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Now that I no longer desire all, I have it all without desire.

John of the Cross

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John of the Cross
Age: 49 †
Born: 1542
Born: June 24
Died: 1591
Died: December 14
Carmelite Friar
Catholic Priest
Poet
Saint
Writer
Saint John of the Cross
Juan de la Cruz
Desire
Without
Longer

More quotes by John of the Cross

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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
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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
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To reach satisfaction in all desire its possession in nothing, To come to the knowledge of all desire the knowledge of nothing. To come to possess all desire the possession of nothing. To arrive at being all desire to be nothing.
John of the Cross
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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
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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
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Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction.
John of the Cross
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If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.
John of the Cross
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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
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Desolation is a file, and the endurance of darkness is preparation for great light.
John of the Cross
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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
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Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh.
John of the Cross
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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
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In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed.
John of the Cross
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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
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My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You.
John of the Cross
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Have a great love for those who contradict and fail to love you, for in this way love is begotten in a heart that has no love.
John of the Cross
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Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light.
John of the Cross
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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
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Obedience is a penance of reason, and, on that account, a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances and mortifications.
John of the Cross
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Silence is God's first language.
John of the Cross