Quotes about Mastery

God did not give the Bible in order that we could master him or it; God gave the Bible so we could live it, so we could be mastered by it. The moment we think we've mastered it, we have failed to be readers of the Bible. Of course, I think we should read the Bible and know it—but it is the specific element of reading for mastery versus reading to be mastered that grows out of this shortcut.

As we grow detached from things, we come (with God's help) to master our desires, and we give the mastery over to God. Discipline and divine grace heal the intellect and the will of the effects of concupiscence. We can begin to see things clearly.

We are the masters at the moment, and not only at the moment, but for a very long time to come.

Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.

Courage faces fear and thereby masters it

A man cannot serve two masters: so it is either reason or the scriptures. - On Religion

A man strives to get direct mastery over things either by understanding them or by compulsion. But a woman is always and everywhere driven to indirect mastery, namely through a man; all her direct mastery being limited to him alone.

Francisco could do anything he undertook, he could do it better than anyone else, and he did it without effort. There was no boasting in his manner and consciousness, no thought of comparison. His attitude was not: "I can do it better than you," but simply: "I can do it." What he meant by doing was doing superlatively.

Too many are trying to conquer higher weaknesses such as procrastination, impatience or pride while still being slaves to their appetites. If we can't control the body and its appetites, how can we control our tongues, or overcome the emotions or anger, envy, jealousy, or hatred?

If you understand how the universe operates, you control it, in a way.

Be humble as you learn, confident as you teach, and modest when you have mastered both.

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.