“St. John of the Cross has a lot to say about the danger, not of desires, but of attachments. The disciplines he encourages are not meant to destroy desire but to teach us what desire is for.” – Glenn Dickinson
“The person who relies on his or her own strength will always be defeated. The way to victory is the way of emptiness and abandonment to God.” – Glenn Dickinson
“My strong suggestion is to pick one of his works and stick with it. You may find it challenging and frustrating. Be patient.” – Glenn Dickinson
“The saint is not presenting an abstract theological point of interest only to specialists. This is advice as practical as any you’ll find in a self-help manual.” – Glenn Dickinson
“If all we encounter is an unwelcome silence, we might fall into self-absorption and start trying to deconstruct the desert, thus focusing attention on ourselves, when we should be looking at Jesus.” – Glenn Dickinson
“We are familiar with the importance of unconditional love. What the saint teaches us, what is perhaps no less important, is unconditional freedom.” – Glenn Dickinson
“Prayer, like love, is sometimes glorious, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes ordinary, sometimes shot through with fire.” – Glenn Dickinson
“The hope of a Christian confronts every trial, even death itself. Christian hope does not just raise our spirits; it raises a battle flag against all the troubles of this life.” – Glenn Dickinson
“With heavenly matters, we must sometimes wait patiently, for years, until God chooses, in His own perfect timing, to act.” – Glenn Dickinson
“When you pursue, with all your heart, a life of prayer, then you are following the plot of the story God is telling in your life.” – Glenn Dickinson