List of points

Make use of those holy 'human devices' that I suggested to help you keep presence of God: ejaculations, acts of love and reparation, spiritual Communions, 'glances' at a picture of our Lady.

Silence is the door-keeper of the interior life.

Your Crucifix. — As a Christian, you should always carry your Crucifix with you. And place it on your desk. And kiss it before going to bed and when you wake up: and when your poor body rebels against your soul, kiss it again.

Christmas devotion. — I don't smile when I see you making cardboard mountains around the crib and placing simple clay figures near the manger. — You have never seemed more a man to me than now, when you seem to be a child.

Don't wish to be like the gilded weather-cock on top of a great building: however much it shines, and however high it stands, it adds nothing to the solidity of the building.

Rather be like an old stone block hidden in the foundations, underground, where no one can see you: because of you the house will not fall.

You write: 'Our longing to see it all going ahead and spreading seems about to turn into impatience. When will things get under way, when will the break-through come,… when will we see the world ours?'

And you add: 'It won't be a useless longing if we seek an outlet for it in "coercing", in "pestering" God: then we will have made excellent use of our time.'

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'?…