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A fun Lenten read

"There he [Frassati] took the scapular of the Third Dominican Order, assuming the name Fra Gerolamo, which was the first name of the Dominican martyr Savonarola. To anyone who greeted him with that name he replied: "May I imitate him in the struggle and in virtue."

Based Frassati. Savonarola was right.

"The temptation is to wish to be feared or loved by people for no reason other than the joy derived from such power, which is no joy at all. It is a wretched life, and vanity is repulsive."

This is what happens when you are out of town for book club... They pick a kid's book

"You alone are always present even to those who have taken themselves far from you. Let them turn and seek you, for you have not abandoned your creation as they have deserted their Creator...
Where was I when I was seeking for you? You were there before me, but I had departed from myself. I could not find myself, much less you."

"The closed heart does not shut out your eye, and your hand is not kept away by the hardness of humanity, but you melt that when you wish, either in mercy or in punishment, and there is 'none who can hide from your heat'. Let my soul praise you that it may love you, and confess to you your mercies that it may praise you. Your entire creation never ceases to praise you and is never silent."

"I sought an object for my love; I was in love with love, and I hated safety and a path free of snares. My hunger was internal, deprived of inward food, that is of you yourself, my God."

"...the end is what God had in view when he created it [the universe], and that - in case you are asking what is the end God has in view - is goodness... Plato says: 'What was the cause of God's creating the universe? He is good, and whoever is good can never be grudging with anything good; so he made it as good a world as it was in his power to make it.'"

"... there is no leprosy as foul as being in the state of mortal sin, for a soul taken up by mortal sin is akin to the Devil, and no leprosy could be as repulsive as that... keep in your heart a preference that any sickness should strike your body - whether leprosy or any other illness - rather than a mortal sin enter your soul." - St. Louis

"He's a slave.' But is that really to count against him? Show me a man who isn't a slave; one is a slave to sex, another to money, another to ambition; all are slaves to hope or fear."

"If thou perfectly overcome thyself thou shalt with more ease subdue all things else.
The perfect victory is to triumph over one's self. For he that keeps himself in subjection, so that his sensuality is subject to reason, and reason to Me [God], he is indeed a conqueror of himself, and lord of all the world."

"I gave the order thereupon to advance and occupy the highest part of the road. There was lively rifle-fire, some of the men fell, and Lieutenant Bartmer of the 2nd Company was severely wounded. Kius remained at my side and finished his piece of bread-and-butter as we went."

"It must be remembered that things will go better in eternity for the greatest sinners who have acknowledged their guilt, repented, and have a sincere intention to improve, than for those who in their entire lives have committed perhaps only a few mortal sins, have no concern about their venial sins and have no desire for self-improvement."