Prayer is the bulwark of chastity.

To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love. We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake.

See how the perfection of the Cross is folly in the eyes of the world precisely because it embraces what is abhorrent to human nature. It loves correction and submits to it; it not only takes pleasure in being corrected, but has no greater pleasure than in being reproved and corrected for faults and failings. They will arrive at the highest degree of perfection.

God told me, "God replied to me," they assert--- and yet most of the time they are talking to themselves.

He who does not give up prayer cannot possibly continue to offend God Habitually. Either he will give up prayer, or he will stop sinning.

Yesterday on approaching the Most Blessed Sacrament, I felt myself burning and I had to withdraw. I am astounded that so many who receive Jesus are not reduced to ashes.

I greet you from Smyrna together with the Churches of God present here with me. They comfort me in every way, both in body and soul. My chains, which I carry about on me for Jesus Christ, begging that I may happily make my way to God, exhort you: persevere in your concord and in you community prayers.

(After Holy Communion)The most solemn moments of your life are those spent in thanksgiving, when the King of heaven and earth, your Savior and your judge, is yours, fully and inclined to grant you all you ask. Having recieved Jesus and enthroned Him in your heart, remain quiet for a moment, not praying in words but resting in silent adoration; like Zacheus and Magdalen, prostrate yourself in spirit with the most holy Virgin at the feet of Jesus; contemplate Him, filled with wonder at the sight of His love.

Christ does not force our will, He only takes what we give Him. But He does not give Himself entirely until He sees that we yield ourselves entirely to Him.

You should never praise anyone until you see how he turns out in the end!

But now, my poor son, the hurricane has come, and you feel you are being shaken by a force that could uproot century-old trees. But you must remain confident, for your Faith and your love cannot be uprooted, nor can you be blown from your way, if you remain in unity with the "Head".

We ought not, as soon as we leave church, to plunge into business unsuited to church, but as soon as we get home, we should take the Scriptures into our hands, and call our wife and children to join us in putting together what we have heard in church.

You must love and help one another, and wait hopefully for the time when our Lord in His mercy will relieve our sufferings. Whatever happens, behave in such a way that God will be glorified. Be steadfast, and let us meet in heaven.

We must also be especially resigned in mortal sickness. To accept death at such a time, in order that the Will of God may be fulfilled, merits for us a reward similar to that of the martyrs, because they accepted death to please God.

Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkeness, and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels.

Do everything for the love of God and His glory without looking at the outcome of the undertaking. Work is judged, not by its result, but by its intention.

-- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Everything seems to me to pass so quickly that we must concentrate on how to die rather than on how to live. How sweet it is to die if one has lived on the Cross with Christ.

There are two sides to every sin: the turning of the will toward fleeting satisfaction and the turning away from everlasting value. As regards to the first, the principle of all sins can be called lust--- lust in its most general sense, namely, the unbridled desire for one's own pleasure. As regards to the second, the principle is pride---pride in its general sense, the lack of submission to God.

Read some chapter of a devout book. It is very easy and most necessary, for just as you speak to God when at prayer, God speaks to you when you read.

Consider God's generosity towards you rather than your own unworthiness in His sight, and live in His strength, rather than in the thoughts of your own weakness.

You don't know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, "Lord, I don't know how to pray!" you can be sure you have already begun.

The saints were so completely dead to themselves they cared very little whether others agreed with then or not!

Vigilance and prayer are the safeguards of chastity. You should pray often and fervently to be preserved from temptations against purity, and for the grace to overcome them.

-- St. John Baptiste de la Salle