All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.

It will be as well, I think, to explain these locutions of God, and to describe what the soul feels when it receives them.

Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.

A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord's pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.

Lord, how Thou dost afflict Thy lovers!

A slight failing in one virtue is enough to put all the others to sleep.

Our greatest gain is to lose the wealth that is of such brief duration and, by comparison with eternal things, of such little worth; yet we get upset about it and our gain turns to loss.