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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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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
Spiritual
Learn
Delights
Desire
Attain
True
Attachment
Firsts
Relax
First
Possession
Every
Delight
Never
Deny

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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.
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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.
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Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.
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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.
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God leads every soul by a separate path.
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If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection.
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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.
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A Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but on the love of God which prompts him to do these things.
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God is a dark night to man in this life.
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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.
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In the twilight of life, God will not judge us on our earthly possessions and human success, but rather on how much we have loved.
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Silence is God's first language.
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Desolation is a file, and the endurance of darkness is preparation for great light.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light
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In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed.
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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.
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