Archives by: Gary Hoag

“Do something good for someone you like least today.” [cf. Luke 6:35]

St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) as recounted in Quotable Saints ed. Ronda Chervin, 115.

“The man of charity spreads his money about him, but the man who claims to possess both charity and money is a self-deceived fool.” [cf. Luke 12:20]

St. John Climacus (c. 525-606) as recounted in Quotable Saints ed. Ronda Chervin, 105.

“The American way of thinking is that we are self-sufficient and that we are responsible for all that we possess. The Bible provides a different perspective, of course: that we are merely the overseers of God’s earthly domain, responsible for taking care of His resources until Jesus returns. Getting people to understand and accept our role as managers rather than creators of wealth and resources is a crucial element toward encouraging good stewardship.” [Matthew 25:14-30]

George Barna in How to Increase Giving in Your Church (Ventura: Regal, 1997) 81.

“A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies. If his life and doctrine disagree, the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon as recounted by David Jeremiah Turning Points: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006) 184.

“When you wish to give alms but your thought brings doubt as to whether it is best not to give, test your thought and if you find that the doubt comes from avarice, give a little more than you intended.”

Barsanuphius of Palestine, a.k.a. Barsanuphius of Gaza (died c. 540) as recounted in Quotable Saints ed. Ronda Chervin.

“Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams. I intend that every moment of time— past, present and future—be employed by me and all creatures in the best way. In heaven we shall rest.”

Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850), founder of The Pious Society of Missions as recounted in Quotable Saints ed. Ronda Chervin.

“Prayer reveals to souls the vanity of earthly goods and pleasures. It fills them with light, strength and consolation, and gives them a foretaste of the calm bliss of our heavenly home.”

Rose of Viterbo (1235-1252) as recounted in Quotable Saints ed. Ronda Chervin.

“Put your heart at His feet. It is the gift He loves most.”

Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) favorite saying of early American educator and foundress of the Sisters of Charity.

“Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.”

Thérèse de Lisieux (1873-1897) in Story of a Soul, Chapter VIII.

“This is the first vital key to creating a culture of stewardship in your church. You first have to live it. We have taught our staff and our people what we’ve personally experienced: that giving is a joy in and of itself, and that it’s an act of worship, and that it’s the one act that makes us most like our heavenly Father.”

Robert Morris in The Blessed Church (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2012) 168.