QUOTATION: Taking Up the Cross

Whoever from deep within her noble and zealous heart wishes to take up the cross through Jesus Christ our savior who died on the field of battle in order to give us life, let her first take up the arms necessary for such battles and especially those which are treated next in order: first is diligence; second, distrust of self; third, confidence in God; fourth, memory of his passion; fifth, memory of one’s own death, sixth, memory of the glory of God; seventh and last, the authority of Holy Scripture as it gives the example of Christ Jesus in the desert.

--St. Catherine of Bologna, The Seven Spiritual Weapons

QUOTATION: Doing Too Much

When the enemy sees that he cannot impede the servant of Christ from doing good, he will seek to entice her with doing too much.

--St. Catherine of Bologna, The Seven Spiritual Weapons

QUOTATION: Adversity

To arrive at union with God, the contrarieties which God sends us are absolutely necessary; his purpose is, to consume in us, by means of them, all irregular movements, both within and without. And hence all contempt, ailments, poverty, temptations, and other trials, are all indispensable, to give us the opportunity of fighting; that so, by the way of victory, we may eventually extinguish all inordinate movements, so as to be no more sensible of them; furthermore, until we begin to find contradictions sweet for God's sake, instead of bitter, we shall never arrive at divine union.

--St. Catherine of Bologna

QUOTATION: Obedience

Obedience is, without a doubt, more meritorious than any austerity. And what greater austerity can be thought of than that of keeping one's will constantly submissive and obedient?

--St. Catherine of Bologna