Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for February

For each day in February:

THE most perfect and meritorious intention is that by which, in all our actions, we have in view only the good pleasure of God and the accomplishment of His holy will.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Mary's sorrow was less when she saw her only Son crucified, than it is now at the sight of men offending Him by sin.—ST. IGNATIUS.

There is nothing more unreasonable than to estimate our worth by the opinion of others. Today they laud us to the skies, tomorrow they will cover us with ignominy.—VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.

Act as if every day were the last of your life, and each action the last you perform.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Perfection consists in renouncing ourselves, in carrying our cross, and in following Jesus Christ. Now, he who renounces himself most perfectly carries his cross the best and follows nearest to Jesus Christ is he who never does his own will, but always that of God.—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

That which would have easily been remedied at first, becomes incurable by time and habit—ST. IGNATIUS.

Among the gifts of grace which the soul receives in holy communion there is one that must be numbered among the highest. It is, that holy communion does not permit the soul to remain long in sin, nor to obstinately persevere in it.—ST. IGNATIUS.

Be assured that one great means to find favor when we appear before God is to have pardoned the injuries we have received here below.—VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.

Woe to him who neglects to recommend himself to Mary, and thus closes the channel of grace!—ST. ALPHONSUS.

It is folly to leave your goods where you can never return, and to send nothing to that place where you must remain for ever.—VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.

Discretion is necessary in spiritual life. It is its part to restrain the exercises in the way of perfection, so as to keep us between the two extremes.—ST. IGNATIUS.

By denying our self-love and our inclinations in little things, we gradually acquire mortification and victory over ourselves.—ST. TERESA.

Should we fall a thousand times in a day, a thousand times we must rise again, always animated with unbounded confidence in the infinite goodness of God.—VEN. LOUIS OF GRANADA.

God's way in dealing with those whom He intends to admit soonest after this life into the possession of His everlasting glory, is to purify them in this world by the greatest afflictions and trials.—ST. IGNATIUS.

After the flower comes the fruit: we receive, as the reward of our fatigues, an increase of grace in this world, and in the next the eternal vision of God.—BL. HENRY SUSO.

God refuses no one the gift of prayer. By it we obtain the help that we need to overcome disorderly desires and temptations of all kinds.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

To establish ourselves in a virtue it is necessary to form good and practical resolutions to perform certain and determined acts of that virtue, and we must, moreover, be faithful in executing them.—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

Love ought to consist of deeds more than of words.—ST. IGNATIUS.

There are many things which seem to us misfortunes and which we call such; but if we understood the designs of God we would call them graces.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Let us abandon everything to the merciful providence of God.—BL. ALBERT THE GREAT.

Jesus Christ, our great Model, suffered much for us; let us bear our afflictions cheerfully, seeing that through them we have the happiness of resembling Him.—BL. HENRY SUSO.

Remember that virtue is a very high and rugged mountain, difficult to ascend, and requiring much fatigue and exertion before we arrive at the summit to rest.—BL. HENRY SUSO.

Labor to conquer yourself. This victory will assure you a brighter crown in heaven than they gain whose disposition is more amiable.—ST. IGNATIUS.

We should not examine articles of faith with a curious and subtle spirit. It is sufficient for us to know that the Church proposes them. We can never be deceived in believing them.—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

We should guard against jealousy, and even the slightest sentiment thereof. This vice is absolutely opposed to a pure and sincere zeal for the glory of God, and is a certain proof of secret and subtle pride.— ST. VINCENT DE PAUL.

Charity requires us always to have compassion on human infirmity.—ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.

When one does not love prayer, it is morally impossible for him to resist his passions.—ST. ALPHONSUS.

Docility and easy acquiescence with good advice are the signs of a humble heart.—VEN. JULIENNE MOREL.

There is nothing richer, nothing surer, nothing more agreeable than a good conscience.—BL. BARTHOLOMEW OF MARTYRS.

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This is taken from Thoughts and Counsels of the Saints for Every Day of the Year.