”When nothing diverts my thoughts from God, my heart swims in an excess of overflowing joy, in so much that I often forget my food and all earthly things; but it is an affliction to live amid the distraction of worldly conversation.”
-Saint Paul Hermit
”The true way to advance in virtue and give satisfaction is a holy cheerfulness. The cheerful are much easier to guide in the spiritual life than the melancholy. Excessive sadness seldom springs from any other source than pride.”
-Saint Philip Neri
”Let the whole face wear an air of cheerfulness rather than that of sorrow, or any other disorderly affection; and if anyone be disposed to gloominess and melancholy, he must strive by much virtue and docility to suppress and banish it, and study so much the more to show a pious cheerfulness.”
-Saint Ignatius, Father of the Church
”Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life; wherefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits.”
-Saint Philip Neri
”The soul of one who serves God always swims in joy, always keeps holiday, is always in her palace of jubilation, ever singing with fresh ardor and fresh pleasure a new song of joy and love.”
-Saint John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church
”What a great right Jesus Christ has to our service, for the benefits with which He has loaded us! and how dear have these benefits cost Him! When He purposed to act according to His love, He seems, if we may so speak, to have forgotten He was God.”
-Saint Ignatius, Father of the Church
”Some negligence in serving a man might perhaps be excused, but in the service of God it ought not, at any price, to be endured.”
-Saint Ignatius, Father of the Church
”One act performed in dryness of spirit is worth more than several done in great sensible fervor.”
-Saint Francis of Sales, Doctor of the Church
”How many courtiers there are, who go into the presence of the King, a hundred times, not to speak to him, or to listen to him, but merely to be seen by him and to show by their assiduity that they are his servants. When, then, you come into the presence of Our Lord speak to Him, if you can; if you cannot, because you are spiritually hoarse, stay nevertheless, and make Him a reverence.”
-Saint Francis of Sales, Doctor of the Church
”We are made for this, that we may be good, and serve our Maker; when we act against His precepts, we act against Nature.”
-Saint Paulinus
”The service of God is not a burden, but an honor: so far from branding us with the mark of slavery, it wipes it away.”
-Saint Peter Chrysologus, Father and Doctor of the Church
”This is man's glory, to persevere and abide in the service of God.”
-Saint Irenaeus, Father of the Church
”He is the Creator, thou art the creature; thou art the servant, He is the Lord; He is the Maker, thou art the vessel: therefore, to Him thou owest all thou hast, from whom thou hast received all, thy Sovereign Lord, Who made thee, and made thee well.”
-Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church
”To love God is to reign; he who desires to reign, let him adhere and be subject to God, the one Lord of all things; that soul is most free which is ruled by Him alone.”
-Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church
”There is no higher dignity than to serve Christ.”
-Saint Ambrose, Father and Doctor of the Church
”O man! thou art pleased to have a faithful servant and yet thou wilt not be faithful to God: thou who hast a servant, remember that thou too hast a Lord.”
-Saint Augustine.
”Every creature, whether it will or not, is subject to the one God and Lord; but a warning is given to us, to serve the Lord with our whole will, because the just man serves Him willingly, but the unjust serves Him as a slave.”
-Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church
”God can never command anything that is impossible, because He is just, nor will He damn any man for what he could not avoid, because He is merciful.”
-Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church
”God does not command impossibilities, but when He commands anything, He admonishes thee to do what thou canst do, and to ask for what thou canst not do, and He helps thee to do it. Strengthen me, O Lord, that I may be able; give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.”
-Saint Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church
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