Saintly Sayings

and Examples of Saints 
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October 31, 2011
 

Confidence: October 31

(same as October 30)

If we want to perform our duties well and provide for all our needs, we must look up to God every once in a while – like navigators, who look up at the stars in order to keep on the right course more than at the sea on which they are sailing.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 30, 2011
 

Confidence: October 30

If we want to perform our duties well and provide for all our needs, we must look up to God every once in a while – like navigators, who look up at the stars in order to keep on the right course more than at the sea on which they are sailing.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 29, 2011
 

Confidence: October 29

No matter how many sins, even serious ones, and imperfections one may have committed and commits, he must never despair of salvation nor lose confidence in God. The divine clemency is infinitely greater than human malice.
– St. John Chrysostom

St. Vincent Ferrer's confidence in God was admirable. One day he was told of a dying man who was in despair because of his grave sins and refused to confess himself. St. Vincent hurried to him, confident that he would win him to repentance. Reaching his side, he said: "Brother, knowing that Jesus Christ died for you, why do you want to despair of His mercy? This is a great insult to the immense goodness He has shown you." The sick man, greatly angered by these words, answered: "It is precisely for this reason that I want do damn myself, to spite Christ." "In spite of yourself you will be saved!" cried the saint. Then turning to the bystanders he said: "Let us recite the Rosary to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for the conversion of this most obstinate sinner." And God willed to manifest His pleasure at the generous confidence of His servant, for before the recitation of the Rosary was over, the room was filled with a bright light and the Mother of God appeared holding the divine Babe, Who was covered with blood. At this sight the sinner's heart melted with compunction. He confessed his sins with great sorrow and shortly afterwards yielded his soul to God.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 28, 2011
 

Confidence: October 28

The servant of God must not fear anything. He must not even pay much attention to the demons. For when they are disregarded, they are powerless. If God is powerful and the demons are His slaves, what harm can they do to those who are the servants of so great a King and Lord.
– St. Teresa of Avila

The same saint attests that she was timid by nature and often did not even dare to stay alone in a room in broad daylight. One day, upon reflecting how inconvenient it is to be fearful and timid while we have such a powerful God Who rules everything, she said to herself: "What do I fear? Whom do I fear?" And taking a crucifix in her hand she began to defy the demons saying: "Come, all of you. I am the servant of God, so I want to see what you can do to me." After that, she felt full of courage and all her fears vanished.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 27, 2011
 

Confidence: October 27

He who places himself entirely in the arms of Divine Providence and lets himself be carried by God, travels in a carriage, so to speak, and hardly feels the weight of his crosses. He who does the opposite goes on foot, dragging his crosses weariedly and painfully.
– St. Bernard

There once lived a poor young girl who was confined to her bed and suffered greatly. Yet, whoever went to visit her, found her always happy. When asked how she could be so cheerful amid such suffering, she replied that she thought only of God and lived like a little bird under the wings of Divine Providence. Hence she was neither afraid nor upset.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 26, 2011
 

Confidence: October 26

Christian confidence consists in perfect abandonment in God over and above every provision of human prudence. Oh, what joy it is to walk in this perfect dependence on Providence, to be always under this divine protection!
– St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Such was Abraham's confidence. He hoped that his descendants would spread throughout the entire world, as God had promised him, even though head had been ordered by God to sacrifice his only son when he was too old to have other children.

Such, also, was the faith of holy Job. Afflicted in body, his children and wealth taken from him, derided by friends, he said: "Although God should kill me, I will always hope in Him."

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 25, 2011
 

Confidence: October 25

He who does not lose heart when face with unforeseen adversities but immediately turns to God with confidence gives evidence of being well rooted in this virtue.
– St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

We read in the lives of the holy Fathers of the desert that one day St. Colombanus found himself surrounded by twelve wolves. Clawing at his clothes, they made ready to tear him to pieces. Without becoming excited, he invoked God's help with great confidence, saying: "Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me." At these words the wolves fled.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 24, 2011
 

Confidence: October 24

There are some whose confidence in God is so strong that they cannot abandon it even in extreme or desperate cases. Oh, how dear to God are those souls, and how much He helps them!

Although Emperor Ferdinand II saw his enemies leagued against him and his lands devastated, he never lost confidence in God, but always said: "God will see me safely through this storm." Nor was he disappointed, because when his cause seemed most desperate he won a great victory over all his enemies.

What case was more desperate than Susanna's? Falsely accused, condemned and led to her death, she still trusted in God and was freed.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 23, 2011
 

Confidence: October 23

When we find ourselves in some grave danger we must not lose courage but firmly trust in God, for where there is the greatest danger, there is also the greatest help from Him Who wants to be called our "Help" in times of peace and in times of tribulation.
– St. Ambrose

When his ship was caught in a great storm at sea, St. Ignatius of Loyola was the only one on board who was not moaning and trembling in fear of death. He was cheerful and unafraid, in fact, reflecting that without God's permission storms cannot come up or death take anyone.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October  
October 22, 2011
 

Confidence: October 22

After we have placed ourselves entirely in God's hands with complete confidence in Him, we must not fear any adversity; for if some misfortune should befall us, God will know how to turn it to our good through ways which we do not know now but will know some day.
– St. Vincent de Paul

Returning from a visit to the Holy Land, St. Ignatius arrived at Cypress and found there three ships ready to sail for Italy. The first belonged to the Turks. The second was a large, strong and well-armed Venetian ship. The third was a small, old and worm-eaten vessel. Many begged the captain of the Venetian ship to take Ignatius on board for the love of God. They praised him and said he was a saint. But upon hearing that Ignatius was poor and would be unable to pay his passage, the captain answered that if he were a saint, he did not need a ship but could walk over the sea as other saints had done. Hence Ignatius was forced to beg passage on the old ship. There he was warmly received. The three ships set out on the same day with favorable winds and made good time. Towards evening a storm broke out. The Turkish vessel and all its passengers sank. The Venetian ship was dashed against a sand bank and its passengers just barely escaped death. Only the old ship reached port safely.

Filed under  //   Confidence   October