List of points

Invoke the Lord, and beg him for the spirit of penance of one who conquers himself every day, and offers him this constant victory unassumingly and perseveringly.

—When are you going to make up your mind!

Many people around you live a life of sacrifice simply for human reasons. These poor people forget they are children of God and act the way they do perhaps only out of pride, or to excel, or to be more comfortably off later on in life. They give up all kinds of things!

And you, who carry the sweet burden of the Church, of your family, your colleagues and friends, motives for which it is worthwhile sacrificing yourself, what are you doing about it? With what sense of responsibility are you reacting?

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.

Don’t think that turning your life into service is easy. This good desire needs to be translated into deeds, for “the kingdom of God does not consist in talk, but in power”, as the Apostle teaches us. Moreover, the practice of constantly helping other people is not possible without sacrifice.