Whatever season of life you’re in, you can always find wisdom and encouragement in the words of the saints. From St. Damien De Veuster, who went to care for the lepers on Molokai, to St. Marianne Cope, who helped establish two of the first hospitals in central New York, these men and women spoke not just from the heart, but from lived experience in service to God.
This year, as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, we invite you to reflect on the wisdom of American saints with these 10 quotes about faithfully serving the Lord.
Finding Your Strength in God
“God is powerful, and can call great things out of nothing.” – St. Junípero Serra
“I have started houses with no more than the price of a loaf of bread and prayers, for with Him who comforts me, I can do anything.” – St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
“His goodness knows how to proportion itself to the smallest of His creatures as to the greatest of them. Be not afraid then in your solitary conversations, to tell Him of your miseries, your fears, your worries, of those who are dear to you, of your projects, and of your hopes. Do so with confidence and with an open heart.” – St. Damien of Molokai
Faithfully Following the Lord
“If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.” – St. Katharine Drexel
“The little daily lesson: to keep soberly and quietly in His Presence, trying to turn every little action on His Will; and to praise and love through cloud and sunshine is all my care and study.” – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Making Use of the Time God has Given You
“We are not called upon to do all the good that is possible, but only to that which we can do.”
– Mother Théodore Guérin
“Let us make best use of the fleeting moments. They will not return.” – St. Marianne Cope
“How truly blessed we shall be, if, at the price of even very great sacrifices, we shall have made God known and loved by one more soul!” – St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
God Has a Purpose for Your Life
“Everyone who breathes, high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for nothing; we are not born at random; we are not here, that we may go to bed at night and get up in the morning, toil for our bread, eat and drink, laugh and joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform when we are tired of sinning, rear a family and die.
God sees every one of us, He creates every soul… for a purpose.
He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has an end for each of us. We are all equal in His sight and we are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves but to labor in them for Him. As Christ has His work, we too have ours – as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.” – St. John Neumann
“Let us never lose courage or despair of God’s mercy… We may not understand His Will for us in time, but in eternity the veil will be drawn and we shall see that He acted only for our happiness. Let us bear our cross and leave it to God to determine the length and the weight.” – St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
Sources:
“16 Short Lessons From the Indomitable St. Junípero Serra,” National Catholic Register.
A Dictionary of Quotes from the Saints, Dr. Paul Thigpen.
“Learn from Mother Theodore when it comes to facing challenges,” Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
“Memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop,” Catholic Business Journal.
“Quotes by St. Philippine Duchesne,” Sacred Heart Education.
“Quotes from Catholic Saints,” Franciscan Media.
“St. Damien of Molokai,” Saint John Institute.
