List of points

There are many people around you, and you have no right to be an obstacle to their spiritual good, to their eternal happiness.

—You are under an obligation to be a saint. You must not let God down for having chosen you. Neither must you let those around you down: they expect so much from your Christian life.

God awaits you! — So, wherever you are, you must commit yourself to imitating him and uniting yourself to him, cheerfully, lovingly, keenly, though circumstances might require you — even permanently — to go against the grain.

God awaits you!… and needs you to be faithful!

If you are faithful you will be able to count yourself a conqueror.

—Even though you may lose some battles in your life, you will not know defeat. You can be sure that there is no such thing as failure, if you act with purity of intention and with a desire to fulfil the Will of God.

—And then, whether you win or lose, you will always triumph in the end, because you will have carried out your work with Love.

Place yourself before the Lord each day and tell him slowly and in all earnestness, like the man in the Gospel who was in such great need, Domine, ut videam! — Lord, that I may see!; that I may see what you expect from me, and struggle to be faithful to you.

Tell Our Lord constantly and sincerely that you desire to be a saint and to do apostolate… Then the poor vessel of your soul will not get broken. And should it do so, it will be put together again and acquire an added attractiveness, and it will continue to be of use for your sanctity and the apostolate.

You have seen very clearly that you are a child of God. Even if you were never again to see it — it won’t happen! — you should continue along your way forever, out of a sense of faithfulness, without ever looking back.

You want to know on what our faithfulness is founded?

—I would say, in broad outline, that it is based on loving God, which makes us overcome all kinds of obstacles: selfishness, pride, tiredness, impatience…

—A man in love tramples on his own self. He is aware that even when he is loving with all his soul, he doesn’t yet know how to love enough.

To follow Our Lord you need to give yourself once and for all, stoutheartedly and without holding anything back — to burn your boats once and for all, so that there is no chance of going back.