“If we would completely rejoice the heart of God, let us strive in all things to conform ourselves to His divine will. Let us not only strive to conform ourselves, but also to unite ourselves to whatever dispositions God makes of us.Conformity signifies that we join our wills to the will of God. Uniformity means more. Uniformity means that we make one will of God's will and our will. In this way we will only what God wills. God's will alone is our will. ” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“The heart of man will never find true peace, if it does not empty itself of all that is not God, so as to free itself all free for His love, that He alone may possess the
whole of it. But this the soul cannot do of itself; it must obtain it of God by repeated prayers.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Behold how the stream flows to the sea, and the flowing waters will return no more; thus, my brother, do your days pass away, and you approach to death; pleasures pass, amusements pass, pomp, praises, acclamations pass; and what remains?” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Withdraw yourself from people and spend at least an quarter of an hour, or a half-hour, in some church in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Taste and see how sweet is the Lord, and you will learn from your own experience how many graces this will bring you.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Remember that He permits every thing for your good, and do not lose confidence:” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“When we hear people talk of riches, honors and amusements of the world, let us remember that all things have an end, and let us then say: 'My God, I wish for You alone and nothing more.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“In short, so great is God's love for you that He seems to love no one but you. And therefore, you should love no one but Him.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
More quotes from San Alfonso in goodreads “The heart of man will never find true peace, if it does not empty itself of all that is not God, so as to free itself all free for His love, that He alone may possess the
whole of it. But this the soul cannot do of itself; it must obtain it of God by repeated prayers.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Behold how the stream flows to the sea, and the flowing waters will return no more; thus, my brother, do your days pass away, and you approach to death; pleasures pass, amusements pass, pomp, praises, acclamations pass; and what remains?” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Withdraw yourself from people and spend at least an quarter of an hour, or a half-hour, in some church in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Taste and see how sweet is the Lord, and you will learn from your own experience how many graces this will bring you.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“Remember that He permits every thing for your good, and do not lose confidence:” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“When we hear people talk of riches, honors and amusements of the world, let us remember that all things have an end, and let us then say: 'My God, I wish for You alone and nothing more.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
“In short, so great is God's love for you that He seems to love no one but you. And therefore, you should love no one but Him.” Sant' Alfonso Maria de' Liguori
Do you think you could not save your soul if you had to die without a priest, and your conscience full of mortal sins?
Read this story from The Glories of Mary by Sant' Alfonso, Chapter 1, end of Section 1
Example
We read in the life of sister Catherine, an Augustinian nun, that in the place where that servant of God lived, there lived also a woman named Mary, who, in her youth, was a sinner, and obstinately persevered in her evil courses, even to extreme old age. For this she was banished by her fellow-citizens, forced to live in a cave beyond the limits of the place, and died in a state of loathsome corruption, abandoned by all, and without the sacraments; and on this account was buried in a field, like a beast. Now sister Catherine, who was accustomed to recommend very affectionately to God the souls of those who had departed this life, after learning the miserable death of this poor old woman, did not think of praying for her, as she and every one else believed her already among the damned. Four years having past, a soul from purgatory one day appeared to her, and said, "Sister Catherine, how unhappy is my fate! you commend to God the souls of all those who die, and for my soul alone you have had no pity."
"And who are you?" said the servant of God. "I am," answered she, "that poor Mary who died in the cave." "How! are you saved?" exclaimed sister Catherine. "Yes, I am saved," she said, "by the mercy of the Virgin Mary.
"And how? "When I saw death drawing near, finding myself laden with sins, and abandoned by all, I turned to the mother of God and said to her, Lady, thou art the refuge of the abandoned, behold me at this hour deserted by all; thou art my only hope, thou alone canst help me; have pity on me. The Holy Virgin obtained for me the grace of making an act of contrition; I died and am saved, and my queen has also obtained for me the grace that my pains should be abridged, and that I should, by suffering intensely for a short time, pass through that purification which otherwise would have lasted many years. A few masses only are needed to obtain my release from purgatory. I pray thee cause them to be offered for me, and I promise to pray God and Mary for thee." Sister Catherine immediately caused those masses to be said for her, and that soul, after a few days, appeared to her again, more brilliant than the sun, and said to her, "I thank thee, sister Catherine: behold I am now going to paradise to sing the mercy of God and pray for thee."
The Glories of MaryRead this story from The Glories of Mary by Sant' Alfonso, Chapter 1, end of Section 1
Example
We read in the life of sister Catherine, an Augustinian nun, that in the place where that servant of God lived, there lived also a woman named Mary, who, in her youth, was a sinner, and obstinately persevered in her evil courses, even to extreme old age. For this she was banished by her fellow-citizens, forced to live in a cave beyond the limits of the place, and died in a state of loathsome corruption, abandoned by all, and without the sacraments; and on this account was buried in a field, like a beast. Now sister Catherine, who was accustomed to recommend very affectionately to God the souls of those who had departed this life, after learning the miserable death of this poor old woman, did not think of praying for her, as she and every one else believed her already among the damned. Four years having past, a soul from purgatory one day appeared to her, and said, "Sister Catherine, how unhappy is my fate! you commend to God the souls of all those who die, and for my soul alone you have had no pity."
"And who are you?" said the servant of God. "I am," answered she, "that poor Mary who died in the cave." "How! are you saved?" exclaimed sister Catherine. "Yes, I am saved," she said, "by the mercy of the Virgin Mary.
"And how? "When I saw death drawing near, finding myself laden with sins, and abandoned by all, I turned to the mother of God and said to her, Lady, thou art the refuge of the abandoned, behold me at this hour deserted by all; thou art my only hope, thou alone canst help me; have pity on me. The Holy Virgin obtained for me the grace of making an act of contrition; I died and am saved, and my queen has also obtained for me the grace that my pains should be abridged, and that I should, by suffering intensely for a short time, pass through that purification which otherwise would have lasted many years. A few masses only are needed to obtain my release from purgatory. I pray thee cause them to be offered for me, and I promise to pray God and Mary for thee." Sister Catherine immediately caused those masses to be said for her, and that soul, after a few days, appeared to her again, more brilliant than the sun, and said to her, "I thank thee, sister Catherine: behold I am now going to paradise to sing the mercy of God and pray for thee."
Are you needing courage and motivation to practice the catholic faith? No bother. Read Victories of the martyrs, by Sant' Alfonso.
To imitate San Alfonso Maria de Liguori today, Redemptorist Priests C.Ss.R would have to follow his Redemptorist Rule, and his book "The true Redemptorist", and at last, to offer holy mass and the Breviary as he himself did.
Know how much Jesus Christ loves you personally and how much He suffered in His Passion for the love of you.
