"So long as they do not sin, they may chop wood upon my back." Image: from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's Care for the Salvation of SoulsMay 24 When he was a young priest, and had gathered about him a number of spiritual persons, his first wish was to go with them all to preach …
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"O Philip! I fire up at every trifling contradiction!" Image: Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's PatienceMay 23 Philip was for years and years the butt and laughing-stock of all the hangers-on of the great palaces of the nobility at Rome, who said all the bad of him that came into their heads, because they did …
"Come now, let us have a run together." Image: St Philip, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's CheerfulnessMay 22 Philip welcomed those who consulted him with singular benignity, and received them, though strangers, with as much affection as if he had been a long time expecting them. When he was called upon to be merry, …
"Let me be tender, compassionate and loving towards all Christians, as my brethren in grace." Image: St Philip in the Catacombs, Venice, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's Tenderness of HeartMay 21 Philip could not endure the very sight of suffering; and though he abhorred riches, he always wished to have money to give in …
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"O my son, I know your sins already." Image: Detail from painting in Tiepolo, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's PurityMay 20 Philip well knowing the pleasure which God takes in cleanness of heart, had no sooner come to years of discretion, and to the power of distinguishing between good and evil, than he set …
"When our prayers are in the way of being granted, we must not leave off, but pray as fervently as before." Image: Statue of St Philip from Prague, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's Exercise of PrayerMay 19 From very boyhood the servant of God gave himself up to prayer, until he acquired such a …
"We should not suppose a man holy merely because he weeps when he speaks of religion." Image: Bust of St Philip from Seville, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's DevotionMay 18 The inward flame of devotion in Philip was so intense that he sometimes fainted in consequence of it, or was forced to throw himself …
"How many poor girls will be greater in Paradise than I shall be!" Image: Conca, from Wiki Commons CC St Philip Neri's HumilityMay 17 If Philip heard of anyone having committed a crime, he would say, "Thank God that I have not done worse." At confession he would shed abundance of tears, and say, "I have …
"O my Eternal Father, give me Thyself." 1. I ADORE Thee, O my God, with Thomas; and if I have, like him, sinned through unbelief, I adore Thee the more. I adore Thee as the One Adorable, I adore Thee as more glorious in Thy humiliation, when men despised Thee, than when Angels worshipped Thee. Deus meus et …
"Teach me, like Mary, to sit at Thy feet, and to hear Thy word." 1. MY Lord Jesus, how wonderful were those conversations which Thou didst hold from time to time with Thy disciples after Thy resurrection. When Thou wentest with two of them to Emmaus, Thou didst explain all the prophecies which related to Thyself. And …