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God Himself teaches us to go forward with our hand in His by means of the Church’s liturgy.

By contrast with the lethargy that comes from lack of vital energy, resting in God is something completely new and unique. The former was dead silence. Now it is replaced by the feeling of being safe, of being relieved from all anxiety and responsibility and obligation to act. And as I surrender myself to this feeling, little by little new life begins to fill me, and to stimulate me – without any exercise of my will – to new activity.

When things that are irritable or disagreeable befall me, instead of assuming an air of sadness, I respond by a smile. At first I was not always successful, but now it is a habit which I am very happy to have acquired.

In fact God seems to be wholly occupied with overwhelming the soul with caresses and marks of affection like a mother who brings up her child and feeds it with her own milk.

Oh, how good it is to go and be saved by Him at the times when we feel only our miseries; I am so full of them, but God has given me a Mother, the image of His mercy, who, with a single word, can calm all the anguish in the soul of her little child and give her wings to fly away beneath the rays of the Creator Star.

In this night the soul obtains these four benefits here mentioned, namely, delight of peace, constant remembrance of God, purity and cleanness of soul, the practice of all the virtues of which I have just spoken.

I made the resolution never to consider whether the things commanded me appeared useful or not.... it is love alone that counts. Forget about whether something is needed or useful; see it (the demand, rule, obligation, etc.) as a whim of Jesus.

True love feeds on sacrifice and becomes more pure and strong the more our natural satisfaction is denied.

...it is not enough for me to give to the one who asks, I ought to anticipate the wish; I should show myself honored by the request for service, and if anything set apart for my use be taken away I should appear glad to be rid of it.

It is enough to keep closed the outside doors, which are the senses; then it seems to me that the soul cannot go elsewhere than to its center which is God.

I know, too, that our progress has nothing to do with the body, which is the thing that matters least. What the journey which I am referring to demands is great humility, and it is the lack of this, I think, if you see what I mean, which prevents us from making progress.

Let your desire be to see God; your fear lest you lose Him; your joy in that which will take you to Him, and thus shall you live in great peace.