Big fires flare up in a wind, but little ones are blown out unless they are carried in under cover.
Saint Francis de SalesHe who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect.
Saint Francis de SalesThere is no better means of attainment to the spiritual life Than by continually beginning again.
Saint Francis de SalesThe enemy often tries to make us attempt and start many projects so that we will be overwhelmed with too many tasks, and therefore achieve nothing and leave everything unfinished. Sometimes he even suggests the wish to undertake some excellent work that he foresees we will never accomplish. This is to distract us from the prosecution of some less excellent work that we would have easily completed. He does not care how many plans and beginnings we make, provided nothing is finished.
Saint Francis de SalesMarital intercourse is certainly holy, lawful and praiseworthy in itself and profitable to society, yet in certain circumstances it can prove dangerous, as when through excess the soul is made sick with venial sin, or through the violation and perversion of its primary end, killed by mortal sin; such perversion, detestable in proportion to its departure from the true order, being always mortal sin, for it is never lawful to exclude the primary end of marriage which is the procreation of children.
Saint Francis de Sales