John of the Cross

The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light

— John of the Cross

To love is to be transformed into what we love. To love God is therefore to be transformed into God.

— John of the Cross

Lord, I shall see you no more with the eyes of the flesh...

— John of the Cross

The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the cross as…

— John of the Cross

In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds.

— John of the Cross

Faith is the union of God and the soul.

— John of the Cross

God passes through the thicket of the world, and wherever His glance falls He turns all things to beauty.

— John of the Cross

Let all find COMPASSION in YOU.

— John of the Cross

Not to follow the advice of our confessor is pride and a want of faith.

— John of the Cross

The centre of the soul is God; and, when the soul has attained to Him according to the whole capacity of its…

— John of the Cross

Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast And by a lantern bright I fled my house…

— John of the Cross

Obedience is a penance of reason, and, on that account, a sacrifice more acceptable than all corporal penances and mortifications.

— John of the Cross

He who loses an opportunity is like the man who lets a bird fly from his hand, for he will never recover…

— John of the Cross

The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a long lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather…

— John of the Cross

God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform.

— John of the Cross

Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.

— John of the Cross

Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transformed in the…

— John of the Cross

“love is the inclination, strength, and power for the soul in making its way to God, for love unites it with God.…

— John of the Cross

Never listen to accounts of the frailty of others; and if anyone should complain to you of another, humbly ask him not…

— John of the Cross

My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You.

— John of the Cross

In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God with confidence, and you will be strengthened, enlightened and instructed.

— John of the Cross

Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon…

— John of the Cross

All the powers of soul and body,memory, understanding, and will, interior and exterior senses, thedesires of spirit and of sense, all workin…

— John of the Cross

He who avoids prayer is avoiding everything that is good.

— John of the Cross

Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and…

— John of the Cross