When the Lord commanded us to be vigilant, he meant vigilance in both parts of man: in the body, against the tendency to sleep; in the soul, against lethargy and timidity. As Scripture says: Wake up, you just, and I have risen, and am still with you; and again, Do not lose heart.

-- St Ephrem

Receive Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. You have given me all that I have, all that I am, and I surrender all to your divine will, that you dispose of me. Give me only your love and your grace. With this I am rich enough, and I have no more to ask.

-- St. Ignatius Loyola

The most powerful weapon to conquer the Devil is humility. For as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.

-- St Vincent de Paul

Now there is a great difference between believing in Christ, and in believing that Jesus is the Christ. For that he was the Christ even the devils believed; but he believes in Christ who both loves Christ, and hopes in Christ.

-- St. Augustine

Avoid evil practices; indeed, preach against them. Hear your bishop, that God may hear you. Work together in harmony,: struggle together, run together, suffer together, rest together, rise together, as stewards, advisors and servants of God. So be patient and gentle with one another, as God is with you.

-- St. Ignatius of Antioch

In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church the apostles left bishops as their successors. They gave them their own position of teaching authority.

-- St. Iranaeus, Adversus haereses

Everyone knows the great merit and dignity attached to that holy ministry in which young boys, especially the poor, receive instruction for the purpose of attaining eternal life. This ministry is directed to the well-being of body and soul; at the same time, that it shapes behavior it also fosters devotion and Christian doctrine.

-- Saint Joseph Calasanz

O Catholic Church, true mother of Christians, you are right in teaching that God should be adored with an entirely chaste and pure heart. You unite all brothers and sisters to one another in a bond of religion that is stronger and closer than ties of blood.

-- St. Augustine

Before Communion you hear about Jesus Christ and you know Him; you are told of His Cross, of His suffering; doubtless you are affected, are even touched with compassion. But let these same truths be presented to you after Communion. Oh, how much more deeply your soul is moved! It cannot hear enough; it understands much more perfectly. Before Communion, you contemplate Jesus outside you; now you contemplate Him within you, with His own eyes! It is the mystery of Emmaus re-enacted. When Jesus taught the two disciples along the way, explaining the Scriptures to them, their faith still wavered, though they felt inwardly some mysterious emotion. But participating in the Fraction of the bread, immediately their eyes were opened, and their hearts were like to burst with joy. The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them; they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!"

-- St. Peter Eymard

We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the Spirit of God.

-- St Vincent de Paul

I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of the hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.

-- St. Paul in his second letter to Timothy (2 Tim 1:6-8)

Conquering the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water!!

-- St. John of the Cross

For the Lord is gracious and merciful and prefers the conversion of a sinner rather than his death. Patient and generous in his mercy, he does not give in to human impatience but is willing to wait a long time for our repentance.

-- St. Jerome

Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

-- St. Rose of Lima

What do you possess if you possess not God?

-- St. Augustine

I no longer desire to live a purely human life. Make this your choice if you yourselves would be chosen.

-- St. Ignatius of Antioch

The good Shepherd lays down his life, says the Lord, that is, his physical life, for His sheep; this he does because of his authority and love. Both in fact, are required: that they should be ruled by him, and that he should love them. The first without the second is not enough. Christ stands out for us as the example of this teaching: if Christ laid down his life for us, so we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

-- St. Thomas Aquinas

Would we wish that our own hidden sins should be divulged? We ought, then, to be silent regarding those of others.

-- St. John Baptist de la Salle

How many sins have entered into the soul through the eye as Holy Scripture indicates? [1 Jn. 2:16]. That is why they must fast by keeping them lowered and not permitting them to look upon frivolous and unlawful objects; the ears, by depriving them of listening to vain talk which serves only to fill the mind with worldly images; the tongue, in not speaking idle words and those which savor of the world or the things of the world. We ought also to cut off useless thoughts, as well as vain memories and superfluous appetites and desires of our will. In short, we ought to hold in check all those things which keep us from loving or tending to the Sovereign Good.

-- St. Francis de Sales

The price of Divine Love is not to be appreciated; for it suffices to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven, and the love of Him who has loved us so much merits the highest degree of our love.

-- St. Francis of Assisi

We believe in the love of God for us. To believe in love is everything. It is not enough to believe in the Truth. We must believe in Love and Love is our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That is the faith that makes our Lord loved. Ask for this pure and simple faith in the Eucharist. Men will teach you; but only Jesus will give you the grace to believe in Him. You have the Eucharist. What more do you want?

-- St. Peter Julian Eymard

Nothing can be more dangerous than evil companions. They communicate the infection of their vices to all who associate with them.

-- St. John Baptist de la Salle