What is the appropriate time for performing works of charity? My beloved children, any time is the right time, but these days of Lent provide a special encouragement. Those who want to be present at the Lord’s Passover in holiness of mind and body should seek above all to win this grace. Charity contains all other virtues and covers a multitude of sins.
–Saint Leo the Great (c. 400-461)
So the faithful should look into themselves and carefully examine their minds and the impulses of their hearts. If they find some of the fruits of love stored in their hearts then they must not doubt God’s presence within them, but to make themselves more and more able to receive so great a guest they should do more and more works of durable mercy and kindness. After all, if God is love, charity should know no limit, for God himself cannot be confined within limits.
–Saint Leo the Great (c. 400-461)
Let us have charity and humility, and give alms, for almsgiving cleanses our souls from the filth of sin. At death we lose all that we have in this world, but we take with us charity and the alms-deeds we have done, and for these we shall receive a great reward from God.
–Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)
When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.
–Saint Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
We are all containers; sometimes of the Light, sometimes of the Dark.
–Gabriela Papayannis (1897-1992)
True virtue has no limits, but goes on and on, and especially holy charity, which is the virtue of virtues, and which having a definite object, would become infinite if it could meet with a heart capable of infinity. –Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
