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The nothingness of me is strangely loved:
Sustaining ever
The all of love, my need is strangely here:
Departing never.

Are you perhaps afraid that the abyss of the greatness of God and that of your nothingness cannot be united? There is love in him. His passionate love made him take flesh in order that by seeing a Man-God, we would not be afraid to draw near him.

If we hope to find God, the road is sure; we must acquire humility of heart and a simple spirit, remembering that only those who fight gain the victory. Bust courage, we shall not lack grace nor help from the Heart of God who wishes us all to be saints.

O Jesus! how happy I would be if I had been faithful, but alas! often in the evening I am sad because I feel I could have corresponded better with your graces... If I were more united to You, more charitable with my sisters, more humble and more mortified, I would feel less sorrow when I talk with you in prayer. And yet, O my God, very far from becoming discouraged at the sight of my miseries, I come to you with confidence, recalling that "those who are well do not need a doctor but the sick do."

We are miserable and fall at every step. We are children who don't even know how to talk. Why doesn't Jesus become angry with our falls that are caused by our ignorance and our weakness? Never allow discouragement to enter your heart.

How sweet is the way of Love! True, one may fall and be unfaithful to grace, but Love knows how to draw profit from everything, and quickly consumes whatever may be displeasing to Our Lord, leaving in the heart only a deep and humble peace.

Yes, it is true, God can make you a contemplative -- through His goodness and mercy; but, in my opinion, one should always take the lowest place, for this is what the Lord told us to do and taught us in deed. Prepare yourself so that God may lead you along this path if He so desires. When He doesn't, you can practice humility, which is to consider yourself lucky to serve the servants of the Lord and praise His Majesty because He brought you among them.

I am not disturbed at seeing myself weakness itself. On the contrary it is in my weakness that I glory, and I expect each day to discover new imperfections in myself.

O Savior, I shall buy You with my tears and obedience, with humility and charity, with sacrifices and with death, with the purest love of neighbor. And when I do, I shall buy You for those who see You.

In this detachment the spiritual soul finds its quiet and repose; for, since it covets nothing, nothing wearies it when it is lifted up, and nothing oppresses it when it is cast down, because it is in the center of its humility; but when it covets anything, at that very moment it becomes wearied.

And take care about this: however sublime the contemplation, let your prayer always begin and end with self-knowledge.

Prayer ought to be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering, and accompanied with great reverence. One should consider that he stands in the presence of a God, and speaks with a Lord before whom the angels tremble from awe and fear.