Saintly Sayings

and Examples of Saints 
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January 28, 2012
 

Perfection: January 28

In order to make great strides toward perfection, it is wise to attach oneself to only one thing: one spiritual book, one virtue, one ejaculation and so forth. It is not that the other means should be rejected, but the one that has been chosen should be the principal object of attention, so that even if one needs to be attentive to other spiritual exercises these will be only secondary. However, there is one defect into which many fall, and it must be avoided. It is the defect of attaching oneself to one's practices of piety and devotions too strongly. He who has a good spirit is edified by all things and condemns nothing.
– St. Francis de Sales

Although the saints availed themselves of everything, each one had a particular practice in which he exercised himself the most. Thus St. Francis de Sales' most favorite book was Scupoli's Spiritual Combat; St. Dominic's was Cassiano's Collection; the ejaculation preferred by St. Francis was: "My God is my all"; that of St. Vincent de Paul: "In the name of God". Some stressed the practice of living in God's presence; others purity of intention; others, submission to the Divine Will; still others, self-abnegation. The same may be said about virtues. Some exercised one, others another virtue. Thus almost every saint rendered himself outstanding in one virtue in particular.

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January 27, 2012
 

Perfection: January 27

If you want a brief and efficacious method, which at the same time embraces all the other methods, to overcome any temptations and trials, and to acquire perfection, it is living in the presence of God.
– St. Basil

When Joseph was being tempted to commit sin he asked: "How can I do this in the presence of God?" And Susanna said to the wicked judges: "It is better I fall into your hands innocent than to commit sin in the sight of God."

Taide, upon learning that when she sinned she was seen by God, was converted. She remained firm in the face of many temptations, thus becoming a saint.

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January 26, 2012
 

Perfection: January 26

By contemplating Baby Jesus in the manger, let us learn how to esteem the things of the world.
– St. Francis de Sales

When St. Hedwig, Queen of Poland, became a religious, she never spoke of the things of the world unless it was for the honor of God and the salvation of souls.

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January 25, 2012
 

Perfection: January 25

The greatest guarantee that we can have of being in the state of grace does not consist in feelings and sentiments of love of God, but in the pure and irrevocable abandonment of our entire being into God's hands and in the firm resolution never to consent to sin, whether grievous or slight.
– St. Francis de Sales

St. Catherine of Genoa used to say: "I am no longer my own; whether I live or I die, I belong to my Savior. I have nothing which is my very own. My God is my all. My life is entirely His. O world, you are always the same and until now I have been the same, but from now on I will change."

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January 24, 2012
 

Perfection: January 24

A true sign that one loves the virtue he is striving to acquire is to appreciate the corrections and admonitions received for the defects committed against this virtue. This is a great indication of advancing toward perfection.
– St. Francis de Sales

Once a monk went to visit the Abbot Serapione. The abbot requested that before doing anything else they pray together; but the monk refused, stating that he was a sinner and unworthy to wear the habit. Whereupon, the abbots said: "My brother, if you wish to become perfect remain in your cell to work and do not talk too much, for to go about here and there is not good for you." At these words the monk become greatly disturbed. Seeing this, the abbot added: "What is this, my brother? Until now you said you were a great sinner and not worthy to be alive. And now because I admonished you with charity, telling you what you needed, you become indignant? It seems to me that your humility is not real. If you really want to be humble, learn to receive admonition humbly." At these words, the monk repented and left, greatly edified.

When St. Peter was corrected by St. Paul, he did not become indignant nor angry because he was superior to St. Paul; neither did he despise Paul because he had been a persecutor of the Church. He took the correction well.

It is related that whenever St. Ambrose would receive a correction for some fault, he would thank the person correcting him as though he had received a great benefit. We are told that whenever a certain Cistercian monk received a correction, he would recite an Our Father for the admonisher.

St. John Berchmans always desired to be corrected in public for his defects, and whenever this happened, he was very happy.

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January 23, 2012
 

Perfection: January 23

When one is truly advancing towards perfection, he feels within himself a constant urge to progress and improve. Because the more grace of enlightenment he receives, the more he realizes how much he is still lacking in virtue and good works. On the other hand, if he does realize that he is doing a little good, he feels it is very imperfect and does not give it much credit. Hence he continuously works for perfection without slacking in pace.
– St. Lawrence Justinian

St. Fulgentius loved perfection so much that no matter how much he worked for it, it always seemed so little and always he desired to be more perfect.

Daily St. Ignatius of Loyola would compare his victories with those of the previous day, and thus he advanced daily, always with a greater desire for progress so as to reach the height of perfection which Our Lord desired of him.

St. James the Apostle is highly praised because daily he advanced in the service of God.

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January 22, 2012
 

Perfection: January 22

The two feet with which one walks towards perfection are mortification and the love of God. The first is the left foot, the latter is the right.

St. Francis of Assisi rose to great heights of perfection with these two means. He led such an austere and rigorous life that when he was dying he had to apologize to his body for mistreating it so much. Because of his love of God, he acquired not only for himself but also for his Order the beautiful title of "seraphic".

When St. Francis de Sales wanted to prepare someone to live a truly Christian life and to abandon his worldly ways, he seldom spoke of exterior things, such as the hair, dress or some such thing. Rather, he spoke only to the heart and of the heart. He knew that once this fortress is overcome, all the rest will surrender and that when true love of God takes possession of the heart, all those things which are not of God will lose importance.

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January 21, 2012
 

Perfection: January 21

Humility and charity are the two main parts of the spiritual edifice. One is the lowest and the other the highest and all the others depend on them. Hence, we must keep ourselves well founded in these two, because the preservation of the entire edifice depends on the foundation and the roof.
– St. Francis de Sales

There never was and there never will be a saint without these two very necessary virtues; in fact, there have been some who, to our eyes, seem to have excelled in these virtues in a special way. One of these was St. Francis of Paula who, for his great humility, not content to be looked upon as the least among all men, willed that his Religious Congregation be given that same title.

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January 20, 2012
 

Perfection: January 20

Set yourselves seriously to work for the acquisition of virtue; otherwise your spiritual growth will be stunted. Neither should you think that you have acquired a virtue if you have not been tried by its opposite and have not had the occasion to faithfully practice it. Therefore, you should never flee the occasions to practice it, but rather desire them, seek them and willingly embrace them.
– St. Teresa of Avila

St. Vincent de Paul was not satisfied, as many are, to know an love virtues; he tried his best to exercise them. His maxim was that fatigue and patience are the best means to acquire virtues and plant them in our heart, because the virtues acquired without fatigue and trials also can be lost easily, while those acquired by combatting storms of temptations and practiced in spite of difficulties and repugnance of nature will take deep roots in one's heart.

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January 19, 2012
 

Perfection: January 19

Never let pass a single occasion of merit from which you can gain some spiritual profit as, for example, some harsh little word someone might say, an obedience asked of you against your will, a chance to humiliate yourself, to practice charity, meekness and patience. All these occasions are profitable to you and you yourself should look for them. And you should go to sleep quite content on the day you have had more occasions of merit, jus as the businessman does when he has had the opportunity of realizing a profit, for on that day business went well for him.
– St. Ignatius of Loyola

As we read in the life of St. John Berchmans, this was one of his principal maxims. He did his utmost not to let slip any occasion of merit for himself, no matter how small. Hence he went about seeking such occasions, and when some came through someone's indiscretion, he embrace them all with courage and joy of heart, without considering the indiscretion and little virtue of the others, but solely attending to his own humility.

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