List of points

My God, I see I shall never accept you as my Saviour unless I acknowledge you as my Model at the same time.

—Since you yourself chose to be poor, make me love holy poverty. I resolve, with your grace, to live and die in poverty, even though I may have millions at my disposal.

A heart which loves the things of the earth beyond measure is like one fastened by a chain — or by a “ fine thread” — which stops it flying to God.

Do not fix your heart on anything that passes away. Imitate Christ, who became poor for us, and had nowhere to lay his head.

—Ask him to give you, in the midst of the world, a real detachment, a detachment that has nothing to soften it.

Whoever really lives his faith knows that the goods of the world are means, and uses them generously, heroically.

Naturally, you have to use earthly means. But put a lot of effort into being detached from everything of the earth, so that you can deal with it with your mind always fixed on the service of God and of your fellow men.

Desire ardently that, when that unavoidable good sister of yours, death, comes to render you the service of taking you to God, she will not find you attached to anything on this earth!