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Reflect that your guardian angel does not always move your desire for an action, but he does always enlighten your reason. Hence, in order to practice virtue do not wait until you feel like it, for your reason and intellect are sufficient.

Here one can only endeavor to live with ever greater fidelity and purity the life that one has chosen in order to offer it as an acceptable sacrifice for all those with whom one is united.

Be careful never to waste an occasion for mortification by complaining.

“When I think how much I have to acquire!” said a sister to St. Therese. “Say rather ‘to lose'” Therese answered, “for Jesus has charge of filling your soul with virtues as fast as you will get rid of the imperfections.”

It is enough to humble ourselves to bear patiently our imperfections. There lies true sanctity for us.

If I look at things from an earthly standpoint I see loneliness and even emptiness, for I cannot say that my heart has not suffered; but if I keep my eyes fixed upon Him, my shining Star, then all the rest vanishes and I lose myself as a drop of water in the ocean. All is calm, all is soothed and all is so good; it is the peace of God of which St Paul speaks, the peace that ‘surpasseth all understanding.’

God highly esteems these works...done for him in aridity and hardship, for by such means the virtues and gifts are acquired in a high degree. Those acquired through this labor are for the most part more select, refined, and stable than if they were obtained with spiritual relish and enjoyment, for virtue takes root in dryness, difficulty, and labor, as God says to St. Paul: Virtue is made prefect in weakness.

It is by the Blood of the cross that He will make peace in my little heaven, so that it may truly be the repose of the Three. He will fill me with Himself; He will bury me with Him; He will make me live again with Him, by His life.

In what can we not humble ourselves after a God who has so humbled Himself for us?

We may be tempted to give up everything. However, we can repair everything and even gain in grace through an act of love, though it be unaccompanied by any sensible feeling. Jesus smiles.

Let’s concern ourselves with our neighbor and with serving him, even though it may be repugnant to do so. In this way we’ll make sure that the throne of our heart is occupied by God our creator.

Today I had the joy of offering Jesus several sacrifices with respect to my dominant fault, but how much they cost me! There I recognized my weakness. When I am unjustly reproved, I feel as though the blood were boiling in my veins. My whole being rises in revolt! ... but Our Lord was with me. I heard His voice deep down in my heart and then I was ready to bear everything for love of Him.