This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Saint Bonaventure, born John of Fidanza Bonaventure
To know much and taste nothing-of what use is that?
Compassion | Endurance | Faith | Hope | Love | Perseverance | Salvation | Truth | Understanding |
Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone NULL
We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.
Saint John of the Cross, born Juan de Yepes Álvarez NULL
If formerly it sought sweetness and fervor, and found it, now it much neither seek it nor desire it, for not only will it be unable to find it through its own diligence, but it will rather find aridity, for it turns from the quiet and peaceful blessings which were secretly given it its spirit, to the work that it desires to do with sense; and thus it will lose one and not obtain the other, since no blessings are now given to it by means of sense as they were formerly… God secretly and quietly infuses into the soul loving knowledge and wisdom without any intervention of specific acts. And the soul has then to walk with loving advertence to God, without making specific acts, but conducting itself passively, and making no efforts of its own, but preserving this simple, pure and loving advertence. The soul must be attached to nothing – not even to any kind of meditation or sweetness. The spirit needs to be so free and so completely annihilated that any thought or meditation which the soul in this state might desire, or any pleasure to which it may conceive an attachment, would impede and disturb it and would introduce noise into the deep silence which it is meet that the soul should observe so that it may hear the deep and delicate voice of God which speaks to the heart in this secret place.
Experience | Faith | God | Humility | Love | Soul | Spirit | Words | Work | God | Value |
Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone NULL
In what then can you glory? For if you were so subtle and wise that you had all the knowledge and knew how to interpret all tongues and minutely investigate the heavenly bodies, in all these things you could not glory, for one demon knew more about the things of earth than all men together, even if there may have been someone who received from the Lord a special knowledge of the highest wisdom. Likewise, even if you were more handsome and richer than everyone else and even if you performed wonders such as driving out demons, all those things would be an obstacle to you and none of them would belong to you nor could you glory in any of these things.
Compassion | Men | Will |
Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone NULL
Listen, sons of the Lord and my brothers, pay attention to my words. Incline the ear of your heart and obey the voice of the Son of God. Observe His commands with your whole heart and fulfill His counsels with a perfect mind. Give praise to Him since He is good and exalt Him by your deeds (Tob. 13:6), for He has sent you into the entire world for this reason: that in word and deed you may give witness to His voice and bring everyone to know what there is no one who is all-powerful except Him. Preserve in disciple and holy obedience and with a firm and good purpose fulfill what you have promised to Him.
Saint Francis of Assisi, born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone NULL
Those who do not wish to taste how sweet the Lord is and love the darkness rather than the light (Jn. 3:19), not wishing to fulfill the commands of God, are cursed: of them the prophet says: They are cursed who stray from your commands (Ps. 118:21). But Oh, how happy and blessed are those who love God and do as the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 22:37, 39).
Fear | Humility | Little | Lord | Love | Peace | Pride | Prudence | Prudence | Religion | Reward | Spirit | Wisdom | Wishes | World |
The prophet shows that, for the sake of silence, we are to abstain even from good talk. If this be so, how much more needful is it that we refrain from evil words, on account of the penalty of the sin!
Humility |
It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due them. Unfortunately, they remain oblivious of what they owe to others.
Gentleness | Humility | Slander | Slander |
Saint Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, born Fernando Martins de Bulhões NULL
Just as the root feeds the tree, so humility feeds the soul. The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey, and whoever is fed by this sweetness produces fruit.
Saint Isaac of Nineveh, also Isaac the Syrian, Isaac of Qatar and Isaac Syrus NULL
What is so bitter and vehement as the torment of love? I mean, those who have become conscious that they have sinned against love suffer greater torment from this than from any fear of punishment. For the sorrow caused in the heart by sin against love is more poignant than any torment.
Compassion | Family | Harm | Heart | Mercy | Prayer | Receive | Sorrow | Tears |
Saint Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon, born Fernando Martins de Bulhões NULL
Solicitude for material things rends the soul; thus distracted, it divides it. The devil seizes the divided soul and thereby kills it.
Saint Isaac of Nineveh, also Isaac the Syrian, Isaac of Qatar and Isaac Syrus NULL
Not every quiet man is humble, but every humble man is quiet.
Humility | Man | Understanding |
Final and perfect happiness can consist in nothing else than the vision of the Divine Essence.
Compassion | Right |
If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since nothing violent is eternal. It follows, therefore, that the earth is not moved with a circular motion.
Compassion | Hope | Meaning | Thinking |
What a great favor God does to those He places in the company of good people!
Saint John of Kronstadt, fully John Il’ich Serguiev, aka Holy Father John of the Kronstadt NULL
God is nearer to us than any man at every time. He is nearer to me than my raiment, nearer than the air or light, nearer than my wife, father, mother, daughter, son, or friend. I live in Him, soul and body. I breathe in Him, think in Him, feel, consider, intend, speak, undertake, work in Him.
Humility | Impatience | Love | Malice | Pride |