Mother Angelica Quotes

When we begin to build walls of prejudice, hatred, pride, and self-indulgence around ourselves, we are more surely imprisoned than any prisoner behind concrete walls and iron bars.

- Mother Angelica

Men climb mountains, scale heights, venture into the unexplored to prove to other men it can be done.

- Mother Angelica

We live in an age that stresses personal goals, careers, happiness, work and religion. The emphasis is on the individual and how best that individual can satisfy himself.

- Mother Angelica

St. Paul did not want the sufferings encountered by being a Christian to discourage or dishearten anyone. He realized that when the Christian saw the blessings and grace that poured upon him after his trials, he would gain courage to suffer in his turn.

- Mother Angelica

Married life has become to many a necessary burden, but a burden that is shed very easily.

- Mother Angelica

A family spirit is not always synonymous with family life. Bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh makes for brothers, sisters and relatives, who may be as distant as strangers in a foreign land.

- Mother Angelica

Is detachment the answer to freedom? No, because detachment is negative - it is to be without. The answer must be positive - I must replace what I have with something better.

- Mother Angelica

God knows Himself and every created thing perfectly. Not a blade of grass or the tiniest insect escapes His eye.

- Mother Angelica

Today's man of the world proclaims that sin, and his enterprising in sin, are a part of modern living, but it is not modern. It goes back to Adam and Eve - to desire and the temptation to know - to experience evil.

- Mother Angelica

Neighbors are competitors instead of partners, suspicious instead of trustful, indifferent instead of helpful, cold instead of loving, greedy instead of generous. We no longer consider ourselves living in neighborhoods, but only as living next to 'hoods.'

- Mother Angelica

Every retarded, deformed, crippled, handicapped, or senile person, who has been baptized, is a powerhouse for good in a wicked world by reason of the grace of God that dwells in his soul.

- Mother Angelica

The Christian experiences and lives a paradox. He possesses joy in sorrow, fulfillment in exile, light in darkness, peace in turmoil, consolation in dryness, contentment in pain and hope in desolation.

- Mother Angelica

When our neighbor's personality possesses harsh qualities, we show our love by not voluntarily provoking those qualities in any way. Past experience shows us what upsets a person, so in their presence we are careful not to do or say those things that cause anger. We are self-effacing.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus did not always like the Apostles' way of acting, but by adapting himself to their temperament, praying for them to his father, giving them a holy example of conduct, he loved them, and that love changed them.

- Mother Angelica

I do not ask for the riches that perish or the fame that fades away like a morning mist.

- Mother Angelica

We often forget that everything we see, animate or inanimate, is a visual manifestation of the work of our invisible God. We have become so accustomed to trees, mountains, sky, air, water, flowers, animals, vegetables and people that we no longer see them for what they are - God's work.

- Mother Angelica

Mary's life was a perfect imitation of Jesus. She was humble, hidden, sorrowful and afflicted, but she also knew joys that never entered the heart of man. She is all things to all men that she might understand their failings, though she failed not.

- Mother Angelica

The sinner who suddenly realizes God's love for him and then looks at his rejection of that love feels a loss similar to the death of a loved one. A deep void is created in the soul and a loneliness akin to the agony of death.

- Mother Angelica

Our lack of forgiveness makes us hate, and our lack of compassion makes us hard-hearted. Pride in our hearts makes us resentful and keeps our memory in a constant whirlwind of passion and self-pity.

- Mother Angelica

Death at times seems like a dark tunnel to be traveled, and the future seems bleak.

- Mother Angelica

Love fills and empties simultaneously. It makes us reach out to God, ready to be pruned, recklessly desiring whatever the cost. It soothes the aching heart and then makes it thirst for more.

- Mother Angelica

God's grace is at its best in weakness, so we need never fear our weakness. In fact, these weaknesses will determine in what way we shall glorify God for all eternity.

- Mother Angelica

I must not permit the evil capabilities of human nature to sour my faith in the tremendous good that is possible despite the frailty of that nature.

- Mother Angelica

The woman is a gentle, loving bond who encourages, consoles, builds, reconciles, and makes all things new and vibrant. The woman is strength in time of suffering, courageous in failure, intuitive in time of danger. A woman is ingenuous when all fails, resourceful in times of want, and a true helpmate for man.

- Mother Angelica

When I try to be patient on my own, my patience is forced and short-lived. It is obvious to everyone that I am desperately trying to be patient.

- Mother Angelica

God has always worked wonders through his prophets to increase the faith of His chosen people or to correct their disobedience.

- Mother Angelica

The wisdom of God is so great that He also knows exactly what I would think and do under every possible circumstance and situation, and he placed me in that state of life and situation best suited for my salvation.

- Mother Angelica

There should be in the life of every married couple a continual building of the sacrament.

- Mother Angelica

To see a friend who has suffered the loss of all things begin again with trust and love, gives us strength to continue on.

- Mother Angelica

There are many who are not guilty of doing anything wrong but very guilty of sins of omission - the things they neglect to do - the good things - the kind, thoughtful words, compassionate thoughts and hopeful attitudes they might have had towards their neighbor.

- Mother Angelica

My failures may be my greatest successes. It is in failure that I have often drawn closer to God, learn to depend more on Him than myself, gained self-knowledge, and seen things in their right perspective.

- Mother Angelica

Family life is the backbone of mankind, and that life is dependent upon mutual giving, sharing, and receiving from each other. It entails the proper use of each other's successes and failures for mutual up-building.

- Mother Angelica

Some people spend their time reasoning and thinking out everything, and so anything that cannot be fully understood, they will not accept. We call these people 'intellectuals.'

- Mother Angelica

God is a spirit and converses with us in a quiet atmosphere because our minds are not capable of listening to his voice when they are filled with noise and confusion.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus made Himself available to everyone. Unlike former prophets and the religious men of His day, who often kept themselves aloof, Jesus was easy to approach and always ready to give his help.

- Mother Angelica

I am a mirror to my neighbor, and in that mirror, he must see a reflection of Jesus. If that mirror is cloudy or distorted, Jesus' reflection will be so vague it will hardly be seen.

- Mother Angelica

I am not like a pebble on the beach - a grain of sand on the seashore or just one of millions of human beings past, present and future. No, I am a unique human being loved by God as if I were an only child - the only fruit of his creative powers.

- Mother Angelica

My life is such a contradiction. My soul yearns for holiness and then runs from the mortification necessary to attain it.

- Mother Angelica

Religious life is an encounter with the living God. Sometimes that encounter is preceded by a kind of soul-searching agony that tries desperately not to hear, runs in the opposite direction, and frantically tries to reason itself out of answering the invitation.

- Mother Angelica

Like Jesus, every human being has enough memories in his past to occupy his time and thoughts continually. It is not the remembrance of these incidents but the reliving of them that creates havoc in our souls.

- Mother Angelica

It is good to have an intellectual awareness of our dependence upon God - to understand how great He is and how very small we are in His sight.

- Mother Angelica

Obedience is a strong virtue, capable of making me master of my emotions by giving me more strength to conquer my pride as I submit to those above me out of respect for their God-given authority and those below me out of love.

- Mother Angelica

Love has been defined, analyzed, explained and excused. It has been the cause of wars, feuds, heroism, martyrdom, inordinate passion, and beautiful friendships. It pulls two people of opposite temperaments together into a married state and permits them to live happily. It makes friends understand each other without the necessity of words.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus was loyal to his apostles, with full knowledge of their cowardice. He was loyal to the poor, accepting the criticism of the Pharisees, so the destitute would never feel deserted. He was loyal to his father, accomplishing his will even unto death.

- Mother Angelica

Every time I say 'no' to a small temptation, I strengthen my will to say 'no' to a greater one.

- Mother Angelica

Two of man's basic needs are to love and to share. Both of these needs are satisfied in greater or lesser degree by friendship.

- Mother Angelica

God has given each one of us a gift greater than a thousand I.B.M. machines. It is called a memory, and everything that passes through our five senses is stored in this faculty.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus wants us to trust him to take care of all our yesterdays and tomorrows.

- Mother Angelica

The proud intellectual seeks knowledge about God, but he never knows God, because he cannot accept the mysteries that he is unable to fully comprehend.

- Mother Angelica

Every moment of life is like a sacrament in which we can receive God. It is a channel through which God speaks to us, forms us, and directs us.

- Mother Angelica

Men are not born saints with special gifts and privileges. They fight against the world, the flesh and the devil, and as they conquer, the spirit of Jesus begins to shine through with more clarity.

- Mother Angelica

God's word is always effective and produces whatever it expresses. My words, on the contrary, cannot create anything; I can only change what already is into something else.

- Mother Angelica

Every individual we meet is different than we are. Members of the same family differ one from the other. Friend differs from friend, husband from wife, sister from brother, nation from nation. All these differences make 'feeling' love difficult and isolated to specific individuals according to our tastes and their personalities.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus asks me to go to him when I am overburdened. He did not promise to take away those burdens, for I must carry mine as he carried his.

- Mother Angelica

The heart of Jesus is compassionate and understanding. It has felt the sting of ingratitude, and when my heart suffers from that same offense, I can turn to him, and he understands my feelings.

- Mother Angelica

At Baptism, I received grace - that quality that makes me share in the very nature of God.

- Mother Angelica

Our memories are our own, and we cannot blame anything or anyone in the past for any pain dwelling there. If we open the door to them or keep hashing over past incidents in our minds, we have only ourselves to blame.

- Mother Angelica

To God, all things are present; there is no past or future - it is all now.

- Mother Angelica

Holiness of life is not the privilege of a chosen few - it is the obligation, the call, and the will of God for every Christian.

- Mother Angelica

Every Christian who strives for holiness of life experiences dryness of soul. It is to most people a heart-rending experience. It is a paradox, for the soul becomes confused when it realizes the harder it strives the further away Jesus seems to be.

- Mother Angelica

Salvation brings the soul a deep awareness of God's love. Life takes on more meaning, for it now has a purpose.

- Mother Angelica

We are so accustomed to love on a human level that we find loving God for Himself either impossible or beyond our capabilities. We tend to love those who appeal to us, render us a service, or are good to us. In the degree they perform these various services, we love them.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus told us to learn from him how to be meek and humble of heart. We must look at his life if we are to have any concept of what humility is all about.

- Mother Angelica

Man can and does rationalize his sins. He finds reasons for all his weakness, invents excuses that first calm and then deaden his conscience. He blames God, society, education, and environment for his wrong doing.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus was happy when people acknowledged his dignity and saddened when they did not, but he never sought their esteem or regard.

- Mother Angelica

From the time of Adam and Eve, man has tried to escape suffering in any form.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus feels my sorrow greater than I, for his love is infinite, and he suffers in an infinite way.

- Mother Angelica

Love is an emotional feeling on a human level and a faith experience on a supernatural level.

- Mother Angelica

Some people spend their time and thoughts in feeling, hearing, seeing, and listening. Whatever cannot be felt or experienced they will not accept. We call these people 'emotional.'

- Mother Angelica

Even if my fellow man has proven faithless time after time, I can at least retain a hope that he will improve, pray for him, and think kindly without frustration and disappointment.

- Mother Angelica

No man can see God in this life and live because His glory would annihilate our poor, weak human nature.

- Mother Angelica

Any form of over-indulgence creates within the body warning signs of destruction.

- Mother Angelica

When man invents or produces anything of any value, volumes are written on the subject.

- Mother Angelica

We live in an age of technology and science that demands proof, and yet we desire mystery. But when God gives us mystery, we seek to destroy it by gross indifference or childish reasoning.

- Mother Angelica

God cannot forgive a sinner who does not acknowledge his sin.

- Mother Angelica

Healing and miracles have been a mystery to men of all times. To some, the phenomenon is frightening, while others find it exhilarating.

- Mother Angelica

We resemble computers intellectually and animals emotionally.

- Mother Angelica

Humility is preserved when I give credit where credit is due - to God.

- Mother Angelica

No creature, not even the most exalted angel, can understand God or have perfect knowledge of Him.

- Mother Angelica

Saints are ordinary people who do what they do for the love of Jesus, say what they must say without fear, love their neighbor even when they are cursed by him, and live without regret over yesterday or fear of tomorrow.

- Mother Angelica

Saints are ordinary people who love Jesus, try to be like him, are faithful to the duties of their state in life, sacrifice themselves for their neighbor, and keep their hearts and minds free of this world.

- Mother Angelica

Many of us use God's love like the manna in the desert. We take what we need for particular situations and then go our own way - thinking we can handle other situations ourselves.

- Mother Angelica

No Christian needs to feel lonely or useless.

- Mother Angelica

Each one of us sees Jesus in a different way. To some, He was prophet, for they needed to know the kingdom was at hand. But most of all, He was the son of God, and He came to experience the consequences of the curse the Father had put upon mankind when Adam and Eve disobeyed.

- Mother Angelica

I must listen as God speaks to my soul through good thoughts, inspirations, and intuitions.

- Mother Angelica

When anyone arouses my anger, I will immediately pray for them and regain my peace of soul.

- Mother Angelica

A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible reality.

- Mother Angelica

For thirty years, Jesus never allowed his divinity to manifest itself. He was infinitely superior to everyone but never showed it.

- Mother Angelica

Each one of us has a particular virtue and faults that make the process of becoming like Jesus different.

- Mother Angelica

We must look at the personality of Jesus and see him under various circumstances - circumstances not unlike our own - and then praise him by imitating him to the best of our ability.

- Mother Angelica

Each angel that God created was in himself a masterpiece. Each one possessed his own degree of intelligence and his own beauty.

- Mother Angelica

When our weaknesses affect health and friendship, we are very much aware of their existence.

- Mother Angelica

I cannot bring Christ to my neighbor and to the world if I have not first given him to my family.

- Mother Angelica

I have a tendency to judge everything in its relationship to me instead of the value it has in God's eyes. I cannot judge everything solely on its good or bad effect on me.

- Mother Angelica

Every Christian is important - important to God, to the world, and to the kingdom.

- Mother Angelica

People live, work, walk, play, shop, study, and eat with other people. There are few desert dwellers who live alone without depending in some way on people.

- Mother Angelica

To a pagan, there is no purpose to suffering. As a result, he lives a life of loneliness and frustration.

- Mother Angelica

No matter what Jesus did, someone found fault with it.

- Mother Angelica

Jesus showed me what it means to be holy - he did his father's will no matter how difficult it was to accomplish.

- Mother Angelica

For me, a thing must exist before I know it, but with God, it is different - he must know it before it has existence.

- Mother Angelica