Top quotes by John of the Cross

In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God. Votes: 10

Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved. Votes: 9

Who teaches the soul if not God? Votes: 8

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. Votes: 8

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. Votes: 6

In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction. Votes: 6

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. Votes: 6

Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent. Votes: 5

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. Votes: 5

Contemplation is nothing else but a secret, peaceful, and loving infusion of God, which, if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love. Votes: 5

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. Votes: 5

Silence is God's first language. Votes: 5

Desolation is a file, and the endurance of darkness is preparation for great light. Votes: 4

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. Votes: 4

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. Votes: 4

Well and good if all things change, O Lord God, provided I am rooted in You. Votes: 3

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. Votes: 3

Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ. Votes: 3

Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light. Votes: 2

If you lose an opportunity you will be like one who lets the bird fly away; you will never get it back. Votes: 2

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. Votes: 2

God has to work in the soul in secret and in darkness because if we fully knew what was happening, and what Mystery, transformation, God and Grace will eventually ask of us, we would either try to take charge or stop the whole process. Votes: 1

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. Votes: 0

To love is to be transformed into what we love. To love God is therefore to be transformed into God. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds. Votes: 0

He who avoids prayer is avoiding everything that is good. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Where there is no love, pour love in, and you will draw love out. Votes: 0

In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

God passes through the thicket of the world, and wherever His glance falls He turns all things to beauty. Votes: 0

The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired. Votes: 0

God leads every soul by a separate path. Votes: 0

Now that I no longer desire all, I have it all without desire. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

They say, "God told me", or "God replied to me". And yet most of the time they are talking to themselves. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

At the end of our life, we shall all be judged by charity. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

If you do not learn to deny yourself, you can make no progress in perfection. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Obedience is a penance of reason, and, on that account, a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances and mortifications. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

There is nothing better or morenecessary than love. Votes: 0

Yearning: It needs to hurt in order to be worthy of the word. Otherwise it is just wanting. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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... Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love. Votes: 0

My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You. Votes: 0

Seek by reading and you will find by meditating. Knock by praying, and it will be opened to you in contemplation. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Let all find COMPASSION in YOU. Votes: 0

My sole occupation is love. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform. Votes: 0

Faith is the union of God and the soul. Votes: 0

The purest suffering bears and carries in its train the purest understanding. Votes: 0

Strive always to confess your sins with a deep knowledge of your own wretchedness and with clarity and purity. Votes: 0

Let my soul live as if separated from my body. Votes: 0

Not to follow the advice of our confessor is pride and a want of faith. Votes: 0

He who loses an opportunity is like the man who lets a bird fly from his hand, for he will never recover it. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Beloved, all that is harsh and difficult I want for myself, and all that is gentle and sweet for thee. Votes: 0

The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light Votes: 0

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 Votes: 0

Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the Beloved! Votes: 0

Seek in reading and thou shalt find in meditation; knock in prayer and it shall be opened in contemplation. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

The eternal tide flows hid in Living Bread. That with its Heavenly Life too be fed... Votes: 0

God is a dark night to man in this life. Votes: 0

Live as though only God and yourself were in this world, so that your heart may not be detained by anything human. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh... Votes: 0

The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a long lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter. Votes: 0

When there is no love, pour in love and you shall draw out love. Votes: 0