St. Philip Neri said.....

[Denise]

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

[Denise]

"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."

[Denise]

"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."

[Denise]

"What we know of the virtues of the saints is the least part of them."

[Denise]

"The relics of the saints ought to be venerated, and we may laudably keep them in our room; but it is not well, unless for some grave occasion, to wear them on our persons, because it will often happen then that they are not treated with all the respect which is becoming."

[Denise]

"The old patriarchs possessed riches, and had wives and children, but they lived without defiling their affections with these things, although they possessed them, because they only allowed themselves the use of them, and were ready to abandon them in whatever way the Majesty of God might require of them."

[Denise]

"We ought to pray God importunately to increase in us every day the light and heat of his goodness."

[Denise]

"It is an old custom with the servants of God always to have some little prayers ready, and to be darting them up to heaven frequently during the day, lifting their minds to God from out of the filth of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruit with little pains."

[Denise]

"Tribulations, if we bear them patiently for the love of God, appear bitter at first, but they grow sweet, when one gets accustomed to the taste."

[Denise]

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 favors and spiritual feelings coming upon him with such vehemence, that he is forced to cry out, “Lord! let me be quiet!”

[Denise]

"But a man ought not to seek for these sweetnesses and sensible devotions forcibly, for he will be easily deluded by the devil, and will run a risk of injuring his health."

[Denise]

"When the soul lies resignedly in the hands of God, and is contented with the divine pleasure, it is in good hands, and has the best security that good will happen to it."

[Denise]

"To be entirely conformed and resigned to the Divine Will, is truly a road in which we cannot get wrong, and is the only road which leads us to taste and enjoy that peace which sensual and earthly men know nothing of."

[Denise]

"Resignation is all in all to the sick man; he ought to say to God: 'Lord, if You want me, here I am, although I have never done any good; do with me what You will.' "

[Denise]

"Never make a noise of any sort in church, except for the greatest necessity."