a Carmelite heart > a Carmelite heart 's Quotes

“In the midst of these tormenting anxieties the holy spouse Joseph appealed to the tribunal of the Lord in prayer and placing himself in His presence, he said: “Most high Lord and God, my desires and sighs are not unknown to Thee. I find myself cast about by the violent waves of sorrow (Psalms 31:10) which through my senses have come to afflict my heart. I have given myself over with entire confidence to the Spouse whom Thou hast given me. I have confided entirely in her holiness; and the signs of this unexpected change in her are giving rise to tormenting and fearful doubts lest my confidence be misplaced. Nothing have I until now seen in her which could give occasion for any doubt in her modesty and her extraordinary virtue; yet at the same time I cannot deny that she is pregnant. To think that she has been unfaithful to me, and has offended Thee, would be temerity in view of such rare purity and holiness: to deny what my own eyes perceive is impossible. But”
― María de Jesús de Ágreda, The Mystical City of God: A Popular Abridgement of the Divine History and Life of the Virgin Mother of God

“Let then mortals, who have sinned against God, undeceive themselves: without penance there shall be no grace, without reform no pardon, without pardon no glory. But just as these are not conceded to those that are unworthy, so they are also never denied to those that are worthy; nor is ever the mercy of God withheld from any one who seeks to obtain it.”
― Mary of Agreda, The Mystical City of God: Popular Abridgement: The Divine History and Life of the Virgin Mother of God

“Thou art the Mother of God himself, the Queen of all creation, the Keeper of the ineffable Treasure of heaven, my help and protection: grant me, thy servant, thy blessing, and may thy intercession and favor never fail me.”
― Mary of Agreda, The Mystical City of God: Complete Edition Containing all Four Volumes with Illustrations

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that have received--only what you have given.”
― Francis of Assisi

“Nor did demons crucify Him; it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins. ”
― St. Francis of Assisi

“It was in part her growing faith that made even the stuff of the earth seem lovelier. Prayer makes us more alive. It makes life richer, color more vivid, sounds clear, light brighter, joy deeper, sorrow sweeter. It is not compartmentalized into a spiritual square, stacked away in a closet to be pulled out in a quiet time, but it is messy, in a beautiful way, spilling out over life like sunshine. And Elizabeth that was wholly alive, embracing the world with true joy.”
― Claire Dwyer, This Present Paradise: A Spiritual Journey with St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

“We are very dangerous to the enemy of our souls when we know exactly who we are. “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”
― Claire Dwyer, This Present Paradise: A Spiritual Journey with St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

“The greater suffering sometimes is not being able to choose our own suffering.”
― Claire Dwyer, This Present Paradise: A Spiritual Journey with St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

“Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto the, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen”
― Blessed is She

“I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the Lily do not take away from the perfume of the little violet or the simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He willed to create great souls comparable to Lilies and roses, but He has created smaller ones and these must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be” (S,”
― Foley OCD, Marc, Story of a Soul The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Study Edition

“a soul in the state of grace has nothing to fear from demons who are cowards, capable of fleeing before the gaze of a little child!”
― Marc Foley, Story of a Soul The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Study Edition

“But whatever we use, the essential question that we must ask ourselves is whether it helps us to love.”
― Marc Foley, The Context of Holiness: Psychological and Spiritual Reflections on the Life of Saint Therese of Lisieux

“Why do we wait until tomorrow to do good? Why do we wait to be rich before giving? Is not the gift of ourselves better than money, and is there a day or even an hour in which we could not give a tear or a smile to someone who is suffering?”
― Elisabeth Leseur, Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur

“All that is good in me I owe to God alone, whose fatherly action is continuous and is so plainly visible in my life that, in spite of great trials and this recent sorrow — the greatest of all — I can still offer Him fervent thanks and must try in future to transform my soul and life to His service.”
― Elisabeth Leseur, Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur

“Every human being is an incalculable force, bearing within him something of the future. To the end of time, our daily words and actions will bear fruit, either good or bad; nothing that we have once given of ourselves will perish, but our words and works, handed on from one to another, will continue to do good or harm to remote generations. This is why life is a sacred thing, and we ought not to pass through it thoughtlessly, but to appreciate its value and use it so that, when we are gone, the sum total of good in the world may be greater.”
― Elisabeth Leseur, Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur

“He who trusts himself is lost. He who trusts God can do all things.”
― St. Alphonsus Liguori

“The heart of man will never find true peace, if it does not empty itself of all that is not God, so as to free itself all free for His love, that He alone may possess the whole of it. But this the soul cannot do of itself; it must obtain it of God by repeated prayers.”
― Saint Alphonsus Liguori

“If we would completely rejoice the heart of God, let us strive in all things to conform ourselves to His divine will. Let us not only strive to conform ourselves, but also to unite ourselves to whatever dispositions God makes of us.
Conformity signifies that we join our wills to the will of God. Uniformity means more. Uniformity means that we make one will of God's will and our will. In this way we will only what God wills. God's will alone is our will. ”
― Alphonsus De Ligouri