St. Philip Neri said.....

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"When a man knows how to break down his own will and to deny his soul what it desires, he has got a good degree in virtue."

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When a man falls into any bodily infirmity, he must lie and think, and say, "God has sent me this sickness, because He wishes something of me; I must therefore make up my mind to change my life and become better."

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When a man has a tribulation sent him from God, and is impatient, we may say to him, "You are not worthy that God should visit you; you do not deserve so great a good."

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"Poverty and tribulations are given us by God as trials of our fidelity and virtue, as well as to enrich us with more real and lasting riches in heaven."

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"Scruples ought to be most carefully avoided, as they disquiet the mind, and make a man melancholy."

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"Let us throw ourselves into the arms of God, and be sure that if He wishes anything of us, He will make us good for all He desires us to do for Him."

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"Nothing helps a man more than prayer."

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"Idleness is a pestilence to a Christian man; we ought always therefore to be doing something, especially when we are alone in our rooms, lest the devil should come in and catch us idle."

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"We ought always to be afraid, and never put any confidence in ourselves; for the devil assaults us on a sudden, and darkens our understanding; and he who does not live in fear is overcome in a moment, because he has not the help of the Lord."

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"The great thing is to become saints."

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"In order to enter Paradise we must be well justified and well purified."

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"Let the young man look after the flesh, and the old man after avarice, and we shall all be saints together."

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"Where there is no great mortification there is no great sanctity."

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"The sanctity of a man lies in the breadth of three fingers (the forehead); that is to say, in mortifying the understanding, which would fain reason upon things."

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"He who really wishes to become a saint must never defend himself, except in a few rare cases, but always acknowledge himself in fault, even when what is alleged against him is untrue."