All creatures are balanced upon the creative word of God, as if upon a bridge of diamond; above them is the abyss of the divine infinitude, below them that of their own nothingness.
–Saint Philaret of Moscow (1782-1867)
Let everything in creation draw you to God. Refresh your mind with some innocent recreation and needful rest, if it were only to saunter through the garden or the fields, listening to the sermon preached by the flowers, the trees, the meadows, the sun, the sky, and the whole universe. You will find that they exhort you to love and praise God; that they excite you to extol the greatness of the Sovereign Architect Who has given them their being.
–Saint Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)
The sky and the earth and the waters and the things that are in them, the fishes, and the birds and the trees are not evil. All these are good; it is evil men who make this evil world.
–Saint Augustine (354-430)
Nothing that is not in itself evil is to be put away because abuse of it is possible: to do so would shut the way to a great increase of God’s glory.
–Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
For the good Creator made all things good and the Maker of the universe is one, Who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them. Of which whatever is granted to man for food and drink, is holy and clean after its kind. But if it is taken with immoderate greed, it is the excess that disgraces the eaters and drinkers, not the nature of the food or drink that defiles them. For all things, as the Apostle says, are clean to the clean. But to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is clean, but their mind and conscience is defiled.
–Saint Leo the Great (c. 400-461)
Every creature, whether it speaks or is silent, whether in Heaven or on Earth, gives glory to its Maker.
–Saint Basil the Great (329-379)
