List of points

A task which presents no difficulties lacks human appeal — and supernatural appeal too. If you find no resistance when hammering a nail into a wall, what can you expect to hang on it?

“When Herod heard this,” (that the King had come to this earth), “he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

This is an everyday occurrence! We see the same thing happening now. In the face of God’s greatness, which shows itself in a thousand ways, there are always some people — sometimes even in positions of authority — who are troubled. It’s because they do not love God; because they have no real wish to meet him; because they don’t want to follow his inspirations, and so they become obstacles in God’s path.

—Be forewarned; carry on working, don’t worry, seek the Lord, pray… and he will triumph.

My son, I said with assurance, in spreading our “madness” to other apostles I am not unaware of the “obstacles” we will find. Some of them may appear insurmountable… But inter medium montium pertransibunt aquae — the waters will pass through the midst of the mountains. Our supernatural spirit and the drive of our zeal will cut through the mountains and we shall overcome those obstacles.

Are you able to undergo those humiliations which God asks of you, in matters of no importance, matters where the truth is not obscured? You are not? Then you don’t love the virtue of humility.

When you receive a hard knock, a Cross, you should not be disturbed. Rather the reverse: with a happy face you should give thanks to God.

Insults hurt so much, even though you want to love them.

—Don’t be surprised: offer them to God.

In silentio et in spe erit fortitudo vestra — in quietness and in trust shall be your strength… This is what the Lord assures to those who are his own. Keep quiet, and trust in him. These are two essential weapons in moments of difficulty, when there doesn’t seem to be any human solution.

Look at Jesus in his Holy Passion and Death: suffering borne without complaint is also a measure of love.

Think of the good that has been done you throughout your lifetime by those who have injured or attempted to injure you.

—Others call such people their enemies. You should imitate the saints, at least in this. You are nothing so special that you should have enemies; so call them “benefactors”. Pray to God for them: as a result, you will come to like them.

Listen to me, my child: you must be happy when people treat you badly and dishonour you, when many come out against you excitedly and it becomes the done thing to spit on you, because you are omnium peripsema, like the refuse of the world.

—It’s hard, it’s very hard. It is hard, until at last a man goes to the Tabernacle, seeing himself thought of as the scum of the earth, like a wretched worm, and says with all his heart “Lord, if you don’t need my good name, what do I want it for?”

Up to then even that son of God does not know what happiness is — up to that point of nakedness and self-giving, which is a self-giving of love, but founded on mortification, on sorrow.

Strengthen your spirit with penance, so that when difficulty comes you may never lose heart.

Whenever you are in need of anything, or are facing difficulties, whether great or small, invoke your Guardian Angel, asking him to sort the matter out with Jesus, or to do the particular service you may require.