Let's celebrate a wonderful saint today

Today is the feast day of St. Phillip Neri who was a priest during the 16th century. He was born in 1515 in  Florence and lived during the height of the Protestant Reformation. He is one of my favorite saints; I have often times turned to him for inspiration and encouragement. He was renown for being a saint full of contagious joy and cheerfulness.  He stressed that holiness can be attained by anyone not just priests or the religious. He founded an oratory which followed his philosophy of joy and charity. He was also a big proponent of lively worship and often times would use instruments such as the guitar during prayer. Despite his extraordinary spiritual gifts (he could levitate) he was still very simple and approachable.  For more details about his life check out this page.  Here are some of my favorite quotes from this wonderful saint:

"Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in the good life; therefore the servant of God ought to be always in good spirits."

Serving and giving our life

"He who runs away from the cross, will meet a bigger one on the road...

Christ died for sinners; we must take heart, therefore,  and hope that Paradise will be ours, provided only we repent of our sins...

He who serves God must do the best he can not to receive the reward of his labors in this world...

Even in the midst of the crowd we can be going on to perfection...

Perfection can not be attained without the greatest toil...

Not everything which is better in itself is better for each man in particular...

Be devout to the Madonna, keep yourself from sin, and God will deliver you from your evils...

We must sometimes bear with little defects in others, as we have against our own will to bear with natural defects in ourselves...

The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last."