There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life, than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking.
Philip NeriBelieve me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God's grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin.
Philip NeriWe 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.
Philip Neri