Short Quotes

 

“Well, then, my Lord”, says James of Zebedee, “what has happened to my brother? You are speaking of him. He is the boy who works miracles! Is that it? Is it so?”

“What has he done? He turned a page of the book of Life, and he read and learned new mysteries. Nothing else. He preceded you, because he does not stop to consider every obstacle, to weigh every difficulty, to work out every profit. He no longer sees the earth. He sees the Light, and goes to it. Without stopping.”

– Jesus, on John

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“…Their victory will last as long as the grass of a meadow. It will come up quickly, but it will soon be dry and trodden on by the foot of indifferent passers-by. Whereas good behavior and honest life seem to find it hard to grow and assert themselves. But once they are perfected as habits of life they become strong leafy trees, which no hurricane can uproot or dog-days parch. Really, he who is faithful to the Law, truly faithful, becomes a strong tree, which is not bent by passions nor burnt by Satan’s fire.”

– Jesus, encouraging us all

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“A messenger came. One who would not tell lies.”

– Mary, after sharing the news of Elizabeth’s pregnancy learned during the Annunciation, in reply to Joseph’s “At her age?! Is the news certain?”

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“Peter, listen. What you say is sensible and fair. But, see: It is better to exceed in bounty and trust rather than exceed in distrust and hardness. If you help an undeserving person, what harm will befall you?”

– Jesus, to Peter

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“And do you think that could make Me unhappy? Oh! If all the world came to Me to listen to Me, to bewail its sins and sorrow on My heart, to be healed in its bodies and souls and I were worn out speaking, and forgiving and pouring forth My power, I would be so happy, Peter, that I would not even regret Heaven, where I was in the Father!”

– Jesus, in response to Peter’s turning people away to give Him a rest

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“Love. I say nothing else. Do not always be of Cain’s blood. And why are you so? For the sake of a few coins, you might have become murderers. For a few palms of land. For a better position. For a woman. What are such things? Are they eternal? No. They last less than a lifetime, which lasts an instant of eternity. And what do you lose if you follow them? The eternal peace promised to the just… Love one another. Be honest. Be moderate. Be humble and fair. Go and meditate.”

– Jesus, after breaking up a knife fight

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Isaac, in fact, has fallen back as if he were dying. But he comes round: “Where is He? What is He like? Oh! If I could see Him!”

“He is down in the valley. He sent me to say to you exactly this: ‘Come, Isaac, because I want to see you and bless you.’ I’ll call someone now to help me take you down.”

“Is that what He said?”

“Yes, it is. But what are you doing?”

“I’m going.”

One of the first shepherds, Isaac, long paralyzed, as he throws away his blankets and begins walking, on to see Jesus for the first time in thirty years

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The Visions of Maria Valtorta