Wisdom of the Saints about Surrender (part 7)

“'Father, not My will but Thine be done.'  These words of our Divine Master are the salvation of His whole Mystical Body, the Church.  These words have instructed all the faithful, inspired all the confessors, crowned all the martyrs.  Let all the Church's children, redeemed at so high a price, justified without any deserving on their part, learn these words and using them as a safe defense when they are assailed by any strong temptation, they will resist the attacks of nature and suffer tribulation with courage.” Pope St. Leo the Great (4th-5^th centuries, Doctor of the Church)
 
”Our God, however, is so full of courtesy toward the soul that if a soul gives its heart to Him totally, He accepts it totally, but if it gives it to Him only partially, He accepts that, even though it is in the nature of perfect love to want all and not just a part. We know that a husband who loves his wife cannot bear the thought that in her secret heart he might share her affections with another. But if a [child] of God would only get to know and taste the love that is divine – that of the uncreated, incarnate, and suffering God, Who is the supreme Good – he would give himself totally to Him, and take leave not only of himself but of other creatures as well.” Bl. Angela of Foligno (13th-14^th centuries)
 
"God gave Himself to you. Give yourself to God. " St. Robert Southwell (16th century)
 
“During Mass I was given this prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, take from me any wretchedness and imperfection that might cause the eyes of Your humanity to turn away from the sight of me, Your ears from the sound of my voice. Take from me any filth that is in me lest its stench offend You, any insipidity lest Your palate be displeased. Take from me my coldness, my feverish ardors, my excessive dryness or overflowing sentiment. In short, O my Lord, I beg You to take from me whatever divides, separates, and distances me from You and You from me. Take from me whatever makes me unclean, dries me up, makes me inflexible, sends me astray, and enfeebles me. Take from me all that makes me unworthy of Your visitation, of Your chastisement and Your reproofs, unworthy of Your consoling words and Your communications, and lastly of Your love and Your benevolence.” St. Peter Favre (16^th century)
 
“It is a great consolation to surrender ourselves wholly to God and to know that He sees and penetrates to the very secret of our hearts.” St. Jane Frances de Chantal (16^th-17^th centuries)
 
“To live for love, here below, is an endless giving of myself without asking for recompense...When one loves, one does not make calculations.   I have given everything to the divine Heart that overflows with tenderness.  And I run lightly.  I have nothing left, and my only wealth is to live for love.” St. Therese of Lisieux (19^th century, Doctor of the Church)
 
“Open your soul completely, without any fear of appearing wretched, and you will see how Jesus will make you happy and will make you understand many more things than you know now. Jesus wants this, so give yourself frequently, without fear and without reserve, to the divine fire of love so that it can inflame you more and more and consume you until you are ashes.” Ven. Mary Magdalen of Jesus in the Eucharist (19^th-20^th centuries)
 
“…I understand well that what unites our soul most closely to God is self-denial; that is, joining our will to the will of God.  This is what makes the soul truly free, contributes to profound recollection of the spirit, and makes all life’s burdens light, and death sweet.” St. Faustina Kowalska (20^th century)
 
“Marlene, Dear, give the Lord everything. Break the alabaster box; Fill the water pots for conversion into wine; Give the beast for the Palm Sunday journey; Provide the cup at the well; Be the pillow for Him Who has nowhere to lay His Head; Be the coin to pay the Temple Tax; Be the handkerchief to wipe His brow on the way to Calvary; Be the sponge for His thirst; Be the empty grave for His Burial – in a word – be total unreserved self-emptying so as always to be His. Then He can work through you: this is happiness; this is joy. With every blessing, always, affectionately yours in the Holy Child, Fulton J. Sheen.” Ven. Fulton Sheen (19^th-20^th centuries)
 
"I felt the most I could do was let go. Instead, now I feel enfolded in God’s marvelous plan, which is slowly being unveiled to me.” Bl. Chiara Badano (20^th century)