"You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48)
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" (I Pt 1:14-16)
"Leave foolish nursery tales alone, and train thyself, instead, to grow up in holiness."(I Tim 4:7)
"Man is called to victory over himself. It is the saints and the beatified who show us the path of victory that God achieves in human history." (John Paul II)
"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." "Verumtamen in hoc nolite gaudere, quia spiritus vobis subiciuntur; gaudete autem quod nomina vestra scripta sunt in caelis" (Lk 10:20)
"There is only one thing that unites man to God, one thing that makes him pleasing to God and a not unworthy dispenser of God's mercy; and that one thing is holiness of life and conduct. If this holiness, which is the true supereminent knowledge of Jesus Christ is wanting in the priest, then everything is wanting in him." (St Pius X, Haerent animo, August 1908)
"A saint is a normal Christian. Unfortunately many of us are far too abnormal." (Cardinal Jaime Sin, 2 October 1988)
"Don't wait until you are old to start becoming a saint. That would be a great mistake. Begin right now, in earnest, cheerfully and joyfully, by fulfilling the duties of your work and of your everyday life. Don't wait until you are old to become a saint. Because--I insist--apart from its being a great mistake, you never know whether you will live as long as that." (St Josemaria Escriva, Forge 113)
"He said therefore, 'What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.'" (Lk 13:18-19)
"The spiritual needs of the present-day world are immense! If we look at the boundless forests of buildings in modern metropolises, invaded by numberless multitudes, we cannot but be frightened. How can we reach these persons and bring them to Christ?
"The Church of today does not need new reformers. The Church needs new saints." (John Paul II, in memory of St Charles Borromeo)
"Projects, projects, projects are nothing without holiness, holiness, holiness." (Alvaro del Portillo, August 1987)
"The Pharisees then said to one another, 'You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him.'" "Pharisaei ergo dixerunt ad semetipsos: 'Videtis quia nihil proficitis? Ecce mundus post eum abiit!'." (Jn 12:19)
"And for their sake I consecrate [sanctify] myself." "...et pro eis ego sanctifico meipsum." (Jn 17:19)
Before a match can set a forest on fire, it has to burn first.
"If the priest is a saint, the people will be fervent.
What Holiness Achieves
"We are helped by the certainty of being only instruments of grace: it is God himself who acts in the individual soul, with his love and mercy.
"Our real and constant goal must be that of personal sanctification, to be suitable and efffective instruments of grace.
"The truest and most sincere wish I can form for you is just this: 'Make yourselves saints and do so quickly!' (John Paul II, Address to Religious Community, 28 October 1979)
If he is fervent, the people will be pious.
If he is pious, the people will at least be decent.
But if he is only decent, the people will be godless."
(Soul of the Apostolate, p 39)