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John of the Cross on Valentine's Day

1542–1591 Spain

← All quotes by John of the Cross

13 quotes

There is nothing better or more necessary than love.

At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.

the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2002)

In a word, it is for this love that we are all created.

When the soul, then, in any degree possesses the spirit of solitary love, we must not interfere with it.

Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast.

Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.

Hence the love of God in the pure and simple soul is almost continually in act.

The soul that walks in love neither tires others nor grows tired

God is pleased with nothing but love … All our works, and all our labours, how grand soever they may be, are nothing in the sight of God.

My sole occupation is love.
All my occupation now is the practice of the love of God, all the powers of soul and body, memory, understanding, and will, interior and exterior senses, the desires of spirit and of sense, all work in and by love. All I do is done in love; all I suffer, I suffer in the sweetness of love.

In search of my Love
I will go over mountains and strands;
I will gather no flowers,
I will fear no wild beasts;
And pass by the mighty and the frontiers. ~ 3

My soul is occupied,
And all my substance in His service;
Now I guard no flock,
Nor have I any other employment:
My sole occupation is love. ~ 28

A thousand graces diffusing
He passed through the groves in haste,
And merely regarding them
As He passed
Clothed them with His beauty. ~ 5

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: John of the Cross (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.