Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1208 - c. 1282/94)

Wisdom without grounding in the Holy Spirit turns in the end to a mountain of arrogance.

Humility without the fire of love ends in open hypocrisy.

Father Leo J. Trese (1902-1970), former pastor of St. Joseph's
Even if our laxity does not reach the unhappy climax of sin, there is still the tragedy of wasted hours and days that have not been lived for God. Our lives should be lived on a supernatural level. That means that, in addition to being in the state of grace, we have the habitual intention (frequently renewed) of performing all our actions for God and in accordance with His will. If our life has this supernatural orientation, everything we do -- whether it is changing the diaper on the baby or changing the tire on the car -- has value in God's eyes and gains merit for us in Heaven. Lived in union with God, our life becomes a continual prayer. The demands of duty may keep God from our conscious mind a great part of the time, but He remains the focus of all our activity. Every thought, word and action has been predirected to Him.

Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1208 - c. 1282/94)
Various aphorisms:

Vanity reflects not on its destructiveness; constancy is fully laden with all virtues.

Malice by nature is grounded in evil; divine grace has a lovely countenance and a sweet mouth.

A lie appears outwardly beautiful and inwardly hideous; this is why it receives a friendly welcome from its companions.

Malicious gossip feels shame neither before people nor God, who, after all, hears and sees all things.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
If you accuse, accuse from love. If you correct, correct from love. If you spare, spare from love. Let love be rooted deep in you, and only good can grow from it. (Sermon on 1 John)

St. Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
God is merciful; but he is also just. Sinners are desirous that he be merciful only, without being just; but that is impossible, because were he to forgive and never to chastise, he would be wanting in justice.

St. Albert the Great (1206-1280)
"Whatever exists outside of God is the work of His hands. Every creature is, therefore, a blending together of the actual and the possible, and as such is, in its nature, limited. Born of nothing, it is surrounded by nothingness, and tends to nothingness.

"Of necessity, the creature depends each moment on God, the supreme Artist, for its existence, preservation, power of action, and all that it possesses."

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1600s)
"I can say nothing more, except that the effacement of yourself will raise you to union with your Sovereign Good. By forgetting self, you will possess Him, and by yielding yourself up to Him, He will possess you."