We must be firm but not rough in our guidance and avoid an insipid kind of meekness, which is ineffective. We will learn from Our Lord how our meekness should always be accompanied by humility and grace so as to attract hearts to Him and not cause anyone to turn away from Him.
There is no act of charity that is not accompanied by justice or that permits us to do more than we reasonably can.
If you grant asylum to so many refugees, your house may be sacked sooner by the soldiers; I see that clearly. The question is, however, whether, because of this danger, you should refuse to practice such a beautiful virtue as charity.
In the name of Our Lord, Monsieur, do all you can to regain your health and take good care of it so that you can serve God and the poor for a longer time. This moderate care does not preclude the obligation we have of generously risking our lives when the salvation of our neighbor is concerned.
It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so that they end up not being able to do anything. The spirit of God urges one gently to do the good that can be done reasonably, so that it may be done perseveringly and for a long time.
Since I am a great sinner, I cannot reject those who have been, provided they have good will.
In a word, we are like the servants of the centurion in the Gospel with regard to the bishops, insofar as when they say to us: go, we are obliged to go; if they say: come, we are obliged to come; do that, and we are obliged to do it.
God’s affairs are accomplished gradually and almost imperceptibly and His spirit is neither violent nor tempestuous.
That’s what our Rules engage us to do, to help poor persons, our lords and masters.
I hope that this man can be won over by your bearing charitably with him, advising him prudently, and praying for him. This is what I do for your family in general and for you in particular.
If your men grow weary of the work or balk at obedience, you must bear with them. Get what you can gently from them. True, it is good to be firm in attaining your goal, but use appropriate, attractive, and agreeable means.
We must be firm but not rough in our guidance and avoid an insipid kind of meekness, which is ineffective.
In order to become soundly virtuous, it is advisable to make good practical resolutions concerning particular acts of the virtues and to be faithful in carrying the out afterwards. Without doing that, one is often virtuous only in one’s imagination.
We must hold as an irrefutable maxim that the difficulties we have with our neighbor arise more from our immortified moods than from anything else.
God has granted me today a very particular fondness for requesting of Him that same virtue of ever choosing the worst and that which is contrary to my own liking.
Perfection consists in a constant perseverance to acquire the virtues and become proficient in their practice, because on God’s road, not to advance is to fall back since man never remains in the same condition.
Remember, Monsieur that roses are not gathered except in the midst of thorns and that heroic acts of virtue are accomplished only in weakness.
Let us do our duty well; let us go straight to God; let us work to become very humble, very patient, very mortified, and very charitable.
Practice humility and patience.
Put your trust in Him and following His example, always act humbly, graciously, and in good faith.