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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.

“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.”

In these aridities the soul practices corporally and spiritually all the virtues, theological as well as cardinal and moral.

Often they beseech God, with great yearnings, that He will take from them their imperfections and faults, but they do this that they may find themselves at peace, and may not be troubled by them, rather than for God’s sake; not realizing that, if He should take their imperfections from them, they would probably become prouder and more presumptuous still.

Good works wrought in the season of spiritual dryness and hardness are like the freshness of the winter morning. What we then do for God in dryness of spirit is most precious in His eyes. It is then that we acquire abundant virtues and graces, and what we achieve with toil and labor is in general better, more perfect and lasting than what we acquire in spiritual sweetness.

Do not let your weakness make you unhappy. When, in the morning, we feel no courage or strength for the practice of virtue, it is really a grace: it is the time to 'lay the ax to the root of the trees,' (Matt. 3:10) relying upon Jesus alone. If we fall, an act of love will set all right, and Jesus smiles. He helps us without seeming to do so; and the tears which sinners cause Him to shed are wiped away by our feeble love. Love can do all things.

For this reason, the purer, simpler, and more perfect the general knowledge is, the darker it seems to be and the less the intellect perceives.

Merit is not to be found in doing much or in giving much, but rather in receiving and in loving much. It is said that it is far sweeter to give than to receive, and this is true. But when Jesus wants for Himself the sweetness of giving, it would not be gracious to refuse. Let Him take and give whatever He wants.

If we abandon ourselves, and place our confidence in God, while making every small effort and hoping for everything from His mercy, we shall be rewarded as much as the greatest saints.

In the exercise of this self denial everything else, and even more, is discovered and accomplished. If one fails in this exercise, the root and sum total of all the virtues, the other methods would amount to no more than going about in circles without getting anywhere, even were one to enjoy considerations and communications as lofty as those of the angels.

Life is long, and there are in it many trials, and we need to look at Christ our model, how He suffered them, and also at His apostles and saints, so as to bear these trials with perfection.

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