List of points

A missionary. — You dream of being a missionary. Another Francis Xavier… And you long to conquer an empire for Christ. Japan, China, India, Russia… the peoples of the North of Europe, or America, or Africa, or Australia?

Stir up that fire in your heart, that hunger for souls. But don't forget that you are more of a missionary 'obeying'. Geographically distant from those apostolic fields, you work both 'here' and 'there': don't you — like Xavier — feel your arm tired after administering baptism to so many?

A keen and living faith. Like Peter's. When you have it — our Lord has said so — you will move the mountains, the humanly insuperable obstacles that rise up against your apostolic undertakings.

In the moments of struggle and opposition, when perhaps 'the good' fill your way with obstacles, lift up your apostolic heart: listen to Jesus as he speaks of the grain of mustard-seed and of the leaven. And say to him: 'Explain the parable to me.'

And you will feel the joy of contemplating the victory to come: the birds of the air lodging in the branches of your apostolate, now only in its beginnings, and the whole of the meal leavened.

'You are my God, I give you thanks, I extol you, my God'. — Beautiful aims for an apostle such as you.

To sow. The sower went out… Scatter your seed, apostolic soul. The wind of grace will bear it away if the furrow where it falls is not worthy… Sow, and be certain that the seed will take root and

bear fruit.

I can understand how you are suffering when, in the midst of that enforced inactivity, you consider the work still to be done. Your heart would break the bounds of the universe, and it has to adapt itself to… an insignificant routine job.

But, tell me, for when do we keep our fiat, 'Thy will be done'?…

Joyfully I bless you, son, for that faith in your mission as an apostle which inspired you to write: 'There's no doubt about it: the future is certain, perhaps in spite of us. But it's essential that we should be one with the Head — 'ut omnes unum sint, that all be one!' — through prayer and sacrifice.