“God's affairs are accomplished gradually and almost imperceptibly and His spirit is neither violent nor tempestuous.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“He also always blesses humble beginnings much more than those accompanied by a lot of show.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“In a word, we are like the servants of the centurion in the Gospel with regard to the bishops, insofar as when they say to us: go, we are obliged to go; if they say: come, we are obliged to come; do that, and we are obliged to do it.”
“[Do not] overburden yourself with rules of devotion, but persist in doing well those you have, your daily actions, your work; in a word, let everything revolve around doing well what you are doing.”
“Since I am a great sinner, I cannot reject those who have been, provided they have good will.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: I. Correspondence. v. 1. 1607-1639
“It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so that they end up not being able to do anything. The spirit of God urges one gently to do the good that can be done reasonably, so that it may be done perseveringly and for a long time.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: I. Correspondence. v. 1. 1607-1639
“In the name of Our Lord, Monsieur, do all you can to regain your health and take good care of it so that you can serve God and the poor for a longer time. This moderate care does not preclude the obligation we have of generously risking our lives when the salvation of our neighbor is concerned.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: I. Correspondence. v. 1. 1607-1639
“I feel so strongly about the truths Our Lord taught us by word and example that I cannot help but see how everything done according to that teaching always succeeds perfectly well, while things done the opposite way have a quite different result.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“. . . Practice teaching catechism and preaching. Missionaries must apply themselves to these tasks and although they do not accomplish them as successfully as others do, according to the opinion of men, it must be enough for them that they are doing the Will of God and perhaps producing more real fruit.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“We must endeavor to have God reign sovereignly in us, and then in others. The trouble with me is that I take more care to have Him reign in others than in myself.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“. . . It is God's plan that those who are to help others spiritually fall into the temptations of mind and body by which others can be tormented. . . . Scorn both these evil suggestions and the wickedness of their author, who is the devil.”
“I am the only wretch who keeps on heaping new iniquities and abominations on myself. O Monsieur, how merciful God is to put up with me with so much patience and forbearance, and how weak and miserable I am to abuse his mercies so greatly!”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“His Divine Goodness asks that we never do good in any place to make ourselves look important but that we always consider Him directly, immediately, and without intermediary in all our actions.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“. . . God is pleased to communicate himself to the simple and humble and to use the smallest and lowliest to make them great and exalted. In a word, it is He Himself who has called and approved them and even inspired their humble manner of living.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“God uproots the vine that He Himself has not planted.”
Source: Correspondence Conference Documents
“Would that God, Monsieur, had rendered us worthy of spending our lives, as Our Lord did, for the salvation of those poor souls so far removed from all assistance.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“Let us reflect that we shall always do God's Will and He will do ours when we carry out that of our Superiors.”
Source: Correspondence Conference Documents
“[I]t is the maxim of the saints that when a matter has been decided in the presence of God after many prayers and the seeking of advice, we must reject and consider as a temptation whatever is suggested to the contrary.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“Our Lord and the saints accomplished more by suffering than by acting.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“[N]or should you move so fast! The works of God do not proceed in that way; they come about of themselves, and those He does not create soon perish.”
Source: Correspondence Conference Documents
“[W]isdom consists in following Providence step by step. And you can be sure of the truth of a maxim which seems paradoxical, namely, that he who is hasty falls back in the interests of God.”
Source: Correspondence Conference Documents
“He is greatly honored by the time we take to weigh with mature deliberation matters having to do with his service, as are all those with which we deal.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Correspondence; January 1640-July 1646)
“With God's help, you will continue to succeed in your leadership and in your duties, because Our Lord's work is accomplished not so much by the multitude of workers as by the fidelity of the small number whom He calls.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“I have never come away from you without reflecting that the Spirit of God and His holy workings reside in you.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“Things arrange themselves with time. Only God can have everything to His liking; His servants should act as Our Lord did.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“So, do not dwell any longer on what you are, but consider Our Lord close by you and within you, ready to put His hand to the work as soon as you call upon Him for help, and you will see that all will go well.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“May God be pleased to make it known to you, and fill you increasingly with His Spirit, so that through you it may be poured into the souls you guide, and your own soul may be more greatly sanctified!”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“(1) Be convinced that exactness in rising is one of the most important practices in the Company and that as the day begins so the rest of the day continues; (2) give yourselves sincerely to God on going to bed in the evening, asking Him for the strength to overcome yourselves in the morning and to obey His voice without delay.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“Providence must call us and we must follow it, if we are to go forward confidently.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“The works of God are not accomplished when we wish them, but whenever it pleases Him.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“God often delays the conclusion of a holy endeavor so that those involved in it might merit its grace by the length of the work, their patience, and their prayers. This is why I beg you not to grow weary in yours. Although He may delay, He will reveal that it is pleasing to Him, if it is done, nevertheless, in a spirit of resignation regarding the outcome.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“God has great plans for you, directed towards helping you do what Jesus Christ did when He was on earth. This requires you do resist temptation vigorously, with special confidence in the assistance of His Divine Goodness. Courage then, Monsieur. Be faithful to Him, and the Divine Goodness will be favorable to you.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: August 1646-March 1650
“I beg Our Lord, Monsieur, that we may be able to die to ourselves in order to rise with Him, that he may be the joy of your heart, the end and soul of your actions, and your glory in heaven. This will come to pass if, from now on, we humble ourselves as He humbled Himself, if we renounce our own satisfaction to follow Him by carrying our little crosses, and if we give our lives willingly, as He gave His, for our neighbor whom He loves so much and whom He wants us to love as ourselves.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“Since God is satisfied with our good will and honest efforts, let us also be satisfied with the outcome He gives to them, and our actions will never be without good results”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: August 1646-March 1650
“All of you desire to belong entirely to God, and God also wants all of you to belong to Him”
“Furthermore, the apostolic life does not exclude contemplation but encompasses it and profits by it to know better the eternal truths it must proclaim”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“Let us be submissive to Providence, He will see to our affairs in His own time and in His own way”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“If after so much effort and prayer, the matter is not successful, it will be a clear sign that God does not will it.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: August 1646-March 1650
“Peace is worth far more than anything they might take from you.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“You know, Monsieur, that, although the contemplative life is more perfect than the active life, it is not, however, more so than one which embraces at the same time contemplation and action, as does yours, by God's grace.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“There is a vast difference between an Apostolic life and the solitude of the Carthusians. The latter is truly very holy but is not suited to those whom God has called to the former, which is in itself more excellent.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“[T]hese losses of the Church in the past hundred years give us reason to fear in the present misfortune that in another hundred years we may lose the Church entirely in Europe. So, keeping this fear in mind, blessed are those who cooperate in extending the Church elsewhere.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“[L]et us believe that all is going along the best in the world when we take no satisfaction in it, provided we humble ourselves for this and redouble our confidence in God.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“The angels would become incarnate if they could, so that they might come to earth to imitate the example and virtues of the Son of God!”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“In a word, we owe obedience to the bishops in all things pertaining to our work in the missions, with ordinands, etc., but the spiritual and internal direction belongs to the Superior General.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“Never betray His principles for any reason whatsoever, and take great care not to spoil God's affairs by too much haste in them.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents
“It is no wonder you are tempted; on the contrary, it would be something new if you were not, because man's life is nothing but temptation, and no one is exempt from it, especially those who have given themselves to God; his own Son even passed through this trial. But if it is necessary for everyone, it is also a source of merit for those to whom God grants the grace of turning all things to good, as you do.”
“The children of our Lord walk gladly in his ways; they have confidence in him, and so when they fall, they rise again; and if, instead of stopping to grumble about the stone they have tripped over, they humble themselves at their fall, this helps them to advance with great strides in his love.”
“I would rather him to bear patiently with it than to put himself in danger of a greater evil.”
“Your soul will be blessed, Sister, if you bear patiently the troubles of mind and body His Providence sends you, or which come to you from within and without.”
Source: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents: Apr. 1650-July 1653
