Top 83 Quotes & Sayings by John of the Cross - Page 2

In search of my Love I will go over mountains and strands; I will gather no flowers, I will fear no wild beasts; And pass by the mighty and the frontiers.

Not to follow the advice of our confessor is pride and a want of faith.

All the powers of soul and body,memory, understanding, and will, interior and exterior senses, thedesires of spirit and of sense, all workin and by love.

God is a dark night to man in this life.

I have said this to explain the stanza that follows, in which the soul replies to those who call in question its holy tranquillity, who will have it wholly occupied with outward duties, that its light may shine before the world: these persons have no conception of the fibres and the unseen root whence the sap is drawn, and which nourish the fruit.

The eternal tide flows hid in Living Bread. That with its Heavenly Life too be fed.

The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a long lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter.

The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light

Seek in reading and thou shalt find in meditation; knock in prayer and it shall be opened in contemplation.

Never relax, for you will not attain to the possession of true spiritual delights if first you do not learn to deny your every desire.

Who teaches the soul if not God?

He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again.

Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh.

He who loses an opportunity is like the man who lets a bird fly from his hand, for he will never recover it.

At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.

Let all find COMPASSION in YOU.

If it were given to a man to see virtue's reward in the next world, he would occupy his intellect, memory and will in nothing but good works, careless of danger or fatigue.

Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast And by a lantern bright I fled my house while all in quiet rest. Shrouded by the night and by the secret stair I quickly fled. The veil concealed my eyes while all within lay quiet as the dead.

When there is no love, pour in love and you shall draw out love.

Let my soul live as if separated from my body.

For true devotion must issue from the heart, and consist in the truth and substances alone of what is represented by spiritual things; all the rest is affection and attachment proceeding from imperfection; and in order that one may pass to any kind of perfection it is necessary for such desires to be killed.

Though the path is plain and smooth for men of good will, he who walks it will not travel far, and will do so only with difficulty, if he does not have good feet: that is, courage and a persevering spirit.

Beloved, all that is harsh and difficult I want for myself, and all that is gentle and sweet for thee.