There are many who want me to tell them of secret ways of becoming perfect and I can only tell them that the sole secret is a hearty love of God, and the only way of attaining that love is by loving. You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art.

If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently... And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.

Nothing is more like a wise man than a fool who holds his tongue.

We have freedom to do good or evil; yet to make choice of evil, is not to use, but to abuse our freedom.

All the science of the Saints is included in these two things: To do, and to suffer. And whoever had done these two things best, has made himself most saintly.

Nothing appeases an enraged elephant so much as the sight of a little lamb.

Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: Now I begin to love my God.