Spiritual Quote of the Day (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Consoling an Overwhelmed Widow)

“I can well believe…because of the many enemies and difficulties you meet with in God's service where you are, and also because of the enemy of human nature and his incessant temptations, you are feeling overwhelmed. For the love of God our lord, try to keep going forward.,,, For the love of our Lord let us make every effort in him, since we owe him so much.  For we tire of receiving his gifts much sooner than he tires of giving."—Jesuit founder St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), to Inez Pascual, Dec. 6, 1524 (his earliest extant letter), in Ignatius of Loyola: The Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works, edited by George E. Ganss, S.J. (1991)

The image accompanying this post is a painting of the great saint by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The painting is owned by the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif.

Quote of the Day (St. Ignatius of Loyola, on Desolation and Patience)

“Let him who is in desolation strive to remain in patience, a virtue contrary to the troubles which harass him; and let him think that he will shortly be consoled, using all endeavors against the desolation in the way explained in the sixth rule.”— St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), The Spiritual Exercises: Rules for the Discernment of Spirits (Fourth Edition Revised)

Quote of the Day (St. Ignatius of Loyola, on ‘The End for Which I Am Created’)

“In every good choice, as far as depends on us, our intention must be simple. I must consider only the end for which I am created, that is, for the praise of God our Lord and for the salvation of my soul. Hence, whatever I choose must help me to this end for which I am created.”— St. Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, translated by Anthony Mottola (1964)

Quote of the Day (St. Ignatius Loyola, on How to Serve God)

“It is not enough that I should serve God by myself: I must help the hearts of all to love him and the tongues of all to praise him.”—St. Ignatius Loyola, Thoughts of St. Ignatius  Loyola for Every Day of the Year, From the Scintillae Ignatianae compiled by Gabriel Hevenesi, S.J., Translated by Alan G. McDougall (2006)

Quote of the Day (St. Ignatius of Loyola, on Spiritual Progress)

“Let each one remember that we will make progress in all spiritual things only insofar as we rid ourselves of self-love, self-will, and self-interest.”—Attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Society of Jesus