Maxims and Sayings of St. Philip Neri: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
maxim[1][15] = "Obedience is a short cut to perfection."; | maxim[1][15] = "Obedience is a short cut to perfection."; | ||
maxim[1][16] = "They who really wish to advance in the ways of God must give themselves into the hands of their superiors always and in everything; and they who are not living under obedience must subject themselves of their own accord to a learned and discreet confessor, whom they must obey in the place of God, disclosing to him with perfect freedom and simplicity the affairs of their soul, and they should never come to any resolution without his advice."; | maxim[1][16] = "They who really wish to advance in the ways of God must give themselves into the hands of their superiors always and in everything; and they who are not living under obedience must subject themselves of their own accord to a learned and discreet confessor, whom they must obey in the place of God, disclosing to him with perfect freedom and simplicity the affairs of their soul, and they should never come to any resolution without his advice."; | ||
maxim[1][17] = "There is nothing | maxim[1][17] = "There is nothing that gives greater security to our actions or more effectually cuts the snares the devil lays for us than to follow another person's will rather than our own in doing good."; | ||
maxim[1][18] = "Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it and also pray about it; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."; | maxim[1][18] = "Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it and also pray about it; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."; | ||
maxim[1][19] = "When the devil has failed in making a man fall, he puts forward all his energies to create distrust between the penitent and the confessor, and so by little and little he gains his end at last."; | maxim[1][19] = "When the devil has failed in making a man fall, he puts forward all his energies to create distrust between the penitent and the confessor, and so by little and little he gains his end at last."; | ||
maxim[1][20] = "Let persons in the world sanctify themselves in their own houses, for what is done in the royal court, in the professions, or in some kind of ordinary work is no hindrance to the service of God."; | maxim[1][20] = "Let persons in the world sanctify themselves in their own houses, for what is done in the royal court, in the professions, or in some kind of ordinary work is no hindrance to the service of God."; | ||
maxim[1][21] = "Obedience is the true holocaust | maxim[1][21] = "Obedience is the true holocaust that we offer as a sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts."; | ||
maxim[1][22] = "In order to be really obedient, it is not enough to do what obedience commands; we must do it without reasoning upon it."; | maxim[1][22] = "In order to be really obedient, it is not enough to do what obedience commands; we must do it without reasoning upon it."; | ||
maxim[1][23] = "Our Blessed Lady ought to be our love and our consolation."; | maxim[1][23] = "Our Blessed Lady ought to be our love and our consolation."; | ||
maxim[1][24] = "The good works | maxim[1][24] = "The good works that we do of our own will are not so meritorious as those that are done under obedience."; | ||
maxim[1][25] = "The most beautiful prayer we can make is to say to God, “As Thou knowest and willest, O Lord, so do with me.”"; | maxim[1][25] = "The most beautiful prayer we can make is to say to God, “As Thou knowest and willest, O Lord, so do with me.”"; | ||
maxim[1][26] = "When tribulations, infirmities, and contradictions come, we must not run away in a fright, but vanquish them like men."; | maxim[1][26] = "When tribulations, infirmities, and contradictions come, we must not run away in a fright, but vanquish them like men."; | ||
| Line 74: | Line 74: | ||
maxim[2][1] = "He who wishes to be wise without the true Wisdom, or saved without the Savior, is not well, but sick — he is not a wise man, but a fool."; | maxim[2][1] = "He who wishes to be wise without the true Wisdom, or saved without the Savior, is not well, but sick — he is not a wise man, but a fool."; | ||
maxim[2][2] = "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."; | maxim[2][2] = "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."; | ||
maxim[2][3] = "A man should force himself to be obedient, even in little things | maxim[2][3] = "A man should force himself to be obedient, even in little things that appear of no moment, because he will thus render the practice of obedience in great matters easy to himself."; | ||
maxim[2][4] = "He who always acts under obedience may rest assured that he will not have to give an account of his actions to God."; | maxim[2][4] = "He who always acts under obedience may rest assured that he will not have to give an account of his actions to God."; | ||
maxim[2][5] = "Perfection does not consist in such outward things as shedding tears and the like, but in true and solid virtues."; | maxim[2][5] = "Perfection does not consist in such outward things as shedding tears and the like, but in true and solid virtues."; | ||
| Line 80: | Line 80: | ||
maxim[2][7] = "Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life; wherefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits. "; | maxim[2][7] = "Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life; wherefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits. "; | ||
maxim[2][8] = "When a man is freed from a temptation or any other distress, let him take great care to show fitting gratitude to God for the benefit he has received."; | maxim[2][8] = "When a man is freed from a temptation or any other distress, let him take great care to show fitting gratitude to God for the benefit he has received."; | ||
maxim[2][9] = "We must accept the adversities | maxim[2][9] = "We must accept the adversities that God sends us without reasoning too much upon them, and we must take for granted that it is the best thing that could happen to us."; | ||
maxim[2][10] = "We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does."; | maxim[2][10] = "We must always remember that God does everything well, although we may not see the reason of what He does."; | ||
maxim[2][11] = "Every one ought to give in readily to the opinion of another, to argue in favor of another and against himself, and to take things in good part."; | maxim[2][11] = "Every one ought to give in readily to the opinion of another, to argue in favor of another and against himself, and to take things in good part."; | ||
| Line 99: | Line 99: | ||
maxim[2][26] = "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."; | maxim[2][26] = "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."; | ||
maxim[2][27] = "We can never arrive at the contemplative life if we do not first exercise ourselves laboriously in the active life."; | maxim[2][27] = "We can never arrive at the contemplative life if we do not first exercise ourselves laboriously in the active life."; | ||
maxim[2][28] = "We must exercise the spirit | maxim[2][28] = "We must exercise the spirit that God gives us in prayer, and follow that; so that, when, for example, it inclines us to meditate on the Passion, we must not wish to meditate on some other mystery."; | ||
maxim[2][29] = "When a person goes to communion, he ought to follow the same spirit he had in prayer, and not be casting about for new meditations."; | maxim[2][29] = "When a person goes to communion, he ought to follow the same spirit he had in prayer, and not be casting about for new meditations."; | ||
| Line 106: | Line 106: | ||
maxim[3][2] = "When a spiritual person feels a great calmness of mind in asking anything of God, it is a good sign that God either has granted it, or will do so shortly."; | maxim[3][2] = "When a spiritual person feels a great calmness of mind in asking anything of God, it is a good sign that God either has granted it, or will do so shortly."; | ||
maxim[3][3] = "A man ought never to think he has done any good, or rest contented with any degree of perfection he may have attained, because Christ has given us the type of our perfection in putting before us the perfection of the Eternal Father: 'Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.'"; | maxim[3][3] = "A man ought never to think he has done any good, or rest contented with any degree of perfection he may have attained, because Christ has given us the type of our perfection in putting before us the perfection of the Eternal Father: 'Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.'"; | ||
maxim[3][4] = "The sweetness | maxim[3][4] = "The sweetness that some experience in prayer is milk that our Lord gives as a relish to those who are just beginning to serve Him."; | ||
maxim[3][5] = "To leave our prayer when we are called to do some act of charity for our neighbor is not really a quitting of prayer, but leaving Christ for Christ, that is, depriving ourselves of spiritual sweetness in order to gain souls."; | maxim[3][5] = "To leave our prayer when we are called to do some act of charity for our neighbor is not really a quitting of prayer, but leaving Christ for Christ, that is, depriving ourselves of spiritual sweetness in order to gain souls."; | ||
maxim[3][6] = "It is good for a soul to go from prayer with an appetite and desire to return to it, rather than satiated and weary."; | maxim[3][6] = "It is good for a soul to go from prayer with an appetite and desire to return to it, rather than satiated and weary."; | ||
| Line 165: | Line 165: | ||
maxim[4][28] = "Nay more, bufoonery roots up the little a man may have already acquired."; | maxim[4][28] = "Nay more, bufoonery roots up the little a man may have already acquired."; | ||
maxim[4][29] = "At table, especially where there are guests, we ought to eat every kind of food, and not say, “I like this,” and “I do not like that.”"; | maxim[4][29] = "At table, especially where there are guests, we ought to eat every kind of food, and not say, “I like this,” and “I do not like that.”"; | ||
maxim[4][30] = "Human language cannot express the beauty of a soul | maxim[4][30] = "Human language cannot express the beauty of a soul that dies in a state of grace."; | ||
maxim[5]=new Array(); | maxim[5]=new Array(); | ||
| Line 179: | Line 179: | ||
maxim[5][10] = "If those who are molested by scruples wish to know whether they have consented to a suggestion or not, especially in thoughts, they should see whether, during the temptation, they have always had a lively love to the virtue opposed to the vice in respect of which they were tempted, and hatred to that same vice, and this is mostly a good proof that they have not consented."; | maxim[5][10] = "If those who are molested by scruples wish to know whether they have consented to a suggestion or not, especially in thoughts, they should see whether, during the temptation, they have always had a lively love to the virtue opposed to the vice in respect of which they were tempted, and hatred to that same vice, and this is mostly a good proof that they have not consented."; | ||
maxim[5][11] = "The scrupulous should submit to the judgment of their confessor always and in everything, and develop a contempt for their own scruples."; | maxim[5][11] = "The scrupulous should submit to the judgment of their confessor always and in everything, and develop a contempt for their own scruples."; | ||
maxim[5][12] = "Scruples are an infirmity | maxim[5][12] = "Scruples are an infirmity that will make a truce with a man, but very rarely peace; humility alone achieves victory over them."; | ||
maxim[5][13] = "Even in bodily indispositions, spiritual remedies are the most helpful."; | maxim[5][13] = "Even in bodily indispositions, spiritual remedies are the most helpful."; | ||
maxim[5][14] = "As much love as we give to creatures, just so much we steal from the Creator."; | maxim[5][14] = "As much love as we give to creatures, just so much we steal from the Creator."; | ||
| Line 201: | Line 201: | ||
maxim[6]=new Array(); | maxim[6]=new Array(); | ||
maxim[6][1] = "The love | maxim[6][1] = "The love that our Blessed Lady had for God was so great that she suffered keenly through her desire of union with Him; hence the Eternal Father, to console her, sent her His only and beloved Son."; | ||
maxim[6][2] = "If you wish to come where I am going, that is, to glory, you must take this road, that is, through thorns."; | maxim[6][2] = "If you wish to come where I am going, that is, to glory, you must take this road, that is, through thorns."; | ||
maxim[6][3] = "Before communion, we ought to exercise ourselves in many acts of virtue."; | maxim[6][3] = "Before communion, we ought to exercise ourselves in many acts of virtue."; | ||
| Line 221: | Line 221: | ||
maxim[6][19] = "In the spiritual life there are three degrees: the first may be called the animal life; this is the life of those who run after sensible devotion, which God generally gives to beginners, to allure them onwards by that sweetness to the spiritual life, just as an animal is drawn on by a sensible object."; | maxim[6][19] = "In the spiritual life there are three degrees: the first may be called the animal life; this is the life of those who run after sensible devotion, which God generally gives to beginners, to allure them onwards by that sweetness to the spiritual life, just as an animal is drawn on by a sensible object."; | ||
maxim[6][20] = "The second degree may be called the human life; this is the life of those who do not experience any sensible sweetness, but by the help of virtue combat their own passions."; | maxim[6][20] = "The second degree may be called the human life; this is the life of those who do not experience any sensible sweetness, but by the help of virtue combat their own passions."; | ||
maxim[6][21] = "The third degree may be called the angelic life; this is the life | maxim[6][21] = "The third degree may be called the angelic life; this is the life that they come to, who, having been exercised for a long time in the taming of their own passions, receive from God a quiet, tranquil, and almost angelic life, even in this world, feeling no trouble or repugnance in anything."; | ||
maxim[6][22] = "Of these three degrees it is well to persevere in the second, because the Lord will grant the third in His own good time."; | maxim[6][22] = "Of these three degrees it is well to persevere in the second, because the Lord will grant the third in His own good time."; | ||
maxim[6][23] = "We must not be too ready to trust young men who have great devotion; we must wait till their wings are grown, and then see what sort of a flight they make."; | maxim[6][23] = "We must not be too ready to trust young men who have great devotion; we must wait till their wings are grown, and then see what sort of a flight they make."; | ||
| Line 234: | Line 234: | ||
maxim[7]=new Array(); | maxim[7]=new Array(); | ||
maxim[7][1] = "We ought to make no account of abstinences and fasts when there is self-will in the matter."; | maxim[7][1] = "We ought to make no account of abstinences and fasts when there is self-will in the matter."; | ||
maxim[7][2] = "Our Blessed Lady is the dispenser of all the favors | maxim[7][2] = "Our Blessed Lady is the dispenser of all the favors that the goodness of God concedes to the Sons of Adam."; | ||
maxim[7][3] = "In seeking for counsel it is necessary sometimes to hear what our inferiors think, and to recommend ourselves to their prayers."; | maxim[7][3] = "In seeking for counsel it is necessary sometimes to hear what our inferiors think, and to recommend ourselves to their prayers."; | ||
maxim[7][4] = "A man ought never to say one word in his own praise, however true it may be, no, not even in a joking way."; | maxim[7][4] = "A man ought never to say one word in his own praise, however true it may be, no, not even in a joking way."; | ||
maxim[7][5] = "Whenever we do a good work, and somebody else takes the credit of it, we ought to rejoice, and acknowledge it as a gift from God. Anyhow, we ought not to be sorry, because if others diminish our glory before men, we shall recover it with all the more honor before God."; | maxim[7][5] = "Whenever we do a good work, and somebody else takes the credit of it, we ought to rejoice, and acknowledge it as a gift from God. Anyhow, we ought not to be sorry, because if others diminish our glory before men, we shall recover it with all the more honor before God."; | ||
maxim[7][6] = "Let us pray God, if He gives us any virtue or any gift, to keep it hidden even from ourselves, that we may preserve our humility, and not take occasion of pride because of it."; | maxim[7][6] = "Let us pray God, if He gives us any virtue or any gift, to keep it hidden even from ourselves, that we may preserve our humility, and not take occasion of pride because of it."; | ||
maxim[7][7] = "We ought not to publish or manifest to every one the inspirations | maxim[7][7] = "We ought not to publish or manifest to every one the inspirations that God sends us, or the favors He grants us. My secret is for me!"; | ||
maxim[7][8] = "In order to avoid all risk of vainglory, we ought to make some of our particular devotions in our own rooms, and never seek for sweetness and sensible consolations in public places."; | maxim[7][8] = "In order to avoid all risk of vainglory, we ought to make some of our particular devotions in our own rooms, and never seek for sweetness and sensible consolations in public places."; | ||
maxim[7][9] = "The true medicine to cure us of pride is to keep down and thwart touchiness of mind."; | maxim[7][9] = "The true medicine to cure us of pride is to keep down and thwart touchiness of mind."; | ||
| Line 269: | Line 269: | ||
maxim[8][2] = "Nothing unites the soul to God more closely, or breeds contempt of the world sooner, than being harassed and distressed."; | maxim[8][2] = "Nothing unites the soul to God more closely, or breeds contempt of the world sooner, than being harassed and distressed."; | ||
maxim[8][3] = "In this life there is no purgatory; it is either hell or paradise; for to him who serves God truly, every trouble and infirmity turns into consolations, and through all kinds of trouble he has a paradise within himself even in this world; and he who does not serve God truly, and gives himself up to sensuality, has one hell in this world and another in the next."; | maxim[8][3] = "In this life there is no purgatory; it is either hell or paradise; for to him who serves God truly, every trouble and infirmity turns into consolations, and through all kinds of trouble he has a paradise within himself even in this world; and he who does not serve God truly, and gives himself up to sensuality, has one hell in this world and another in the next."; | ||
maxim[8][4] = "To get good from reading the Lives of the Saints, and other spiritual books, we ought not to read out of curiosity, or skimmingly, but with pauses; and when we feel ourselves warmed, we ought not to pass on, but to stop and follow up the spirit | maxim[8][4] = "To get good from reading the Lives of the Saints, and other spiritual books, we ought not to read out of curiosity, or skimmingly, but with pauses; and when we feel ourselves warmed, we ought not to pass on, but to stop and follow up the spirit that is stirring in us, and when we feel it no longer then to pursue our reading."; | ||
maxim[8][5] = "To begin and end well, devotion to our Blessed Lady, the Mother of God, is nothing less than indispensable."; | maxim[8][5] = "To begin and end well, devotion to our Blessed Lady, the Mother of God, is nothing less than indispensable."; | ||
maxim[8][6] = "We have no time to go to sleep here, for Paradise was not made for poltroons."; | maxim[8][6] = "We have no time to go to sleep here, for Paradise was not made for poltroons."; | ||
| Line 321: | Line 321: | ||
maxim[9][21] = "As soon as we are stripped of the sordid garb of avarice, we shall be clothed with the royal and imperial vest of the opposite virtue, liberality."; | maxim[9][21] = "As soon as we are stripped of the sordid garb of avarice, we shall be clothed with the royal and imperial vest of the opposite virtue, liberality."; | ||
maxim[9][22] = "Even in the midst of the crowd, we can make progress toward perfection."; | maxim[9][22] = "Even in the midst of the crowd, we can make progress toward perfection."; | ||
maxim[9][23] = "Not everything | maxim[9][23] = "Not everything that is better in itself is better for each man in particular."; | ||
maxim[9][24] = "Be devout to the Madonna, keep yourself from sin, and God will deliver you from your evils."; | maxim[9][24] = "Be devout to the Madonna, keep yourself from sin, and God will deliver you from your evils."; | ||
maxim[9][25] = "If we wish to keep peace with our neighbors, we should never remind them of their natural defects."; | maxim[9][25] = "If we wish to keep peace with our neighbors, we should never remind them of their natural defects."; | ||
| Line 336: | Line 336: | ||
maxim[10][4] = "We ought to desire to be in such a condition as to want sixpence, but not be able to get it."; | maxim[10][4] = "We ought to desire to be in such a condition as to want sixpence, but not be able to get it."; | ||
maxim[10][5] = "Let us despise gold, silver, jewels, and all that the blind and cheated world vainly and ignorantly prizes."; | maxim[10][5] = "Let us despise gold, silver, jewels, and all that the blind and cheated world vainly and ignorantly prizes."; | ||
maxim[10][6] = "Let us learn here below to give God the confession of praise | maxim[10][6] = "Let us learn here below to give God the confession of praise that we ought to hope to give Him in heaven above."; | ||
maxim[10][7] = "He who wishes to go to Paradise must be an honest man and a good Christian, and not give heed to dreams."; | maxim[10][7] = "He who wishes to go to Paradise must be an honest man and a good Christian, and not give heed to dreams."; | ||
maxim[10][8] = "Fathers and mothers of families should bring up their children virtuously, looking at them as God's children rather than their own; [they should bring up their children] to count life and health and all they possess as loans from God."; | maxim[10][8] = "Fathers and mothers of families should bring up their children virtuously, looking at them as God's children rather than their own; [they should bring up their children] to count life and health and all they possess as loans from God."; | ||
| Line 343: | Line 343: | ||
maxim[10][11] = "The devil, who is a most haughty spirit, is never more completely mastered than by humility of heart, and a simple, clear, undisguised manifestation of our sins and temptations to our confessor."; | maxim[10][11] = "The devil, who is a most haughty spirit, is never more completely mastered than by humility of heart, and a simple, clear, undisguised manifestation of our sins and temptations to our confessor."; | ||
maxim[10][12] = "We ought not ordinarily to believe prophecies or to desire them, because it is possible there may be many deceits and snares of the devil therein."; | maxim[10][12] = "We ought not ordinarily to believe prophecies or to desire them, because it is possible there may be many deceits and snares of the devil therein."; | ||
maxim[10][13] = "It is a most useful thing, when we see another doing any spiritual good to his neighbor, to seek by prayer to have a part in that same good | maxim[10][13] = "It is a most useful thing, when we see another doing any spiritual good to his neighbor, to seek by prayer to have a part in that same good that the Lord is working by the hand of another."; | ||
maxim[10][14] = "At communion we ought to ask for the remedy of the vice to which we feel ourselves most inclined."; | maxim[10][14] = "At communion we ought to ask for the remedy of the vice to which we feel ourselves most inclined."; | ||
maxim[10][15] = "To him who truly loves God, nothing more displeasing can happen than the lack of occasion to suffer for Him."; | maxim[10][15] = "To him who truly loves God, nothing more displeasing can happen than the lack of occasion to suffer for Him."; | ||
| Line 379: | Line 379: | ||
maxim[11][14] = "But a man ought not to seek for these gifts of sweetness and sensible devotions forcibly, for he will be easily deluded by the devil, and will run a risk of injuring his health."; | maxim[11][14] = "But a man ought not to seek for these gifts of sweetness and sensible devotions forcibly, for he will be easily deluded by the devil, and will run a risk of injuring his health."; | ||
maxim[11][15] = "When the soul lies resignedly in the hands of God, and is contented with the divine pleasure, it is in good hands, and has the best security that good will happen to it."; | maxim[11][15] = "When the soul lies resignedly in the hands of God, and is contented with the divine pleasure, it is in good hands, and has the best security that good will happen to it."; | ||
maxim[11][16] = "To be entirely conformed and resigned to the Divine Will is truly a road on which we cannot go wrong, and is the only road | maxim[11][16] = "To be entirely conformed and resigned to the Divine Will is truly a road on which we cannot go wrong, and is the only road that leads us to taste and enjoy that peace of which sensual and earthly men know nothing."; | ||
maxim[11][17] = "Resignation is all in all to the sick man; he ought to say to God, “Lord, if You want me, here I am, although I have never done any good: do with me what You will.”"; | maxim[11][17] = "Resignation is all in all to the sick man; he ought to say to God, “Lord, if You want me, here I am, although I have never done any good: do with me what You will.”"; | ||
maxim[11][18] = "Never make a noise of any sort in church, except for the greatest necessity."; | maxim[11][18] = "Never make a noise of any sort in church, except for the greatest necessity."; | ||
maxim[11][19] = "Patience is necessary for the servant of God; we must not be distressed at trouble, but wait for consolation."; | maxim[11][19] = "Patience is necessary for the servant of God; we must not be distressed at trouble, but wait for consolation."; | ||
maxim[11][20] = "When lay faithful have once chosen not to pursue priestly or religious life, let them persevere in their secular pursuits, in the devout spiritual exercises | maxim[11][20] = "When lay faithful have once chosen not to pursue priestly or religious life, let them persevere in their secular pursuits, in the devout spiritual exercises that they have begun, and in their works of charity — then they shall have contentment at their death."; | ||
maxim[11][21] = "The vocation to the religious life is one of the great benefits | maxim[11][21] = "The vocation to the religious life is one of the great benefits that the Mother of God obtains from her Son for those who are devoted to her."; | ||
maxim[11][22] = "There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking."; | maxim[11][22] = "There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking."; | ||
maxim[11][23] = "Among the things we ought to ask of God is perseverance in well-doing and in serving the Lord; for if we only have patience, and persevere in the good life we have begun to lead, we shall acquire a most eminent degree of spirituality."; | maxim[11][23] = "Among the things we ought to ask of God is perseverance in well-doing and in serving the Lord; for if we only have patience, and persevere in the good life we have begun to lead, we shall acquire a most eminent degree of spirituality."; | ||
maxim[11][24] = "He is perfect in the school of Christ who despises being despised, rejoices in self-contempt, and accounts himself to be truly nothing."; | maxim[11][24] = "He is perfect in the school of Christ who despises being despised, rejoices in self-contempt, and accounts himself to be truly nothing."; | ||
maxim[11][25] = "The way | maxim[11][25] = "The way that God takes with the souls that love Him — allowing them to be tempted and to fall into tribulations — is a true espousal between Himself and them."; | ||
maxim[11][26] = "In temptations of the flesh, a Christian ought to have immediate recourse to God, make the sign of the cross over his heart three times, and say, “Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”"; | maxim[11][26] = "In temptations of the flesh, a Christian ought to have immediate recourse to God, make the sign of the cross over his heart three times, and say, “Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”"; | ||
maxim[11][27] = "As to temptations, some are mastered by flying from them, some by resisting them, and some by despising them."; | maxim[11][27] = "As to temptations, some are mastered by flying from them, some by resisting them, and some by despising them."; | ||
| Line 415: | Line 415: | ||
maxim[12][18] = "He who does not think on the benefits he receives from God in this life and on those greater ones his mercy has prepared in that other life of bliss does not nourish love for God, but chills and freezes it."; | maxim[12][18] = "He who does not think on the benefits he receives from God in this life and on those greater ones his mercy has prepared in that other life of bliss does not nourish love for God, but chills and freezes it."; | ||
maxim[12][19] = "If a soul could altogether abstain from venial sins, the greatest pain it could have would be to be detained in this life, so great would its desire be of union with God."; | maxim[12][19] = "If a soul could altogether abstain from venial sins, the greatest pain it could have would be to be detained in this life, so great would its desire be of union with God."; | ||
maxim[12][20] = "In the persecutions | maxim[12][20] = "In the persecutions that bad men excite against piety and devotion, we must keep our eyes on God, whom we serve, and on the testimony of a good conscience."; | ||
maxim[12][21] = "How patiently Christ, the King and Lord of heaven and earth, bore with the apostles, enduring at their hands much incivility and misunderstanding, they being but poor and rough fishermen! How much more ought we to bear with our neighbors when they are uncivil."; | maxim[12][21] = "How patiently Christ, the King and Lord of heaven and earth, bore with the apostles, enduring at their hands much incivility and misunderstanding, they being but poor and rough fishermen! How much more ought we to bear with our neighbors when they are uncivil."; | ||
maxim[12][22] = "We must give ourselves to God altogether."; | maxim[12][22] = "We must give ourselves to God altogether."; | ||
Revision as of 23:53, 25 November 2024
 |
Virgin Mary, Mother of God
- Maxims from September 7 and 8
- To obtain the protection of our Blessed Lady in our most urgent wants, it is very useful to say sixty-three times, after the fashion of a Rosary, “Virgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.”
- When we make this prayer to our Blessed Lady, we give her every possible praise in the least possible compass, because we call her by her name of MARY, and give her those two great titles of Virgin, and Mother of God, and then name JESUS, the fruit of her most pure womb.