François Fénelon quotes - page 3

Jesus Christ was born in a stable; He was obliged to fly into Egypt; thirty years of His life were spent in a workshop; He suffered hunger, thirst, and weariness; He was poor, despised, and miserable; He taught the doctrines of heaven, and no one would listen. The great and the wise persecuted and took Him, subjected Him to frightful torments, treated Him as a slave, and put Him to death between two malefactors, having preferred to give liberty to a robber, rather than to suffer Him to escape. Such was the life which our Lord chose; while we are horrified at any kind of humiliation, and cannot bear the slightest appearance of contempt. (François Fénelon)
Here it is that the Spirit teaches us all truth; for all truth is eminently contained in this sacrifice of love, where the soul strips itself of every thing to present it to God. View quote
François Fénelon
If we love Him infinitely more than we do ourselves, we make an unconditional sacrifice of ourselves to His good pleasure, desiring only to love Him and to forget ourselves. He who thus loses his soul shall find it again with eternal life. View quote
François Fénelon
If there is any thing that can render the soul calm, dissipate its scruples, and dispel its fears, sweeten its sufferings by the anointing of love, impart strength to it in all its actions, and spread abroad the joy of the Holy Spirit in its countenance and words, it is a simple, free, and child-like repose in the arms of God. View quote
François Fénelon
We sleep in peace in the arms of God when we yield ourselves up to His providence, in a delightful consciousness of His tender mercies; no more restless uncertainties, no more anxious desires, no more impatience at the place we are in, for it is God who has put us there, and who holds us in His arms. Can we be unsafe where He has placed us, and where He watches over us as a parent watches a child? This confiding repose, in which earthly care sleeps, is the true vigilance of the heart; yielding itself up to God, with no other support than Him, it thus watches while we sleep. This is the love of Him that will not sleep even in death. View quote
François Fénelon
Above all, do not allow yourself to be bewitched by the evil charms of geometry. View quote
François Fénelon
God works in a mysterious way in grace as well as in nature, concealing His operations under an imperceptible succession of events, and thus keeps us always in the darkness of faith. View quote
François Fénelon
Peace treaties signed by the vanquished are not freely signed. Men sign with a knife at their throat, they sign in spite of themselves, in order to avoid still greater losses; they sign as men surrender their purse when it is a case of your money or your life. View quote
François Fénelon
I protest that no one admires Cicero more than I do. He enriches all that he touches. View quote
François Fénelon
The good historian is not for any time or any country: while he loves his fatherland, he never flatters it in anything. View quote
François Fénelon
Whoever is capable of lying, is unworthy of being reckoned in the number of men; and whoever knows not to be silent, is unworthy of ruling. (François Fénelon)
All the human kind is but one family, dispersed over the face of the whole earth; all men are brothers, and ought to love each other as such. View quote
François Fénelon
"My Father, it is dark!" "Child, take my hand, Cling close to me; I'll lead thee through the land, Trust my all-seeing care, so shalt thou stand 'Midst glory bright above." Can we be unsafe where God has placed us, and where He watches over us as a parent a child that he loves? View quote
François Fénelon
It is when God appears to have abandoned us that we must abandon ourselves most wholly to God. View quote
François Fénelon
Let gratitude for the past inspire us with trust for the future. View quote
François Fénelon
A general rule for the good use of time is to accustom oneself to live in a continual dependence on the Spirit of God. View quote
François Fénelon
Time spent in prayer is never wasted. View quote
François Fénelon
How rare it is to find a soul quiet enough to hear God speak. View quote
François Fénelon
We must truly serve those whom we appear to command; we must bear with their imperfections, correct them with gentleness and patience, and lead them in the way to heaven. View quote
François Fénelon
Above all, live in the present moment and God will give you all the grace you need. View quote
François Fénelon
So long as we are full of self we are shocked at the faults of others. Let us think often of our own sin, and we shall be lenient to the sins of others. (François Fénelon)
That love of self, which the world advocates, is a thousand times more dangerous than any poison. View quote
François Fénelon
There is never any peace for those who resist God. View quote
François Fénelon
We can often do more for other men by trying to correct our own faults than by trying to correct theirs. View quote
François Fénelon
I love my country better than my family; but I love humanity better than my country. View quote
François Fénelon