Great Throughts Treasury

"Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the sons of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace is the mother of unity. Peace is the rest of blessed souls. Peace is the dwelling place of eternity."

"Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife."

"Invisible in His own nature [God] became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, He chose to come within our grasp."

"There is for all one common measure of joy, because as our Lord the destroyer of sin and death finds none free from charge, so is He come to free us all."

"It is equally dangerous not to have what we want at all, and to have it in the fullest measure. There is a trap in the fullness of riches, a trap in the straits of poverty. The one lifts us up in pride, the other incites us to complaint. Health tries us, sickness tries us, so long as the one fosters carelessness and the other sadness. There is a snare in security, a snare in fear; and it matters not whether the mind which is given over to earthly thoughts, is taken up with pleasures or with cares; for it is equally unhealthy to languish under empty delights, or to labor under racking anxiety."

"No one draws closer to a knowledge of the truth than he who has advanced far in the knowledge of divine things, and yet knows that something always remains for him to seek."

"Short and fleeting are the joys of this world's pleasures which endeavors to turn aside from the path of life those who are called to eternity. The faithful and religious spirit, therefore, must desire the things which are heavenly, and being eager for the Divine promises, lift itself to the love of the incorruptible Good and the hope of the true Light."

"There is for all one common measure of joy, because as our Lord the destroyer of sin and death finds none free from charge, so is He come to free us all."

"The integral and true Faith is a great bulwark to which nothing can be added or taken from by anyone; if the Faith is not single, it does not exist at all."

"Truly foreign to this nativity is that which we read of all others, no one is clean from stain, not even the infant who has lived but one day upon earth. Nothing therefore of the lust of the flesh has passed into that peerless nativity, nothing of the law of sin has entered."

"Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife."

"Word in our flesh, Wisdom in infancy, Power in weakness, and in true Man, the Lord of Majesty."

"Not only our memory but somehow our eyes as well contemplate the conversation between the angel Gabriel and the wondering Mary; likewise the conception by the Holy Spirit is wonderful both in its promise and in the faith that received it."

"Everyone can trust and believe in God and meet their challenges as Leo by living out their faith by earnestly following the guidelines of doctrines, dogmas and ethical principles. When we follow our conscience, coupled with the sincere, charitable efforts toward all in a high moral manner, God will enlighten and guide us. The establishing and the formulation of Church writings and traditions were done through the industrious efforts of Leo and Catholic leadership acted out down through the centuries. The beginning Church paid a great price to lay the foundation of our religion and faith. We might acknowledge Leo and others like him for their significant contributions especially the labors of those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith including our parents and relatives. "