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The Saint used to say that in calamitous. troublesome, grave, ad humanly speaking desperate matters, the only remedy was patience, silence, resignation, and prayer.

Now let us talk about the detachment we ought to have, for detachment, if it is practiced with perfection, includes everything. I say it includes everything because if we embrace the Creator and care not at all for the whole of creation, His Majesty will infuse the virtues. Doing little by little what we can, we will have hardly anything else to fight against; it is the Lord who in our defense takes up the battle against the demons and against the world.

Now I realize that true charity consists in putting up with all one’s neighbor’s faults, never being surprised by his weakness, and being inspired by the least of his virtues.

I assure you that God is much better than you believe. He is content with a glance, a sigh of love. As for me,
I find perfection very easy to practice because I have understood it as a matter of taking Jesus by His Heart.

I have not known anyone truly devoted to him (St. Joseph) and rendering him special services who has not advanced more in virtue. For in a powerful way he benefits souls who recommend themselves to him.

We must sweeten our minds by charitable thoughts. After that, the practice of patience will become almost natural.

Who are we to be so astonished and chagrined by our weaknesses and even by our faults? The saints humbled themselves because of theirs and rose promptly without being discouraged.

When I feel nothing, when I am incapable of praying or practicing virtue, then is the moment to look for small occasions, nothings that give Jesus pleasure...a smile or a friendly word, when I would much prefer to say nothing at all.

Before the divine fire is introduced into and united to the substance of the soul through a person's perfect and complete purgation and purity, its flame, which is the Holy Spirit, wounds it by destroying and consuming the imperfections of its bad habits. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit, in which He disposes it for the divine union and transformation in God through love.

Where would your merit be if you fought only when you felt courage? What does it matter if you have none provided that you act as if you had! If you feel too lazy to pick up a bit of thread, and you nonetheless do it for the love of Jesus, you have more merit than some great accomplishment made in a moment of fervor.

I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him (St. Joseph) which he has failed to grant. I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint, and at the perils from which He has freed me, both in body and in soul. To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace to succor us in some of our necessities but of this glorious saint my experience is that he succors us in them all and that the Lord wishes to teach us that as He was Himself subject to him on earth (for, being His guardian and being called His father, he could command Him) just so in Heaven He still does all that he asks.

The saints rejoiced at injuries and persecutions, because in forgiving them they had something to present to God when they prayed to Him.