Thoughts of the St. Cure of d'Ars (St. John Mary Vianney)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Page 73

THOSE who go often to Mass during the week, do their work very

much better than those who, for want of faith, think they have no

time for it.

-  On the Sanctification of Daily Life (E.)

A SAINT has compared those who have kept their hearts pure, to the

lillies that, rising heavenwards on their tall stems, fill the air with

fragrance.  The mere sight of them makes us think of purity.  Even so

the Blessed Virgin inspired with purity all who looked at her . . .

-  Sermon on Purity.

O MY children, how beautiful will that soul be in eternity, who makes

frequent and good Communions!

-  Le Cure d'Ars et le Don d'Intelligence.

THE PASSION of Our Lord is like a great river that flows down from

a mountain and is never exhausted.

-  Charity of M. Vianney (Sp.)

NO one can give to another that which he possesses not himself.

-  Catechism Notes on the Love of God (M.)

THIS earth is a bridge to cross the water, it serves only to support our steps . . . .

-  The Cure of Ars in his Catechisms (Sp.)

GOD, the Blessed Virgin, the Angels and Saints are about our path; they are at

our side and see all we do.

- Catechism on Suffering (M.)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Page 74

THE heart is drawn towards what it loves most.  The heart of a good

Christian turns towards Heaven, where God is, who is his treasure.

-  Hope of M. Vianney (Sp.)

IT is to be hoped that before turning in for the night you do a little

devotional reading. This will give you some helpful thoughts to dwell

upon while you go to bed, and as you you get up in the morning.

-  On Night Prayers (E.)

HAPPIER than those who lived during His mortal life, when He was

only in one place,we find Jesus Chirst today in every corner of the world,

in the Blessed Sacrament.

-  Eucharistic Meditation 2.

A spiritual alms is even more precious than a material one.

-  Sermon on Satisfaction for Sin.

THE Blessed Virgin loves above all to see in her children purity,

humility, and charity.

-  On Our Lady (C.)

IF you are afraid of other people's opinion, you should not have

become a Christian.

-  Sermon on the Fear of Other People's Opinion.

THE interior life is like a sea of love in which the soul is plunged

and is, as it were, drowned in love.  Just as a mother holds her

child's face in her hands to cover it with kisses, so does God hold the

devout man.

- The Inner Life of the Cure d'Ars (J.V.)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Page 75

WE are occupied with a hundred and one things which, for the most part, amount

to nothing; while, as for Jesus Christ, we pass hours and even whole days without

giving Him a thought. Or, if we do, it is so indefinite that we are scarcely conscious of it.

-  Sermon on Love for God.

SEE, my children, to receive the Sacrament of Absolution, we need three things:

faith, which reveals to us the presence of God in the priest; hope, which enables

us to believe that God will give us His pardon; charity, which makes us love God and

fills our heart with regret for having displeased Him.

-  On Confession (C.)

God wants us to unite our acts of penance with His own . . . .

-  Sermon on Satisfaction for Sin.

VIRTUE demands courage, constant effort, and above all, help from on high.

-  Patience of the Cure d'Ars (T.)

WORDLY people have not the Holy Ghost, or if they have, it is only for a moment.

The noise of the world drives Him away.

-  Catechism on the Holy Ghost (Sp.)

. . . BE prepared to render anyone a service whenever the opportunity arises . . . .

-  Signs of true Love for God (A.)

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Page 76 - 77

LET us adore Jesus Christ as our God; let us follow Him as our King.

Let us offer Him all we have and all we are.

-  Sermon on the Magi.

AFTER thanking our Guardian Angel who has remained by our side

during our sleep, we should ask him for his protection during the day.

-  On the Joys of the Interior Life (Sp.)

NOTHING is harder to bear than those things which wound our self-love;

but if we thought of the humiliations suffered by Jesus Christ at Bethlehem,

should we ever dare to complain?

-  Sermon on the Incarnation I.

ALL those who have become Saints have frequented the Sacraments and have

raised their souls to God by prayer.

-  On the Joys of the Interior Life (Sp.)

NOTHING is so common among Christians as to say:  "O my God, I love You!"

and nothing more rare, perhaps, than the love of God.

-  Sermon on the Love of God (Sp.)

PURE souls shall form a circle round Our Lord.  The purer we have been on earth,

the nearer we shall be to Him in Heaven.

-  Catechism on Purity (M.)

THE Saints had no hatred, no bitterness; they forgive everything and think they

deserve much more for their offenses against God.

-  Sermon on Forgiveness (Sp.)

GOD wills that we should work today and tomorrow; and after that, and eternity

of joy, of happiness, awaits us in Heaven . . .

-  Catechism on Sin (Sp.).

O MY God, come to me, so that Thee may dwell in me and that I may dwell in Thee.

-  A Prayer suggested by the Cure d'Ars for Daily Life.  Insight of The Cure d'Ars (T.)

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The book of "The Thoughts of the Cure of Ars" is completed.  Here are the sources for the quotations.

List of Sources of Quotations

Annales d’Ars. Novembre, 1929. « Meditation sur L’Amour de Dieu. »

Decembre, 1929. « Meditatation sur la Charite envers le Prochain. »

Eucharistic Meditations, from Tresor Spirituel d’Ars Series, by Mgr. H. Convert,

Cure d’Ars. Translated by Sister Mary Benvenuta, O.P. (Burns and Oates Ltd., London, 1925).

Heures Catholiques d’Ars (Librairie Catholique Emmanuel Vitte,

Lyon et Paris, 1924).

Le Cure d’Ars : Predicateur Populaire, par Abbe Francis Trochu,

du Clerge Nantais, Docteur es Lettres (Vitte, 1927).

Life of the Blessed Cure d’Ars. From the French of the Abbe Alfred Monnin.

Preface by Henry Edward Manning, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster (Burns and Oates, Ltd., London).

Sermons du Cure d’Ars. (4 Vols.) Edited by Rme. P. Dom Marie-Augustin Delaroche,

Superieur General des Chamoines Reguliers de l’Immaculee Conception (Beauchesne, Paris, 1925).

The Blessed John Vianney, Cure d’Ars, Patron of Parish Priests.

By Joseph Vianney. (Burns and Oates Ltd., London, 1920).

The Cure d’Ars (St. Jean Vianney) according to the Acts of the Process of Canonization

and hitherto unpublished documents, by Mgr. Francis Trochu. Translated by Dom Ernest Graf, O.S.B.,

of St. Mary’s Abbey, Buckfast (Burns and Oates Ltd., London, 1927).

The Secret of the Cure d’Ars, by Henri Gheon. Translated by F. J. Sheed.

With a Note on the Saint by G. K. Chesterton (Sheed and Ward, London, 1929).

The Spirit of the Cure of Ars. From the French of M. l’Abbe Monnin. Edited by John Edward Bowden,

Priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri (Burns and Oates, Ltd., London, 1864).

Tresor Spirituel d’Ars. Ouvrages tires des instructions de Saint J.M.B. Vianney,

par Mgr. H. Convert,Cure d’Ars (Librairie Catholique Emmanuel Vitte, Lyon et Paris).

(E.) « A l’Ecole du Cure d’Ars (1921) »

(C.) « Catechismes du Saint Cure d’Ars » (1927)

(F.) « Le Saint Cure d’Ars et la Famille » (1927)

(P.) « Le Cure d’Ars et le Sacrament de Penitence (1923).

(D.) « Le Cure d’Ars et les Dons du Saints-Esprit » (1923).

(N.D.) « Notre-Dame d’Ars » (1927).

The Insight of the Cure d’Ars, by Mgr. Francis Trochu. Translated by V.F. Marlet (Burns and Oastes Ltd., London, 1957).