Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending.

We cannot pass our guardian angel's bounds, resigned or sullen, he will hear our sighs.

God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.

Drunkenness is a flattering devil, a sweet poison, a pleasant sin, which whosoever hath, hath not himself, which whosoever doth commit, doth not commit sin, but he himself is wholly sin.

Be always displeased at what thou art, if thou desirest to attain to what thou art not.

Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.

For why, my brothers and sisters, would you rejoice in silver? Either your silver will perish, or you will, and no one knows which will perish first. For neither can you remain here always, nor can silver remain here always; so also with gold, wardrobes, houses, money, real estate-and in the end, even the light by which we enjoy all these things. So do not be willing then to rejoice in such things as these. Rejoice instead in the light that has no setting; rejoice in the dawn which no yesterday precedes, and no tomorrow follows.