Be always displeased…
Be always displeased with what you are if you wish to be what you are not. Keep on adding, keep on walking, keep on progressing: do not delay on the road, do not go back, do not deviate.
–Saint Augustine (354-430)
If you fall, rise up…
should we fall, we should not despair and so estrange ourselves from the Lord’s love. For if He so chooses, He can deal mercifully with our weakness. Only we should not cut ourselves off from Him or feel oppressed when constrained by His commandments, nor should we lose heart when we fall short of our goal…let us always be ready to make a new start. If you fall, rise up. If you fall again, rise up again. Only do not abandon your Physician, lest you be condemned as worse than a suicide because of your despair. Wait on Him, and He will be merciful, either reforming you, or sending you trials, or through some other provision of which you are ignorant.
–Saint Peter of Damascus (d. 750)
Do not give up…
Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honor your patience.
–Saint John Climacus (c. 525-606)
Kingdom of heaven…
There is only one way leading upwards for all who see, lightened with heavenly light. But many and dark and contrary are the ways of those who see not. This way leads to the Kingdom of heaven, uniting man to God: but those ways bring down to death, separating man from God. Therefore it is necessary for you and for all who care for their own salvation to make your course unswerving, firm, and sure by means of faith.
–Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (late Second Century)
The will of God…
After knowing the will of God in regard to a work which we undertake, we should continue courageously, however difficult it may be. We should follow it to the end with as much constancy as the obstacles we encounter are great.
— Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
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