By a Parish Priest TAKEN FROM The Catholic Church the Teacher of Mankind Imprimatur, 1905 ON THE SERVICE OF GOD When nothing diverts my thoughts from God, my heart swims in an excess of over- flowing joy, in so much that I often forget my food and all earthly things; but it is an affliction to live amid the distraction of worldly conversation. -------- St. Paul, Hermit The true way to advance in virtue and give satisfaction is a holy cheerfulness. The cheerful are much easier to guide in the spiritual life than the melancholy. Excessive sadness seldom springs from any other source than pride. -------- St. Philip Let the whole face wear an air of cheerfulness rather than that of sorrow, or any other disorderly affection; and if anyone be disposed to gloominess and melancholy, he must strive by much virtue and docility to suppress and banish it, and study so much the more to show a pious cheerfulness. -------- St. Ignatius Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life; wherefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits. -------- St. Philip Neri The soul of one who serves God always swims in joy, always keeps holiday, is always in her palace of jubilation, ever singing with fresh ardor and fresh pleasure a new song of joy and love. -------- St. John of the Cross What a great right Jesus Christ has to our service, for the benefits with which He has loaded us! and how dear have these benefits cost Him! When He purposed to act according to His love, He seems, if we may so speak, to have forgotten He was God. -------- St. Ignatius Some negligence in serving a man might perhaps be excused, but in the service of God it ought not, at any price, to be endured. -------- St. Ignatius One act performed in dryness of spirit is worth more than several done in great sensible fervor. -------- St. Francis of Sales How many courtiers there are, who go into the presence of the King, a hundred times, not to speak to him, or to listen to him, but merely to be seen by him and to show by their assiduity that they are his servants. When, then, you come into the presence of Our Lord speak to Him, if you can; if you cannot, because you are spiritually hoarse, stay nevertheless, and make Him a reverence. -------- St. Francis of Sales We are made for this, that we may be good, and serve our Maker; when we act against His precepts, we act against Nature. -------- St. Paulinus The service of God is not a burden, but an honor: so far from branding us with the mark of slavery, it wipes it away. -------- St. Peter Chrysologus This is man's glory, to persevere and abide in the service of God. St. Irenaeus He is the Creator, thou art the creature; thou art the servant, He is the Lord; He is the Maker, thou art the vessel: therefore, to Him thou owest all thou hast, from whom thou hast received all, thy Sovereign Lord, who made thee, and made thee well. -------- St. Bernard To love God is to reign; he who desires to reign, let him adhere and be subject to God, the one Lord of all things; that soul is most free which is ruled by Him alone. St. Augustine There is no higher dignity than to serve Christ. -------- St. Ambrose O man! thou art pleased to have a faithful servant and yet thou wilt not be faithful to God: thou who hast a servant, remember that thou too hast a Lord. -------- St. Augustine Every creature, whether it will or not, is subject to the one God and Lord; but a warning is given to us, to serve the Lord with our whole will, because the just man serves Him willingly, but the unjust serves Him as a slave. -------- St. Augustine God can never command anything that is impossible, because He is just, nor will He damn any man for what he could not avoid, because He is merciful. -------- St. Augustine God does not command impossibilities, but when He commands anything, He admonishes thee to do what thou canst do, and to ask for what thou canst not do, and He helps thee to do it. Strengthen me, O Lord, that I may be able; give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt. -------- St. Augustine   VIEW THE BORDER IMAGE OF ST. AUGUSTINE LARGE E-MAIL HOME--------------SAINTS www.catholictradition.org/Saints/teachings5.htm