses."
"Let us concentrate ourselves so completely in the divine love, and enter so far into the living fountain of wisdom, through the wounded side of our Incarnate God, that we may deny ourselves and our self-love, and so be unable to find our way out of that Wound again."
"He who wishes to attain to perfection must have no attachment to anything."
"The Holy Spirit is the master of prayer, and causes us to abide in continual peace and cheerfulness, which is a foretaste of Paradise."
"If we wish the Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray, we must practice humility and obedience."
"He who runs away from one cross, will meet a bigger one on his road."
The Maxims and Sayings of St Philip Neri
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Saturday, May 25, 2013
May 25th
St Mary Magdalena di Pazzi (1566-1607), Virgin; Florence, Italy; Feast day May 25
"See what the infinite love of God has suffered for my salvation. This same Love sees my weakness, and gives me courage. They who call to mind the sufferings of Christ, and offer their own to God through His passion, find their pains sweet and amiable."
"O Love! Love is not loved, not known by His own creatures! O my Jesus! if I had a voice strong and loud enough that I could be heard by all men in all parts of the world, how would I cry out that this Love might be known, loved, and esteemed by all men as the only true incomprehensible good! But the cursed poison of self-love robs men of this high knowledge, and renders them incapable of it."
"Is it possible that I should take any rest while I consider how much God is offended on earth? O Love! I do it by obedience, and to fulfill Your Holy Will."
"The Will of God is ever most amiable."
"How rich a traffic have we with God when we do everything with a pure and vehement intention to please and honor Him."
"Come, souls, come, love your God who so much loves you. O Love, I die with mortal anguish when I see how little You are known and loved. O Love! Love! if You find no place to rest in, come all to me; I will lodge You. O souls created by Love, why do not you love?"
"It is impossible for one who does not love silence to take pleasure in divine things; before long he will throw himself into the very midst of the pleasures of the world."
"O Jesus, You have become foolish with love. I say it and I shall never grow weary repeating it, love has made You foolish, My Jesus."
"He who has given himself entirely to the love of his Crucified Lord needs but to look at the cross to be buried in the contemplation of the boundless love that Jesus Christ has borne him."
"If in the course of his life, a man never spoke ill of his fellowman, I would consider him a saint."
"Say nothing of an absent brother that you would not wish to say in his presence."
"When I am acting out of obedience, I am certain that I am doing the Will of God, but at other times this is not the case."
"Self-love is like the worm that gnaws at the root and destroys not only the fruit, but even the very life of the plant."
"The traitor that we have to fear most is self-love, for self-love betrays us as Judas betrayed Our Lord with a kiss. He who conquers self-love has conquered all."
St Mary Magdalena di Pazzi (1566-1607), Virgin; Florence, Italy; Feast day May 25
"See what the infinite love of God has suffered for my salvation. This same Love sees my weakness, and gives me courage. They who call to mind the sufferings of Christ, and offer their own to God through His passion, find their pains sweet and amiable."
"O Love! Love is not loved, not known by His own creatures! O my Jesus! if I had a voice strong and loud enough that I could be heard by all men in all parts of the world, how would I cry out that this Love might be known, loved, and esteemed by all men as the only true incomprehensible good! But the cursed poison of self-love robs men of this high knowledge, and renders them incapable of it."
"Is it possible that I should take any rest while I consider how much God is offended on earth? O Love! I do it by obedience, and to fulfill Your Holy Will."
"The Will of God is ever most amiable."
"How rich a traffic have we with God when we do everything with a pure and vehement intention to please and honor Him."
"Come, souls, come, love your God who so much loves you. O Love, I die with mortal anguish when I see how little You are known and loved. O Love! Love! if You find no place to rest in, come all to me; I will lodge You. O souls created by Love, why do not you love?"
"It is impossible for one who does not love silence to take pleasure in divine things; before long he will throw himself into the very midst of the pleasures of the world."
"O Jesus, You have become foolish with love. I say it and I shall never grow weary repeating it, love has made You foolish, My Jesus."
"He who has given himself entirely to the love of his Crucified Lord needs but to look at the cross to be buried in the contemplation of the boundless love that Jesus Christ has borne him."
"If in the course of his life, a man never spoke ill of his fellowman, I would consider him a saint."
"Say nothing of an absent brother that you would not wish to say in his presence."
"When I am acting out of obedience, I am certain that I am doing the Will of God, but at other times this is not the case."
"Self-love is like the worm that gnaws at the root and destroys not only the fruit, but even the very life of the plant."
"The traitor that we have to fear most is self-love, for self-love betrays us as Judas betrayed Our Lord with a kiss. He who conquers self-love has conquered all."
Friday, May 24, 2013
May 24th
St Gregory the Great (540-604), Confessor, Pope, Doctor of the Church; Rome, Italy; Feast day March 12th
"Slight faults are sometimes more dangerous than greater ones, for the latter, when we behold their hideousness, awaken remorse and resolutions of amendment; but the former make less impression on us, and thus, by easily relapsing into them, we soon contract a strong habit."
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Do not despise venial sins because they appear trifling, but fear them because they are numerous. Small animals in large numbers can kill a man. Grains of sand are very small, yet, if accumulated, they can sink a ship. Drops of water are very small, yet how often they become a mighty river, a raging torrent, sweeping everything before them!"
St Gregory the Great (540-604), Confessor, Pope, Doctor of the Church; Rome, Italy; Feast day March 12th
"Slight faults are sometimes more dangerous than greater ones, for the latter, when we behold their hideousness, awaken remorse and resolutions of amendment; but the former make less impression on us, and thus, by easily relapsing into them, we soon contract a strong habit."
St Augustine (354-430), Confessor, Bishop, Father of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th
"Do not despise venial sins because they appear trifling, but fear them because they are numerous. Small animals in large numbers can kill a man. Grains of sand are very small, yet, if accumulated, they can sink a ship. Drops of water are very small, yet how often they become a mighty river, a raging torrent, sweeping everything before them!"
May 23rd
St Michael the Confessor (d. 818), Bishop, Confessor; Constantinople, Turkey; Feast day May 23rd
"I venerate the immaculate and divine image of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and of His most holy Mother."
St Julia (d. 439), Martyr; Carthage, Tunisia; Feast day May 23rd
"My liberty is the service of Christ, whom I serve every day with a pure mind. As for that error of yours, I not only do not venerate it, I detest it."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Priest, Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Venial sin, however slight, is always prejudicial to the soul. It weakens our devotion, troubles the peace of our conscience, diminishes the fervor of charity, exhausts the strength of our spiritual life, and obstructs the work of the Holy Ghost in our souls. I pray you then to do all in your power to avoid these sins, for there is not enemy too weak to harm us if we make no resistance. Sight anger, gluttony, vanity, idle words and thoughts, immoderate laughter, loss of time, too much sleeping, trivial lies or flatteries -- such are the sins against which I would particularly warn you. Great vigilance is required against offenses of this kind, for occasions of venial sin abound."
St Michael the Confessor (d. 818), Bishop, Confessor; Constantinople, Turkey; Feast day May 23rd
"I venerate the immaculate and divine image of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and of His most holy Mother."
St Julia (d. 439), Martyr; Carthage, Tunisia; Feast day May 23rd
"My liberty is the service of Christ, whom I serve every day with a pure mind. As for that error of yours, I not only do not venerate it, I detest it."
Ven. Louis of Granada (1505-1588), Priest, Confessor; Granada, Spain
"Venial sin, however slight, is always prejudicial to the soul. It weakens our devotion, troubles the peace of our conscience, diminishes the fervor of charity, exhausts the strength of our spiritual life, and obstructs the work of the Holy Ghost in our souls. I pray you then to do all in your power to avoid these sins, for there is not enemy too weak to harm us if we make no resistance. Sight anger, gluttony, vanity, idle words and thoughts, immoderate laughter, loss of time, too much sleeping, trivial lies or flatteries -- such are the sins against which I would particularly warn you. Great vigilance is required against offenses of this kind, for occasions of venial sin abound."
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
May 22nd
St Rita of Cascia (1381-1457), Confessor; Roccaporena, Italy; Feast day May 22nd
"By begging, I am acting in accordance with the state I profess, and I also give my neighbor the occasion of exercising charity and of meriting an eternal reward in heaven."
"There is nothing impossible to God."
"Remain in the holy love of Jesus. Remain in obedience to the holy Roman Church. Remain in peace and fraternal charity."
"I am not afraid to die. I know already what it is to die. It is to close the eyes to the world and open them to God."
"Love God above all things. His goodness being infinite and His beauty without comparison, you should keep always before your minds the great love He has for you as Father, Spouse, and Master. Love on another with a reciprocal chaste and holy love. Observe faithfully the rule you have professed, and venerate with a religious affection our great and holy father St. Augustine, who has pointed out to you, by his rule, the royal road to glory. Be obedient to Holy Mother church, and to your superioress, as you promised when you made your solemn profession."
"May God bless you and may you always remain in holy peace and love with your beloved Spouse Jesus Christ."
St Rita's Shrine
St Rita of Cascia (1381-1457), Confessor; Roccaporena, Italy; Feast day May 22nd
"By begging, I am acting in accordance with the state I profess, and I also give my neighbor the occasion of exercising charity and of meriting an eternal reward in heaven."
"There is nothing impossible to God."
"Remain in the holy love of Jesus. Remain in obedience to the holy Roman Church. Remain in peace and fraternal charity."
"I am not afraid to die. I know already what it is to die. It is to close the eyes to the world and open them to God."
"Love God above all things. His goodness being infinite and His beauty without comparison, you should keep always before your minds the great love He has for you as Father, Spouse, and Master. Love on another with a reciprocal chaste and holy love. Observe faithfully the rule you have professed, and venerate with a religious affection our great and holy father St. Augustine, who has pointed out to you, by his rule, the royal road to glory. Be obedient to Holy Mother church, and to your superioress, as you promised when you made your solemn profession."
"May God bless you and may you always remain in holy peace and love with your beloved Spouse Jesus Christ."
St Rita's Shrine
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
May 21st
St Felix of Cantilicio (1513-1587), Confessor; Cantilicio, Italy; Feast day May 21st
"I pray God you may become a saint."
"Every creature in the world will raise his heart to God if he looks upon the world with a good eye."
Bl Augustin Caloca Cortes (1898-1927), Priest, Martyr; El Teul, Zacatecas, Mexico; Feast day May 21st
"We live for God and for Him we die."
St Francis de Sales (1557-1622), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Haute Savoie, France; Feast day January 29th
"To avoid faults in speech we must have the lips buttoned together, so that while unbuttoning them we may think of what we are going to say."
St Felix of Cantilicio (1513-1587), Confessor; Cantilicio, Italy; Feast day May 21st
"I pray God you may become a saint."
"Every creature in the world will raise his heart to God if he looks upon the world with a good eye."
Bl Augustin Caloca Cortes (1898-1927), Priest, Martyr; El Teul, Zacatecas, Mexico; Feast day May 21st
"We live for God and for Him we die."
St Francis de Sales (1557-1622), Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Haute Savoie, France; Feast day January 29th
"To avoid faults in speech we must have the lips buttoned together, so that while unbuttoning them we may think of what we are going to say."
Monday, May 20, 2013
May 20th
St Bernadine of Siena (1380-1444), Priest, Confessor; Massa, Italy; Feast day May 20th
“In all your actions seek in the first place the kingdom of God and his glory; direct all you do purely to his honour; persevere in brotherly charity, and practice first all that you desire to teach others. By this means the Holy Ghost will be your master, and will give you such wisdom and such a tongue that no adversary will be able to stand against you.”
St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562), Priest, Confessor; Alcantara, Spain; Feast day October 19th
"Think of the wisdom of this world, its glory and the grandeur of its aims; yet at the end, like life itself, does not this glory also vanish? What is more wretched than to win with so much labor what one can but so briefly enjoy? However far-reaching your knowledge, it is yet as nothing; but if you exercise yourself in the love of God, quickly will you come to see Him, and seeing Him, to see all."
St Bernadine of Siena (1380-1444), Priest, Confessor; Massa, Italy; Feast day May 20th
“In all your actions seek in the first place the kingdom of God and his glory; direct all you do purely to his honour; persevere in brotherly charity, and practice first all that you desire to teach others. By this means the Holy Ghost will be your master, and will give you such wisdom and such a tongue that no adversary will be able to stand against you.”
St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562), Priest, Confessor; Alcantara, Spain; Feast day October 19th
"Think of the wisdom of this world, its glory and the grandeur of its aims; yet at the end, like life itself, does not this glory also vanish? What is more wretched than to win with so much labor what one can but so briefly enjoy? However far-reaching your knowledge, it is yet as nothing; but if you exercise yourself in the love of God, quickly will you come to see Him, and seeing Him, to see all."
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