“Action and contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha and Mary are sisters.”

Let no one believe that he has received the divine kiss, if he knows the truth without loving it or loves it without understanding it. But blessed is that kiss whereby not only is God recognized but also the Father is loved; for there is never full knowledge without perfect love.

There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love.

Death is the gate of life.

If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing.

Understanding is the sure and clear knowledge of some invisible thing.

Let us affectionately love His angels as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; Let us only follow them, let us remain close to them, and in the protection of the God of heaven let us abide.

I know by myself how incomprehensible God is, seeing I cannot comprehend the parts of my own being.

What does God hate or punish except self-will? Let self-will cease, and there will be no hell. On what does that fire feed except on self-will?

Love seeks no cause beyond itself and no fruit; it is its own fruit, its own enjoyment. I love because I love; I love in order that I may love.

It was love that motivated His self-emptying, that led Him to become a little lower than angels, to be subject to parents, to bow His head beneath the Baptist’s hands, to endure the weakness of the flesh, and to submit to death even upon the cross

Jesus, what made You so small? LOVE!

There are three distinct comings of the Lord of which I know: His coming to men, His coming into men, and His coming against men.

The heart of Christ can be seen through the openings of his wounds. For what can prove to me so clearly as your wounds that you, O Lord Jesus, are sweet & mild & plenteous in mercy.

As patience leads to peace, and study to science, so are humiliations the path that leads to humility.

Do what Jesus says… what he commands through his ministers who are in the Church [see 1 Cor 6:4]. Be subject to his vicars, your leaders, not only those who are gentle and kind, but even those who are overbearing [see 1 Pt 2:18].

How beautiful then is modesty and what a gem among virtues it is.

I was brought up as a Catholic. I’ve got A-level guilt.

And I have found that when we Catholics, in the spirit of love and charity, declare our faith boldly and with conviction, we are more likely to find kindred spirits.

Of course, I didn’t ask to be born Catholic, no more than I asked to be born American. But I’m glad it turned out that I’m both these things.

Persecution shows who is a hireling, and who a true pastor.

I grew up a Catholic and I dont want to talk badly about the Catholic Church but theres a lot of routine stuff going on. You say the same prayers, you sit, you kneel, whatever.

Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection.

Hell is full of good wishes or desires.

Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his [Jesus] paths by the guidance of the Gospel.