Here are 20 quotes by St. Alphonsus Liguori, an 18th-century Italian bishop who was named a Doctor of the Church.
Enkindle Love for God
“If, therefore, we desire to burn with love towards God, let us love prayer; this is the blessed furnace in which this divine ardor is enkindled.”
The Heights of Calvary
“Oh, happy is he who is ever going during this life to the heights of Calvary!”
The Gold of Holy Love
“Purity of intention is called the heavenly alchemy by which iron is turned into gold; that is to say, the most trivial actions (such as to work, to take one’s meals, to take recreation or repose), when done for God, become the gold of holy Iove.”
Desire for Christ
“He that loves Jesus Christ desires nothing but Jesus Christ.”
The Fountains of Holy Virtues
“He therefore, that believes in Jesus Christ, and loves him, shall be enriched with so much grace, that from his heart (the heart, that is, the will), shall flow many fountains of holy virtues, which shall not only serve to preserve his own life, but also to give life to others.”
The Mark of All Our Actions
“Let us then take care always to place before our eyes the sole pleasure of God; let it be the only mark of all our actions, of all our thoughts, of all our affections, as the Lord has ordained.”
The Love of Christ Upon the Cross
“Before expiring, Jesus uttered these words: ‘It is finished.’ It is as if he had said: ‘O men, love me; I have done all that I can do in order to save your souls and gain your love. See the painful life that I have led during thirty-three years for love of you.’”
The Condition of the Saints on Earth and in Heaven
“The condition of the saints on earth is to suffer and to love; the condition of the saints in heaven is to enjoy and to love.”
Envy the Greater Lovers of Jesus Christ
“The Soul that loves Jesus Christ does not envy the Great Ones of this World, but only those who are Greater Lovers of Jesus Christ.”
Past Sins and Our Sanctification
“Even past sins can contribute to our sanctification, inasmuch as the recollection of them keeps us more humble, and more grateful, when we witness the favors which God lavishes upon us, after all our outrages against him.”
The Emptiness of Pride
“A proud person is like a balloon filled with air, which seems, indeed, great; but whose greatness, in reality, is nothing more than a little air; which, as soon as the balloon is opened, is quickly dispersed.”
