100 Beloved And Obscure Quotations From the Saints

In honor of the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st: The following 100 quotations are from individuals the Church has recognized for their heroic virtue. They appear in random order and are compiled from readers' responses, and suggestions for, quotes by saints appearing on this blog.

For me prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look towards Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Trust the past to the Mercy of God, the present to His Love, and the future to His Providence.

— St. Augustine of Hippo

He who trusts himself is lost. He who trusts in God can do all things.

— St. Alphonsus Liguori

Our own evil inclinations are far more dangerous than any external enemies.

— St. Ambrose

You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy – the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud.

— St. Vincent de Paul

Christ said, "I am the Truth"; he did not say "I am the custom."

— St. Toribio

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.

— St. Thomas Aquinas

If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!

— St. Catherine of Sienna

Since Christ Himself has said, “This is My Body”, who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?

— St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

— St. Rose of Lima

Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.

— St. Jerome

He alone loves the Creator perfectly who manifests a pure love for his neighbor.

— St. Bede the Venerable

Charity is that with which no man is lost, and without which no man is saved.

— St. Robert Bellarmine

Our wish, our object, our chief preoccupation must be to form Jesus in ourselves, to make his spirit, his devotion, his affections, his desire, and his disposition live and reign there.

— St. John Eudes

You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.

— St. John Vianney

Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them.

— St. Francis de Sales

Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of Him.

— St. Dominic Savio

The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible.

— St. Gerard Majella

The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.

— St. Anthony of Padua

The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.

— St. Maximilian Kolbe

If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.

— St. Charles Borromeo

If we are, in fact, now occupied in good deeds, we should not attribute the strength with which we are doing them to ourselves. We must not count on ourselves, because even if we know what kind of person we are today, we do not know what we will be tomorrow.

— St. Gregory the Great

Those whose hearts are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit.

— St. Lucy

We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all our troubles. How small will the present moment appear when we enter that great ocean.

— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.

— St. John Paul II

Oh Jesus, what would have become of me, if You had not drawn me to Thee?

— St. Gemma Galgani

Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkenness, and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels.

— St. Athanasius.

The reason why sometimes you have asked and not received, is because you have asked amiss, either inconsistently, or lightly, or because you have asked for what was not good for you, or because you have ceased asking.

— St. Basil

The Lord measures our perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them.

— St. John of the Cross

If He who was without sin prayed, how much more ought sinners to pray?

— St. Cyprian

As iron is fashioned by the fire on an anvil, so in the fire of suffering and under the weight of trials, our souls receive the form that our Lord desires for them to have.

— St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

A faint faith is better than a strong heresy.

— St. Thomas More

Our Lord sometimes makes you feel the weight of the cross. This weight seems unbearable but you carry it because in His love and mercy, the Lord helps you and gives you strength.

— St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

To harbor no envy, no anger, no resentment against an offender is still not to have charity for him. It is possible, without any charity, to avoid rendering evil for evil. But to render, spontaneously, good for evil -- such belongs to a perfect spiritual love.

— St. Maximus the Confessor

Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.

— St. Clare of Assisi

Suffering is like a kiss that Jesus hanging from the cross bestows on persons whom He loves in a special way. Because of this love He wants to associate them in the work of the redemption.

— St. Bonaventure

By the effective exercise of only one virtue, a person may attain to the height of all the rest.

— St. Gregory Nazianzen

Truly, this was the Son of God.

— St. Longinus

The nation doesn’t simply need what we have. It needs what we are.

— St. Teresa Benedicta

Great love can change small things into great ones, and it is only love which lends value to our actions.

— St. Faustina

It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards one's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken.

— St. Francis Xavier

Jesus Christ, Lord of all things! You see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am - you alone. I am your sheep; make me worthy to overcome the devil.

— St. Agatha

Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.

— St. Jeanne de Chantal

If one is to do good, he must have a little courage, be ready for sacrifice, deal affably with all and never slight anybody. By following this method I have always had significant success, in fact, marvelous success.

— St. John Bosco

Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.

— St. Leo the Great

It is better to say one Our Father fervently and devoutly than a thousand with no devotion and full of distraction.

— St. Edmund

If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured."

— St. Colette

What will be the crown of those who, humble within and humiliated without, have imitated the humility of our Savior in all its fullness!

— St. Bernadette Soubirous

If we wish to keep peace with our neighbor, we should never remind anyone of his natural defects.

— St. Philip Neri

Charity unites us to God... There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect.

— St. Clement I

Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.

— St. Isidore of Seville

Pray with great confidence, with confidence based upon the goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ. God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray.

— St. Louis de Montfort

He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.

— St. Benedict of Nursia

Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.

— St. Pius X

It should be observed that perfect love of God consists not in those delights, tears and sentiments of devotion that we generally seek, but in a strong determination and keen desire to please God in all things, and to promote His glory.

— St. Teresa of Avila

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.

— St. John XXIII

We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.”

— St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could make angels out of demons.

— St. John Climacus

The spiritual combat in which we kill our passions to put on the new man is the most difficult struggle of all. We must never weary of this combat, but fight the holy fight fervently and perseveringly.

— St. Nilus

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.

— St. James

It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.

— St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen

If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint.

— St. Ignatius of Loyola

Now I begin to be a disciple. Let fire and cross, flocks of beasts, broken bones, dismemberment come upon me, so long as I attain to Jesus Christ.

— St. Ignatius of Antioch

The glory of God is man fully alive.

— St. Irenaeus of Lyons

Christ has made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him Whom the Angels serve.

— St. Agnes of Rome

He loves, He hopes, He waits. Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep us waiting an instant.

— St. Maria Goretti

You strayed from the way and did not return because you were ashamed. It would be more logical if you were ashamed not to return.

— St. Josemaria Escriva

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.

— St. Francis of Assisi

No one should ever say that it was my ignorance if I did or showed forth anything however small according to God's good pleasure; but let this be your conclusion and let it so be thought, that -- as is the perfect truth -- it was the gift of God.

— St. Patrick

I would rather die than do something which I know to be a sin, or to be against God's will.

— St. Joan of Arc

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.

— St. Basil

The saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God. Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles, martyrs, ascetics, and just men who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering, and perseverance unto death so that we may also share their crowns of glory.

— St. John of Damascus

God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.

— St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Teach us to give and not count the cost.

— St. Ignatius de Loyola

Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.

— St. Augustine of Hippo

Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.

— St. Gregory Nazianzen

There are two sides to every sin: the turning of the will toward fleeting satisfaction and the turning away from everlasting value. As regards to the first, the principle of all sins can be called lust -- lust in its most general sense, namely, the unbridled desire for one's own pleasure. As regards to the second, the principle is pride -- pride in its general sense, the lack of submission to God.

— St. Thomas Aquinas

Love is the most necessary of all virtues.

— St. Anthony Mary Claret

Our Lord loves you and loves you tenderly; and if He does not let you feel the sweetness of His love, it is to make you more humble and abject in your own eyes.

— St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

There is not a single creature which does not provide us with the means of reaching God. If any of them become an obstacle, it is only by our misuse of them

— St. John Vianney

I shall spend every moment loving. One who loves does not notice her trials; or perhaps more accurately, she is able to love them.

— St. Bernadette Soubirous

Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.

— St. John of the Cross

Make yourself familiar with the Angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you.

— St. Francis de Sales

Beside each believer stands an Angel as protector and shepherd, leading him to life.

— St. Basil

When tempted, invoke your Angel. he is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him: He trembles and flees at the sight of your Guardian Angel.

— St. John Bosco

If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate ... Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better.

— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Christ has made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him Whom the Angels serve.

— St. Agnes

Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin, all hope consists in confession; in confession there is a chance for mercy.

— St. Isidore of Seville

The greatness of contemplation can be given to none but those who love.

— St. Gregory the Great

If there is anyone who is not enlightened by this sublime magnificence of created things, he is blind. If there is anyone who, seeing all these works of God, does not praise Him, he is dumb; if there is anyone who, from so many signs, cannot perceive God, that man is foolish.

— St. Bonaventure

One must see God in everyone.

— St. Catherine Laboure

God being infinite beauty, the soul united to Christ draws upon himself the admiring and tender gaze of the Angels, who, were they capable of any passion, would be filled with envy at his lot.

— St. Pius X

God knows I am here. This is his will for me.

— St. Jose Isabel Flores Varela

If anyone comes to me, I want to lead them to Him.

— St. Teresa Benedicta

One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying. He is offering up his sufferings to God, and many a time he is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and meditates his head off, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that is prayer.

— St. Teresa of Avila

This world and the world to come are two enemies. We cannot therefore be friends to both; but we must decide which we will forsake and which we will enjoy.

— St. Clement I