Saint Francis De Sales

A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.

Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily.

Hell is full of good intentions and wills.

If we say a little it is easy to add, but having said too much it is hard to withdraw and never can it be done so quickly as to hinder the harm of our success.

The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.

Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: Now I begin to love my God.

We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.

Be neat, Philothea; let nothing be negligent about you. It is a kind of contempt of those with whom we converse, to frequent their company in uncomely apparel; but, at the same time, avoid all affectation, vanity, curiosity, or levity in your dress. Keep yourself always, as much as possible, on the side of plainness and modesty, which, without doubt, is the greatest ornament of beauty, and the best excuse for the want of it.

I recommend to you holy simplicity.

Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what we have made of it.

It is wonderful how attractive a gentle, pleasant manner is, and how much it wins hearts.

Humility consists in not esteeming ourselves above other men, and in not seeking to be esteemed above them.

He who stays not in his littleness, loses his greatness.

Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.

Faith fills a man with love for the beauty of its truth, with faith in the truth of its beauty

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.

Professions of humility are the very cream, the very essence of pride; the really humble person wishes to be, and not to appear so. Humility is timorous, and starts at her shadow; and so delicate that if she hears her name pronounced it endangers her existence.

Provided that God be glorified, we must not care by whom.

Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well — it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently.