St. Philip Neri said.....

[Denise]

"In the spiritual life there are three degrees: the first may be called the animal life; this is the life of those who run after sensible devotion, which God generally gives to beginners, to allure them onwards by that sweetness to the spiritual life, just as an animal is drawn on by a sensible object."

[Denise]

"The second degree of the spiritual life may be called the human life; this is the life of those who do not experience any sensible sweetness, but by the help of virtue combat their own passions."

[Denise]

"The third degree of the spiritual life may be called the angelic life; this is the life which they come to, who, having been exercised for a long time in the taming of their own passions, receive from God a quiet, tranquil, and almost angelic life, even in this world, feeling no trouble or repugnance in anything."

[Denise]

"Of these three degrees of the spiritual life it is well to persevere in the second, because the Lord will grant the third in His own good time."

[Denise]

"We must not be too ready to trust young men who have great devotion; we must wait till their wings are grown, and then see what sort of a flight they make."

[Denise]

"Outward mortifications are a great help towards the acquisition of interior mortification and the other virtues."

[Denise]

"He who cannot put up with the loss of his honor, can never make any advance in spiritual things."

[Denise]

"It is generally better to give the body rather too much food than rather too little; for the too much can be easily subtracted, but when a man has injured his constitution by the too little, it is not so easy to get right again."

[Denise]

"The devil has a crafty custom of sometimes urging spiritual persons to penances and mortifications, in order that by going indiscreet lengths in this way, they may so weaken themselves as to be unable to attend to good works of greater importance; or be so intimidated by the sickliness they have brought upon themselves as to abandon their customary devotions, and at last turn their backs on the service of God."

[Denise]

"Those who pay a moderate attention to the mortification of their bodies, and direct their main intention to mortify the will and understanding, even in matters of the slightest moment, are more to be esteemed than they who give themselves up exclusively to corporal penances and macerations."

[Denise]

"We ought to desire to do great things for the service of God, and not content ourselves with a moderate goodness, but wish, if it were possible, to surpass in sanctity and love even St. Peter and St. Paul."

[Denise]

"Even though a man may be unable to attain such a height of sanctity, he ought to desire it, so as to do at least in desire what he cannot carry out in effect."

[Denise]

"Our Blessed Lady is the dispenser of all the favors which the goodness of God concedes to the Sons of Adam."

[Denise]

"In seeking for counsel it is necessary sometimes to hear what our inferiors think, and to recommend ourselves to their prayers."

[Denise]

"A man ought never to say one word in his own praise, however true it may be, no, not even in a joking way."