Jean Baptiste Massillon Quotes

God should be the object of all our desires, the end of all our actions, the principle of all our affections, and the governing power of our whole souls.

Our acts of kindness we reserve for our friends, our bounties for our dependants, our riches for our children and relations, our praises for those who appear worthy of them, our time we give all to the world; we expose it, I may say, a prey to all mankind.

Nothing is more detestable than a professed declaimer who retails his discourses as a quack does his medicines.

There are some sins which are more justly to be denominated surprises than infidelities. To such the world should be lenient, as, doubtless, Heaven is forgiving.

Time is short, your obligations are infinite. Are your houses regulated, your children instructed, the afflicted relieved, the poor visited, the work of piety accomplished?

Every Christian is born great because he is born for heaven.

To be proud and inaccessible is to be timid and weak.

I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities laid open to it.

Agreeable advice is seldom useful advice.

Charity is that sweet-smelling savor of Jesus Christ, which vanishes and is extinguished from the moment that it is exposed.

Every effort is made in forming matrimonial alliances to reconcile matters relating to fortune, but very little is paid to the congeniality of dispositions, or to the accordance of hearts.

True charity is liable to excesses and transports.