List of points

The non serviam of Satan has been too fruitful. Don't you feel the generous urge to express your daily desire for prayer and work with a serviam — I will serve you, I will be faithful! — which will surpass in fruitfulness that cry of revolt?

Well, so what? I can't understand how you want to give up that apostolic work — unless your motive is hidden pride: you think yourself perfect — just because God's fire that attracted you and so often gives the light and warmth that arouse your enthusiasm, should also at times produce the smoke due to the weakness of the instrument.

You are dust — fallen and dirty. Even though the breath of the holy Spirit should lift you above all the things of the earth and make you shine like gold, as your misery reflects in those heights the sovereign rays of the Sun of Justice, do not forget the lowliness of your state.

An instant of pride would cast you back to the ground; and, having been light, you would again become dirt.

You… proud? About what?

Pride? Why Before long — years, days, — you will be a heap of rotting flesh: worms, foul-smelling liquids, filthy shreds of cloth, and no one, on earth, will remember you.

Because of pride. — You were already becoming convinced that you, by yourself, were equal to anything. He left you for a moment, and you fell headlong. — Be humble and his extraordinary aid will not fail you.

I see you, christian gentleman — that is what you say you are — kissing an image, mumbling a vocal prayer, crying out against those who attack the Church of God…, and even frequenting the holy Sacraments.

But I don't see you making any sacrifice, or avoiding certain conversations of a 'worldly' nature (I could with justice use another term), or being generous towards those in need or towards that Church of Christ, or putting up with a failing in one of your brothers, or checking your pride for the sake of the common good, or getting rid of your tight cloak of selfishness, or… so many things more!

I see you… I don't see you… And yet you say that you are a christian gentleman? What a poor idea you have of Christ!

Deo omnis gloria. All glory to God. It is an emphatic confession of our nothingness. He, Jesus, is everything. We, without him, are worth nothing: nothing. Our vainglory would be just that: vain glory; it would be sacrilegious robbery. There should be no room for that 'I' anywhere.

Without me, you can do nothing, our Lord has told us. And he has said it so that you and I won't credit ourselves with successes that are his. Sine me, nihil!…

How can you dare use that spark of divine intelligence — your mind — in anything but in giving glory to your Lord?

If life's purpose were not to give glory to God, how contemptible, how hateful it would be.