List of points

Those of us who have dedicated ourselves to God, have lost nothing.

It is sad to see what some people understand by almsgiving: a few pennies or some old clothes. They seem not to have read the Gospel.

Don’t be over-cautious: help people to acquire sufficient faith and fortitude to be ready to deny themselves generously, in this life, what they need.

And to those who lag behind, explain that it is neither very noble nor very graceful, even from an earthly point of view, to wait for the last moment, when they will be obliged to take nothing with them.

“Whoever lends anything, never gets it back; if he does get it back, it will never be the full amount; and if so, it won’t be exactly right; but if it is exactly right, he’ll be an enemy for life.”

Well then?… Give!, without counting the cost, and always for God. In this way you will live, even humanly speaking, closer to the rest of humanity, and you will make your contribution and the number of the ungrateful will be less.

There are many who feel unhappy, just because they have too much of everything. —Christians, if they really behave as God’s children, will suffer discomfort, heat, tiredness, cold… But they will never lack joy, because that — all that! — is ordained or permitted by Him who is the source of true happiness.

That insubstantial and pleasure-giving enchantment of the world — so constant. The flowers by the wayside — you are attracted by their colour and the air is scented with them; the birds of the air; creatures, all of them…

—My poor son: it is quite reasonable. For, if you were not fascinated by it all, what sacrifice would you be able to offer Our Lord?