Since God often sends us inspirations by means of His angels, we should frequently return our aspirations to him by means of the same messengers.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
All the science of the Saints is included in these two things: To do, and to suffer. And whoever had done these two things best, has made himself most saintly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True sanctity encompasses both action and enduring hardship.
Saint Francis De Sales emphasizes that the essence of holiness lies in two fundamental actions: doing good deeds and enduring suffering. He suggests that the measure of one's saintliness is directly correlated with how well one performs these actions, highlighting the importance of both active efforts in life and the acceptance of life's challenges.
Themes
SainthoodSufferingActionLifeHoliness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a spiritual retreat to inspire participants about the nature of personal growth.
More from Saint Francis De Sales
All quotes βYou can attract more bees with a spoonful of sugar than a cupful of vinegar.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. I mean do not be disheartened by your imperfections, but always rise up with fresh courage
Saint Francis De SalesRead
Represent to yourself a dark city all burning and stinking with fire and brimstone. The damned are in the depth of hell within this woful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments in all their senses and members. Consider above all the eternity of their pains, which above all things makes hell intolerable.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
Lately I was near the beehives and some of the bees flew onto my face. I wanted to raise my hand, and brush them off. 'No,' said a peasant to me, 'do not be afraid, and do not touch them. They will not sting you at all, if you touch them they will bite you.' I trusted him; not one bit me. Trust me; do not fear these temptations. Do not touch them; they will not hurt you.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
There is no better means of attainment to the spiritual life Than by continually beginning again.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
Similar quotes
What if we choose not to do the things we are supposed to do? The principal gain is a sense of an authentic act - and an authentic life. It may be a short one, but it is an authentic one, and that's a lot better than those short lives full of boredom. The principal loss is security. Another is respect from the community. But you gain the respect of another community, the one that is worth having the respect of.
Joseph CampbellRead
A Christian man is on his guard with respect to those who philosophize according to the elements of this world, not according to God, by Whom the world itself was made; for he is warned by the precept of the apostle and faithfully hears what has been said, 'Beware that no one deceive you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the elements of the world'
Saint AugustineRead
To 'see both sides' of a problem is the surest way to prevent its complete solution. Because there are always more than two sides.
Idries ShahRead
Boredom rests upon the nothingness that winds its way through existence; its giddiness, like that which comes from gazing down into an infinite abyss, is infinite.
Soren KierkegaardRead
I have an intellectual inclination for democratic institutions, but I am instinctively an aristocrat, which means that I despise and fear the masses. I passionately love liberty, legality, the respect for rights, but not democracy....liberty is my foremost passion. That is the truth.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
But I think Iβm coloured by my own wishes, & experimental mood.
Virginia WoolfRead