John Of The Cross Quotes & Sayings

God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform. — John Of The Cross

The centre of the soul is God; and, when the soul has attained to Him according to the whole capacity of its being, which is the strength and virtue of the soul, it will have reached the last and the deep centre of the soul, which will be when with all its powers it loves and understands and enjoys God. — John Of The Cross

The soul of one who serves God always swims in joy, always keeps holiday, is always in her palace of jubilation, ever singing with fresh ardor and fresh pleasure a new song of joy and love. — John Of The Cross

In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God. — John Of The Cross

Who teaches the soul if not God? — John Of The Cross

Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him. — John Of The Cross

If you lose an opportunity you will be like one who lets the bird fly away; you will never get it back. — John Of The Cross

They say, "God told me", or "God replied to me". And yet most of the time they are talking to themselves. — John Of The Cross

The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light — John Of The Cross

The divine awakening produces in the soul of the perfect a flame of love which is a participate of that living flame which is the Holy Spirit Himself ... this is the operation of the Holy Spirit in the soul that is transformed in love. — John Of The Cross

The soul that journey's to God, but doesn't shake off it's cares and quiet it's appetities, is like someone who drags a cart of dirt uphill. — John Of The Cross

See that you are not suddenly saddened by the adversities of this world, for you do not know the good they bring, being ordained in the judgments of God for the everlasting joy of the elect. — John Of The Cross

In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed. — John Of The Cross

Never listen to accounts of the frailty of others; and if anyone should complain to you of another, humbly ask him not to speak about him at all. — John Of The Cross

The conditions of a solitary bird are five: The first, that it flies to the highest point; The Second, that it does not suffer for company, not even of its own kind; The Third, that it aims its beak to the skies; The Fourth, that it does not have a definite color; The Fifth, that it sings very softly. — John Of The Cross

Where there is no love, pour love in, and you will draw love out. — John Of The Cross

God leads every soul by a separate path. — John Of The Cross

Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent. — John Of The Cross

The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the cross as his cane. In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things. — John Of The Cross

Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh ... — John Of The Cross

When a soul has advanced so far on the spiritual road as to be lost to all the natural methods of communing with God; when it seeks Him no longer by meditation, images, impressions, nor by any other created ways, or representations of sense, but only by rising above them all, in the joyful communion with Him by faith and love, then it may be said to have found God of a truth, because it has truly lost itself as to all that is not God, and also as to its own self. — John Of The Cross

Faith is the union of God and the soul. — John Of The Cross

Strive always to confess your sins with a deep knowledge of your own wretchedness and with clarity and purity. — John Of The Cross

He who avoids prayer is avoiding everything that is good. — John Of The Cross

Desolation is a file, and the endurance of darkness is preparation for great light. — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

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

However softly we speak, God is so close to us that he can hear us; nor do we need wings to go in search of him, but merely to seek solitude and contemplate him within ourselves, without being surprised to find such a good Guest there. — John Of The Cross

At the end of our life, we shall all be judged by charity. — John Of The Cross

In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction. — John Of The Cross

Beloved, all that is harsh and difficult I want for myself, and all that is gentle and sweet for thee. — John Of The Cross

Obedience is a penance of reason, and, on that account, a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances and mortifications. — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing. — John Of The Cross

However high be your endeavors, unless you renounce and subjugate your own will - unless you forget yourself and all that pertains to yourself - not one step will you advance on the road to perfection. — John Of The Cross

Live as though only God and yourself were in this world, so that your heart may not be detained by anything human. — John Of The Cross

Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved! — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired. — John Of The Cross

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 ... — John Of The Cross

Seek by reading and you will find by meditating. Knock by praying, and it will be opened to you in contemplation. — John Of The Cross

Let all find COMPASSION in YOU. — John Of The Cross

The eternal spring is hidden in this living bread for our life's sake, although it is night. It is here calling out to creatures; and they satisfy their thirst, although in darkness, because it is night. This living spring that I long for, I see in this bread of life, although it is night. — John Of The Cross

He who loves is not ashamed before men of what he does for God, neither does he hide it through shame though the whole world should condemn it. — John Of The Cross

It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others. — John Of The Cross

God passes through the thicket of the world, and wherever His glance falls He turns all things to beauty. — John Of The Cross

Not to follow the advice of our confessor is pride and a want of faith. — John Of The Cross

Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ. — John Of The Cross

Silence is God's first language. — John Of The Cross

Yearning: It needs to hurt in order to be worthy of the word. Otherwise it is just wanting. — John Of The Cross

To love is to be transformed into what we love. To love God is therefore to be transformed into God. — John Of The Cross

Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved. The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of Divine union. For whether it be a strong wire rope or a slender and delicate thread that holds the bird, it matters not, if it really holds it fast; for until the cord be broken, the bird cannot fly. — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

Do not let your "eye" be drawn by the false "beacon lamps" -of wealth, or position, or fame, or possessions. Be vigilant over your will and desires, for these are the corrupt forces that dwell within, and keep you from living free. — John Of The Cross

When there is no love, pour in love and you shall draw out love. — John Of The Cross

My sole occupation is love. — John Of The Cross

Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross. — John Of The Cross

God is a dark night to man in this life. — John Of The Cross

Seek in reading and thou shalt find in meditation; knock in prayer and it shall be opened in contemplation. — John Of The Cross

Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breastAnd 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 — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds. — John Of The Cross

The purest suffering bears and carries in its train the purest understanding. — John Of The Cross

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. — John Of The Cross

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

Abide in peace, banish cares, take no account of all that happens, and you will serve God according to his good pleasure and rest in him. — John Of The Cross

Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for you. — John Of The Cross

Let my soul live as if separated from my body. — John Of The Cross

My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on
You. — John Of The Cross