“Realize, O Christian, your dignity. Once made a partaker in the divine nature, do not return to your former baseness by a life unworthy of that dignity.” Pope St. Leo the Great (4th-5th centuries, Doctor of the Church)

“Obviously, those who claim to abide in Christ ought to walk as He walked. Should we then walk on the water? That is far beyond us! What we must do is walk in the way of righteousness. In what way? I have already mentioned it. He was fixed upon a cross, and yet He was walking in this very way – the way of charity: ‘Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.’ If, therefore, you have learned to pray for your enemy, you are walking in the way of the Lord.” St. Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th centuries, Doctor of the Church)

“Bad times, hard times – this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times. Such as we are, such are the times. What can we do? Maybe we cannot convert masses of people to a good life. But let the few who do hear live well. Let the few who live well endure the many who live badly” St. Augustine of Hippo

“The man made from the earth is the pattern of those who belong to the earth; the Man from heaven is the pattern of those who belong to heaven. How is it that these last, though they do not belong to heaven by birth, will yet belong to heaven, men who do not remain what they were by birth but persevere in being what they have become by rebirth? The reason is, brethren, that the heavenly Spirit, by the mysterious infusion of His light, gives fertility to the womb of the virginal font. The Spirit brings forth as men belonging to heaven those whose earthly ancestry brought them forth as men belonging to the earth, and in a condition of wretchedness; He gives them the likeness of their Creator. Now that we are reborn, refashioned in the image of our Creator, we must fulfill what the Apostle commands: So, as we have worn the likeness of the man of earth, let us also wear the likeness of the Man of heaven. Now that we are reborn, as I have said, in the likeness of our Lord, and have indeed been adopted by God as His children, let us put on the complete image of our Creator so as to be wholly like Him, not in the glory that He alone possesses, but in innocence, simplicity, gentleness, patience, humility, mercy, harmony, those qualities in which He chose to become, and to be, one with us.” St. Peter Chrysologus (5th century, Doctor of the Church)

“Our souls should be like a transparent crystal through which God can be perceived.” St. Hildegard of Bingen (11th-12th centuries, Doctor of the Church)

“Not only should you be devout and love the devout life, but you should be making that life beautiful to behold.” St Francis de Sales (16th-17th centuries, Doctor of the Church)

“The ancient goldsmith who refined crude gold ore in his crucible burning away the dross in intense heat to recover the pure gold, like the goldsmith, God keeps us in the smelting furnace until He can see the reflection of the Face of the Lord Jesus in our lives. He is not so much interested in the work we do, but rather in how much we resemble His Son.” Ven. Fulton Sheen (19th-20th centuries)

“The torch of Faith has been given to us not to delight our eyes but to enkindle the torches of our fellow men. Unless we burn and are on fire for the Divine Cause a glacial invasion will sweep the earth which will be the end, for ‘The Son of men, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, faith on earth’ (Lk 18:8)?” Ven. Fulton Sheen

“Modern society is drowning in the sorrows of human passions and it is distancing itself from every ideal of love and peace. Catholics, we and you, must bring the breath of goodness that can only spring from faith in Christ.” Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati (20th century)

“The stillness of prayer is the most essential condition for fruitful action. Before all else, the disciple kneels down.” St. Gianna Molla (20th century)

“Do not be afraid! Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure. He alone can give full meaning to life. He alone is the center of history. Live by Him!” Pope St. John Paul II (20th-21st centuries)