List of points

“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” With him there is no possibility of failure, and this conviction gives rise to the holy “superiority complex” whereby we take on things with a spirit of victory, because God grants us his strength.

When we’re working for God we have to have a “superiority complex”, I told you.

But isn’t that a sign of pride? you asked me. — No! It is a consequence of humility; the humility which makes me say: Lord, you are who you are. I am nothingness itself. You have all the perfections: power, strength, love, glory, wisdom, authority, dignity… If I unite myself to you, like a child who goes to the strong arms of his father or the wonderful lap of his mother, I will feel the warmth of your divinity, I will feel the light of your wisdom, I will feel your strength coursing through my veins.

You insist on trying to walk on your own, doing your own will, guided solely by your own judgement… And you can see for yourself that the fruit of this is fruitlessness.

My child, if you don’t give up your own judgement, if you are proud, if you devote yourself to “your” apostolate, you will work all night — your whole life will be one long night —and at the end of it all the dawn will find you with your nets empty.

When you are preparing for a work of apostolate, make your own these words of a man who was seeking God: “Today I start to preach a retreat for priests. God grant we may draw profit from it — and, first of all, myself!”

—And later: “I have been on this retreat for several days now. There are a hundred and twenty on it. I hope that Our Lord will do good work in our souls.”

My child, it’s worth your while being humble, obedient, loyal. Drench yourself in the spirit of God, to carry it from where you are, from your place of work, to all the peoples that fill the earth!

You insist on doing your own thing, and so your work is barren.

Obey: be docile. Each cog in a machine must be put in its place. If not, the machine stops, or the parts get damaged. It will surely not produce anything, or if it does, then very little. In the same way, a man or a woman outside his or her proper field of action, will be more of a hindrance than an instrument of apostolate.

The apostle has no aim other than letting God work, making himself available.

You spend your time with that companion of yours who is scarcely even civil to you… and it’s hard.

—Keep at it, and don’t judge him. He’ll have his “reasons”, just as you have yours, which you strengthen so as to pray for him more each day.

Holy coercion is one thing; blind violence or revenge is quite another.

The first step towards bringing others to the ways of Christ is for them to see you happy and serene, sure in your advance towards God.

Treat those who are in error with loving kindness, with Christian charity. But do not compromise with anything that goes against our holy Faith.

Understanding is real charity. When you really achieve it, you will have a great heart which is open to all without discrimination. Even with those who have treated you badly you will put into living practice that advice of Jesus: “Come to me all you that… are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”