Temptation (Share ENCOURAGING quotes)

[littlestsouls]

Hi everyone,

(Feel free to skip the first two paragraphs.)

**Firstly, for matters of prudence, this will be my last post on CAF. My vain (and possibly sinful) curiosity tempts me to read many things that merely distract me from the love of God; things which the Devil would especially love to use against me in order to provoke excessive speculation; or to arouse a clouded conception or God; or to excite an imbalanced devotion “… without the least regard to our[/my] own weakness” (Taken from ‘The Spiritual Combat’).

Scrupulous readers are perhaps the most affected by this temptation to satisfy their (potentially) sinful curiosity (as I know from past experiences). The fruit is often more thought and less love. I already spend too much time in useless philosophical speculation and ramblings! (haha). Subsequently, I have decided to remove the temptation and devote more time to spiritual reading and meditation, which is more conducive to my spiritual growth. I pray that you will all grow in the love of God. May God bless you all.**

Here is a collection of quotes that I have either typed up or collected over a long period of time. I hope (and strongly believe) that they will be of profit to you. Please feel free to share any other helpful quotes that you might have.

“If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity.” - St. Ignatius Loyola

“Everything comes from love; all is ordained for the salvation of man. God does nothing without this goal in mind.” - St. Catherine of Siena

“Don’t let temptations frighten you; they are the trials of the souls whom God wants to test when he sees they have the necessary strength to sustain the struggle, thus weaving the crown of glory with their own hands.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase.” - St. Rose of Lima

“Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife.” - St. Leo the Great

“When God intends to grant a man any particular virtue, it is His way to let him be tempted to the opposite vice.” - St. Philip Neri (The same saint says that, when tempted, we must immediately have recourse to prayer).

“Jesus offers you the cross, a very heavy cross, and you are afraid of not being able to carry it without giving way. Why? Our Beloved Himself fell three times on the way to Calvary, and why should we not imitate Him?” - St. Therese

“Bear in mind that the more the enemy assaults you, the closer God is to your soul. Think about, and penetrate this great and comforting truth.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“It is by battle against temptations that we give God fruits of our love.” -St. John Vianney

“Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices.” – St. Teresa of Avila

“It is the nature of our enemy to become powerless, lose courage, and take to flight as soon as a person who is following the spiritual life stands courageously against his temptations and does exactly the opposite of what he suggests.” - Saint Ignatius of Loyola

“When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him; He trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.” – St. John Bosco

“I do not reward for good results but for the patience and hardship undergone for My sake." - Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“You have wounded Me both by word and deed; still I wish to do you good and to let you share all My treasures.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“They [souls] have not understood My Heart. For it is their very destitution and failings that incline My goodness toward them. And when acknowledging their helplessness and weakness, they humble themselves and have recourse to Me trustfully, then indeed they give me more glory than before their fault.” – Jesus to Sr. Josefa Menendez

“Believe Me, it is with trials that I send My greatest graces.” - Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

“It is not when everything is going well that you love Me. It is when everything is going wrong, and in spite of it your soul remains united to Me, peaceful, occupied only in diffusing a good spirit.” - Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

 

[littlestsouls]

…

“One opportunity of forgiving, of overcoming evil by good, is a great present on My part.” - Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

“A little effort and pain, then such a great reward- and already her below the reward of seeing love, generosity, and the Faith spread irresistibly, like a spot of oil.” - Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

“See, My little daughter, I really have to send trials to those whom I love in order to wrench them out of the network of habits or errors wherein you run the risk of burying yourself. ‘The disciples are not above the Master’: it is by the Cross that I saved the world.” - Jesus to Sr. Mary of the Trinity

“If you invoke the Blessed Virgin when you are tempted, she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you.”
–St. John Vianney

“There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials.” - Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

“The more you are tempted, the more I will love you.” - St. Francis of Assisi to one of his Brothers

“On the same day (as St. Gertrude’s temptation to abstain from Holy Communion) another person abstained from Communion without any reasonable cause. She said to her Lord: “Most merciful God, why have you permitted her to be thus tempted?” “What can I do for her,” He replied, “since she herself has so covered her eyes with the veil of her unworthiness, that she cannot possibly see the tenderness of My paternal Heart?”

Jesus to St. Gertrude: “Do not be grieved, My daughter, for I have permitted this (temptation) to happen for your eternal welfare, that I may oftener enjoy your company and conversation, in which I take so much pleasure. And even as a mother who has a little child whom she loves specially, and therefore desires to have always with her, places something that will alarm her, and oblige her to come back into her arms, when she has strayed from her, so also, desiring to have you always near Me, I permit your friends to contradict you in some things, that you may find no true fidelity in any creature, and therefore have recourse to Me with all the more eagerness, because you know that I possess the plenitude and stability of all contentment.”
After this, it seemed to her as if our Lord placed her in His bosom like a little child, and there caressed her in many ways; and, approaching His adorable Lips to her ears, He whispered to her: “As a tender mother soothes the troubles of her little one by her kisses and embraces, so do I desire to soothe all your pain and grief by the sweet murmur of My loving words.” After the Saint had enjoyed these and many other consolations for some time, our Lord offered her His Heart, and said to her: “Contemplate now, My beloved, the hidden secrets of My Heart, and consider attentively with what fidelity I have ordered all that you have ever desired of Me for your benefit and the salvation of your soul; and see if you can accuse Me of unfaithfulness to you, even by a single word.” When she had done this, she beheld our Lord crowning her with a wreath of flowers, more radiant than gold, as a reward for the trial of which we have just spoken.”

“Although we do not feel confidence in God, we must not fail to make acts of hope. Distrust of ourselves and of our own strength should be accompanied by humility and faith, which obtain the grace of confidence in God. The more unfortunate we are, the more we should have confidence in Him who sees our state, and who can come to our assistance. No one trusts in God without reaping the fruits of his hope. The soul should remain tranquil and rely on Him who can give the increase to what as been sown and planted. We must not cease to labor, but in toiling we must trust in God for the success of our works.” - St. Francis de Sales

“Be grateful for trials and tribulations! When all is going well, we forget God; only in adversity do we seek Him for comfort.” - St. Francis de Sales

“The trials that seem to defy our hope and ruin the very foundations of all patience are meant, by the Spirit of God, to make our hope more and more perfect, basing it entirely in God, removing every visible support that can be found in this world. For a hope that rests on temporal power or temporal happiness is not theological. It is merely human, and has no supernatural strength to give us.” - Father Thomas Merton, OCSO

“It is not new to fall; what is wrong is to lie down after you have fallen. Remember where you stood before you fell. The devil once mocked you, but now he will know that you can rise stronger than ever before… Do not draw back from the mercy of God.” - St. Abraham Kidunaia

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.” - 1 Peter 4:12-13

 

[littlestsouls]

…

“The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of the trial and in the exaltation after the combat.” - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“In the spiritual life there are two great principles which should never be forgotten: Without grace we can do nothing (John 15:5); with it we can do all things (Philippians 4:13).” - Vital Lehodey (His classic book ‘The Ways of Mental Prayer’ is extremely helpful. It contains much helpful advice that we would “… otherwise have to seek for in twenty different books.” A treasure trove of wisdom and insights for the benefit of our salvation. It was also highly praised by St. Pope Pius X. A definite bargain!)

I have many other such quotes on my site if you wish to see them. I intend to post something soon ('Overcoming Despondency and Discouragement part 2) that I have personally found to be the most consoling and encouraging spiritual doctrine.

Again, God bless!

 

[goforgoal]

Sorry to hear you are leaving CAF.

May God reward you for all that you do.

God bless,

goforgoal

 

[Rocky24]

“Absolutely every person, no matter how enmeshed in vice, ensnared by the allurements of pleasure, a captive in exile… fixed in mire… distracted by business, afflicted with sorrow… and counted with those who go down into hell—every soul, I say, standing thus under condemnation and without hope, has the power to turn and find it can not only breath the fresh air of the hope of pardon and mercy, but also dare to aspire to the nuptials of the Word.” - St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“An act of renunciation is an act of union with God. The Divine Master looks lovingly upon a person who gains a victory over self.” - St. Madeleine Sophie Barat