Saint Philip Neri — His Wisdom in 25 Quotations

Saint Philip Neri was a 16th century Italian priest who was much beloved among the citizens of Rome for his compassion, humor and holiness. His devotion to God in serving others reminds us that living as a disciple of Christ is the source of joy. He was a great light of the Counter-Reformation, winning many souls for God.

There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder, as prayer.

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A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one.

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To preserve our cheerfulness amid sicknesses and troubles, is a sign of a right and good spirit.

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The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last.

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First let a little love find entrance into their hearts, and the rest will follow.

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The greatness of our love of God must be tested by the desire we have of suffering for His love.

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The Lord grants in a moment what we may have been unable to obtain in dozens of years.

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The cross is the gift God gives to his friends.

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Christian joy is a gift of God flowing from a good conscience.

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My children, if you desire perseverance, be devout to our Blessed Lady.

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At communion we ought to ask for the remedy of the vice to which we feel ourselves most inclined.

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Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts.

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He who always acts under obedience may be assured that he will not have to give an account of his actions to God.

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Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength.

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He who is unable to spend a long time together in prayer, should often lift up his mind to God by short prayers.

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Believe me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God's grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin.

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We must often remember what Christ said, that not he who begins, but he that perseveres to the end, shall be saved.

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There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life, than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking.

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He who wishes for anything but Christ, does not know what he wishes; he who asks for anything but Christ, does not know what he is asking; he who works, and not for Christ, does not know what he is doing.

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The man who loves God with a true heart, and prizes him above all things, sometimes sheds floods of tears at prayer, and has in abundance of favours and spiritual feelings coming upon him with such vehemence, that he is forced to cry out, "Lord! let me be quiet!

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In sickness we ought to ask God to give us patience, because it often happens, that when a man gets well, he not only does not do the good he proposed to do when he was sick, but he multiplies his sins and his ingratitude.

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They who have been exercised in the service of God for a long time, may in their prayers imagine all sorts of insults offered to them, such as blows, wounds, and the like, and so in order to imitate Christ by their charity, may accustom their hearts beforehand to forgive real injuries when they come.

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During mental prayer, it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us, that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to bear and forgive these things patiently, in imitation of our Saviour. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.

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We are not saints yet, but we, too, should beware. Uprightness and virtue do have their rewards, in self-respect and in respect from others, and it is easy to find ourselves aiming for the result rather than the cause. Let us aim for joy, rather than respectability. Let us make fools of ourselves from time to time, and thus see ourselves, for a moment, as the all-wise God sees us.

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If a man finds it very hard to forgive injuries, let him look at a Crucifix, and think that Christ shed all His Blood for him, and not only forgave His enemies, but even prayed His Heavenly Father to forgive them also. Let him remember that when he says the Pater Noster, every day, instead of asking pardon for his sins, he is calling down vengeance on himself.

Saint Philip Neri, pray that we serve God with joy and humility as you did.