St. Philip Neri said.....

[Denise]

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

[Denise]

"A man should not ask tribulations of God, presuming on his being able to bear them; there should be the greatest possible caution in this matter, for he who bears what God sends him daily does not do a small thing."

[Denise]

"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."

[Denise]

"Let us think of Mary, for she is that unspeakable virgin, that glorious lady, who conceived and brought forth, without detriment to her virginity, Him whom the width of the heavens cannot contain within itself."

[Denise]

"The true servant of God acknowledges no other country but heaven."

[Denise]

"When God infuses extraordinary sweetnesses into the soul, a man ought to prepare for some serious tribulation or temptation."

This is very true but it also happens the other way around too.

[Denise]

"When we have these extraordinary sweetnesses, we ought to ask of God fortitude to bear whatever He may please to send us, and then to stand very much upon our guard, because there is danger of sin behind."

[Denise]

"One of the most excellent means of obtaining perseverance is discretion; we must not wish to do everything at once, or become a saint in four days."

[Denise]

"In our clothes we ought, like St. Bernard, to love poverty, but not filthiness."

[Denise]

"He who wishes to advance in spirituality, should never slur over his defects negligently without particular examination of conscience, even independent of the time of sacramental confession."

[Denise]

"A man should not so attach himself to the means as to forget the end; neither must we give ourselves so much to mortify the flesh as to forget to mortify the brain, which is the chief thing after all."

[Denise]

"We ought to desire the virtues of prelates, cardinals, and popes, but not their dignities."

[Denise]

"The skin of self-love is fastened strongly on our hearts, and it hurts us to flay it off, and the more we get down to the quick, the more keen and difficult it is."

[Denise]

"This first step, which we ought to have taken of ourselves already, we have always in our mind, yet never put it in execution."

[Denise]

"A man ought to set about putting his good resolutions in practice, and not change them lightly."