St. Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975) is best known as the founder of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization of laypeople and priests, which functions on the principle that every single person is called to holiness in their ordinary daily life, wherever God has called them to be. In preparation for his feast day today, we have been sharing with you a “Novena of Quotes” on social media. These are inspiring, hope-filled thoughts which can be used for prayer and meditation or just something to help you start your day in the right direction. Here we give you all the quotes together, some of them in their fuller context. (The text used in our social media graphics appears in bold.) To use any of the shareable graphics we created for these quotes, you can easily find them by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.   1. Abandonment to the will of God is the secret of happiness on earth. Say, then: meus cibus est, ut faciam voluntatem ejus, my food is to do his will. – The Way, No. 766   2. Stir up that fire of faith. Christ is not a figure that has passed. He is not a memory that is lost in history.

He lives! 'Jesus Christus heri et hodie, ipse et in saecula', says Saint Paul. — 'Jesus Christ is the same to-day as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever'. – The Way, No. 584   3. God always wins. If you are his instrument, you too will win, because you will fight God’s battles. – The Forge, No. 989   4. I don’t want you ever to lose your supernatural outlook. Even though you see your own meannesses, your evil inclinations — the clay of which you are made — in all their raw shamefulness, God is counting on you.

– The Forge, No. 507   5. If you have done something wrong, be it big or small, go running back to God!

—Savour those words of the psalm, cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies — the Lord will never spurn or disregard a contrite and humbled heart. – The Forge, No. 172   6. Put all your hope in Jesus. You yourself have nothing, are worth nothing, can do nothing. He will act, if only you abandon yourself in him. – Friends of God, No. 205   7. Do everything for Love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. Perseverance in little things for Love is heroism. – The Way, No. 813   8. Brief indeed is our time for loving, for giving, for making atonement. It would be very wrong, therefore, for us to waste it, or to cast this treasure irresponsibly overboard. We mustn't squander this period of the world's history which God has entrusted to each one of us. – Friends of God, No. 39   9. Lazarus rose because he heard the voice of God and immediately wanted to get out of the situation he was in. If he hadn’t wanted to move, he would just have died again. A sincere resolution: to have faith in God always; to hope in God always; to love God always… he never abandons us, even if we are rotting away as Lazarus was. – The Forge, No. 211   10. The Lord’s triumph, on the day of the Resurrection, is final. Where are the soldiers the rulers posted there? Where are the seals that were fixed to the stone of the tomb? Where are those who condemned the Master? Where are those who crucified Jesus?... He is victorious, and faced with his victory those poor wretches have all taken flight. Be filled with hope: Jesus Christ is always victorious.

– The Forge, No. 660

 

Discover more great quotes from St. Josemaria Escriva at this website dedicated to his writings!

 

Want to learn more about St. Josemaria Escriva and Opus Dei?

Check out the Salt + Light Media original documentary Opus Dei: Decoding God's Work.