“..Spiritual love… It is not happy unless it sees the loved one make progress… All that it desires or wants is to see the other soul rich with heavenly blessings…it asks God to give the other patience and merit in the trials…Spiritual love seems to be imitating that love

“There are a number of characteristics of spiritual love that Saints Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross indicate in their lives and teachings. "Spiritual love seems to be imitating that love which the good lover Jesus had for us" (Way 7.4). The first characteristic is that

“A second characteristic of spiritual love is that it is courageous. How so? When spiritual love is present, the person is able to correct his friend or be corrected by his friend without bad feelings. Many times, when we correct another, it is out of anger, superiority, or

“A third characteristic of spiritual love is that it is concrete in its expression and committed in action. Spiritual love goes much further than a love that is limited by sentimentalism. It shows itself in what a person is willing to do to help the other. There is a selfless

"You reign at the Father’s right hand In the kingdom of his eternal glory As God’s Word from the beginning. You reign on the Almighty’s throne Also in transfigured human form, Ever since the completion of your work on earth.” (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross - Edith Stein-

“Born in 1891 into a Jewish family in Breslau, Germany, Edith Stein was raised in a deeply religious environment. However, she abandoned the faith of her youth, and lived exploring and searching for the truth. This led her to study of phenomenology under the renowned Dr. Edmund

"Things were in God's plan which I had not planned at all. I am coming to the living faith and conviction that - from God's point of view - there is no chance and that the whole of my life, down to every detail, has been mapped out in God's divine providence and makes complete

“All praise of God is through, with, and in Christ. Through him, because only through Christ does humanity have access to the Father and because his existence as God-man and his work of salvation are the fullest glorification of the Father; with him, because all authentic

“The Saviour, knowing that we are and continue to be men who have daily to struggle with our weakness, aids our humanity in a manner truly divine. Just as our earthly body requires daily bread, so the divine life in us must be fed continually. This is the living bread which has

“On her feastday, while I was going to Communion, St. Clare appeared to me with striking beauty. She told me to take courage and to continue on with what I had begun, that she would help me. I became very devoted to her; and what she said has indeed come true, for a nearby

“Mary's Assumption shows us the route we must follow in our spiritual ascent: detachment from the earth, flight toward God, and union with God.” (Divine Intimacy. Father Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.)

“Our Lady was assumed body and soul into heaven because she was Immaculate; she was all-pure— free not only from every shadow of sin, but even from the slightest attachment to the things of earth, so that she "never had the form of any creature imprinted in her soul, nor was

“The Feast of the Assumption is a strong appeal to us to live ‘ever intent upon heavenly things,’ and not to allow ourselves to be carried away by the vicissitudes and seductions of the world. Not only was our soul created for heaven, but also our body, which, after the

“One day, the feast of the Assumption of our Lady, Queen of Angels, the Lord desired to grant me the following favor; in a rapture He showed me her ascent to heaven, the happiness and solemnity with which she was received, and the place where she is. I wouldn't be able to

“A reminder: Saint Teresa presents the three necessary things love for one another, detachment from all created things, and true humility-so that we can pray as we are made to pray. To pray means to be a friend of the Lord. To pray well is to be His good friend.” (Reflections

“Detachment, for those who wish to have this friendship, is the necessary step to be able to focus our mind, heart, and soul on the Lord. The process of detachment is not due to a problem with the things of the world. The challenge is the re-education of the very self to be

“A great aid to going against your will is to bear in mind continually how all is vanity and how quickly everything comes to an end. This helps to remove our attachment to trivia and center it on what will never end. Even though this practice seems to be a weak means, it will

“When we begin to become attached to something, we should strive to turn our thoughts from it and bring them back to God — and His Majesty helps.” (St.Teresa of Jesus. The Way of Perfection. Chap. 10.2)

“If you do not lose the habit of speaking and complaining about everything — unless you do so to God - you will never finish your lamenting.” (St.Teresa of Jesus. The Way of Perfection. Chap. 11.2)

“…learn how to suffer a little for love of God. without having everyone know about it!” (St. Teresa of Jesus. The Way of Perfection. Chap. 11:3)