Advice for students: to serve God and His Church better

May the philosophy you’re going to learn teach you to love and serve God better, to raise you up to Him by love, and... that you may learn the philosophy of Our Lord and His maxims and put them into practice, in such a way that what you’ll learn w on’t make your heart swell, but rather help you to serve God and His Church better. (23 October 1658; SV XII, 57-58)

Advice for students: humility

Don’t desire to be a great success, to walk off with the prize, or to make a show either by supporting by argument, or by defending, or by maintaining, but rather wish, desire, and ask Our Lord to give you the grace to love and practice humility in everything and everywhere, to love your own abjection, and to seek and desire nothing but that; and, above all, to consider that if there’s anything in you that makes you ever so little commendable, you get it from God, and it’s God who has given it to you. (23 October 1658; SV XII, 57)

Availability for any ministry assignment

The man who is not in this state of availability, but in the contrary one, is in a devilish state. In order to keep the vow of obedience we’ve taken, we must be in a state of openness to God’s Will regarding all things... to go to the country, if he’s sent there; to stay at home, if that’s what’s desired of him; to direct a seminary or go to give a mission; to remain in this house or another; to go to foreign lands or not; to obey this Superior or another, since God wills it. (30 August 1658; SV XII, 44-45)

The way to destruction: pride

Pride of life: to want to succeed everywhere, to choose newly-invented words, to seem brilliant in the pulpit, or in talks to the ordinands, and in catechetical instructions. And why? What are we looking for in all that? Do you want to know? It’s ourselves. We want people to talk about us, we’re looking for praise; we want it said that we’re a great success, are working wonders, we want to be exalted. That’s the point. In short, that’s preaching ourselves and not Jesus Christ or souls. (8 June 1658; SV XII, 20-21)

Detachment from the goods of this world

We have given ourselves to God to follow Him, even having taken vows for this, because, by the vow of chastity we’ve promised God to renounce the pleasures of body and mind; by the vow of poverty, the goods and conveniences of this life and the gold, silver, and riches of this earth; and by that of obedience, honors, high positions, and worldly praises. These three vows, namely, chastity, poverty, and obedience, aim at destroying, and are opposed to, the three vices that reign in the world. (8 June 1658; SV XII, 17)

Five enemies against Five Virtues

Those are the five enemies we have to combat, of which the first is prudence of the flesh, the second is a wish to appear to be someone in the eyes of others, the third is the desire to have everyone always submit to our judgment and will; the fourth is to seek our own satisfaction in everything, and the fifth is insensitivity for the glory of God and the salvation of our neighbor. Let’s work courageously to destroy these enemies; let’s arm ourselves with simplicity and candor, let's give ourselves to God to acquire gentleness, humility, mortification, and zeal for souls. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 261)

Insensitivity against Zeal

Fifth: The last enemy is insensitivity regarding the affairs of God and of our neighbor. This vice causes the insensitive man to feel no love or attraction for what concerns his salvation... We certainly go to church to pray, sing, say Mass, and perform the other liturgical functions, but all these functions are performed without feeling, tastelessly, and without devotion... Insensitivity also causes us to be unmoved by the physical and spiritual miseries of our neighbor; we lack charity and zeal and don’t sense offenses against God. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 260-261)

Self-satisfaction against Mortification

The fourth enemy is the pursuit of our own satisfaction in everything. Savior of my soul! What’s that? Isn’t it true that we seek self, without even thinking about it? We flatter ourselves and don't oppose nature, which has no other aim than its own satisfaction. In the name of God, remember that

we have to combat this vice by mortification, which doesn’t seek its pleasures from either the external or interior senses. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 260)

Submission of judgment against Gentleness

The other adversary is the passion of wanting everyone to submit his judgment and will to ours. That’s contrary to gentleness, for we usually see that those who want everything to be done in accord with their judgment, and that everything they want should be done in the time and manner they wish, are rude, violent, angry, and imperious people, and that’s totally opposed to gentleness. On the contrary, gentle persons don’t hold to their own opinion, condescending to the will o f others and never pushing to have their will done... So then, wanting everyone to submit his judgment and will to ours is a vice opposed to gentleness. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 259)

Envy against Humility

It’s the spirit of envy that makes one want to appear as a good casuist, a good confessor, a fine preacher. Ah, let’s esteem others but humble ourselves and keep God alone in view in our actions, remembering what Our Lord said to His disciples, ‘Rejoice, not because of those brilliant deeds you’re doing in the sight of others, but because your names are written in the book of life. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 258)

Human prudence against Simplicity

Human prudence is opposed to simplicity. Simplicity causes a person never to use duplicity, to speak as he thinks, always to consider God, and never himself, in divine things, and to be mindful of God in the acts of religion and charity he practices. Now, human prudence is just the opposite. What is human prudence? A serious pursuit of illicit means for self-advancement and for attaining our expectations; a constant desire and effort to satisfy the inclinations of our corrupt nature; and, in fact, we see this in persons who live according to the prudence of the flesh. What’s that person trying to achieve? To be filled with knowledge through fine collections and similar things in order to have people admire him. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 255-256)

Five Virtues: the spirit of the Mission

The spirit of the Mission is a spirit of simplicity, humility, gentleness, mortification, and zeal... a Missioner should act only by means of these virtues... Let each and every one of us strive to enclose ourselves in these five virtues, like snails in their shells, and act in such a way that all our actions savor of these virtues. The man who acts in this way will be a true Missioner. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 251)

Unity of Five Virtues

How are we going to have the spirit of simplicity, humility, and gentleness, if we don’t have mortification, which makes us find the good in everything? And how will we have mortification without zeal, which prompts us to rise above all sorts of difficulties, not only by the power of reason, but also by that of grace, which helps us to find pleasure in suffering. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 250)

Zeal

Zeal... consisting in a pure desire to become pleasing to God and helpful to our neighbor: zeal to spread the kingdom of God and zeal to procure the salvation of our neighbor... If love of God is a fire, zeal is its flame; if love is a sun, zeal is its ray. Zeal is unconditional in the love of God. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 250)

The importance of Mortification

Three Gospel teachings : simplicity, humility, gentleness... The first concerns God; the second, ourselves; and the third, our neighbor. But, the means of having these virtues is mortification, which

gets rid of anything that can prevent us from acquiring them. And, in fact, if the spirit of mortification doesn’t animate us, how are we going to live together?... Having this virtue is so necessary that we can’t live with one another if our interior and exterior senses aren’t mortified; and, not only is this necessary among ourselves, but also with regard to the people, where there’s so much to endure. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 249-250)

Gentleness

Gentleness... which concerns both the interior and the exterior, inside and outside the house; gentleness among ourselves and in bearing with our neighbor... If someone isn’t gentle enough to put up with boorishness, he'll discourage those poor people who, on seeing that, will be put off and will never be willing to return to learn the things necessary for salvation. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 248)

Humility

Humility... consists in emptying ourselves completely before God, overcoming ourselves in order to place God in our heart, not seeking the esteem and good opinion of others, and struggling constantly against any impulse of vanity. Ambition causes a person to establish himself, to seek to become well known so that people will say, ‘Look at him !’ Humility causes us to empty ourselves of self so that God alone may be manifest, to whom glory may be given. Humility bespeaks the love of being despised and not putting ourselves forward, with each of us considering himself a poor wretch. It always says ‘Honor and glory to God alone, who is the Being of Beings! (22 August 1659; SV XII, 247)

Always at work

Let’s give ourselves to God then once and for all, let’s work, let’s work, let’s go to the assistance of the poor country people who are waiting for us... giving a mission here or there, going from this village to that, always at work, by the mercy of God. (25 November 1657; SV XI, 391)

Doing good in the way Our Lord did

It’s not enough to do good, to give alms, for example, to fast and so on; all that is good, but it’s still not enough; we must, in addition, do it in the Spirit of Our Lord, in the way Our Lord did it on earth, and purely for the glory of God. (25 November 1657; SV XI, 389)

Doing God's Will for love of God

It isn’t enough to do what God asks of us, but we should do it for love of God; to do the Will of God, this same Will of God, and to do it according to His Will, that is, in the way Our Lord did the Will of His Father when He was on earth. (11 November 1657; SV XI, 384)

Be ready and willing to come and go wherever God pleases

We should all be so disposed and have this desire to suffer for God and our neighbor and to wear ourselves out for that purpose. How happy are they to whom God gives such dispositions and desires! Yes, we must be all for God and the service of the people; we have to give ourselves to God

for that, wear ourselves out for that, and give our lives for that, strip ourselves naked, so to speak, in order to be clothed with Him – at least, we should desire to be so disposed, if we aren’t already - we

should be ready and willing to come and go wherever God pleases, whether to the Indies or elsewhere; lastly, to devote ourselves willingly to the service of our neighbor and to extend the empire of Jesus Christ in souls. (17 June 1657; SV XI, 357)

Desire for martyrdom

God grant that all those who present themselves to join the Company will come with the thought of martyrdom, desiring to suffer martyrdom in it and to devote themselves entirely to the service of God, whether in far off lands or here, wherever it may please God to make use of the poor Little Company! Yes, with the thought of martyrdom. How often we should ask Our Lord for that grace and the disposition to be ready to risk our lives for His glory and the salvation of the neighbor, each and every one of us. If Our Lord loves us to the point of dying for us, why should we not desire to have this same disposition with regard to Him and to put it into effect, if the occasion were to present itself? (12 November 1656; SV XI, 334-335)

Asking for good Missioners

Lord, send Your Church good workers, but they should be really good ones; send good Missioners, men such as they should be, to work hard in Your vineyard; persons, my God, truly detached from themselves, their own ease, and worldly goods; they can be a smaller number, provided they’re good. Grant Your Church this grace, Lord. Put in me all the conditions You desire in Your disciples, such as that of having no attachment to worldly goods. (18 October 1656; SV XI, 321-322)

Not to worry about tomorrow

When Our Lord sent out His Apostles, he recommended that they not take any money with them; but later, when the number of His disciples increased, He willed that there be one of the group qui loculos haberet, and would take care not only of giving food to the poor, but also of providing for the needs of His family. Furthermore, he allowed women to follow Him for the same purpose, quae ministrabant ei; and, if He gives orders in the Gospel not to worry about tomorrow, that should be interpreted to mean not to be too anxious or concerned about worldly goods, and absolutely not to neglect the means of keeping ourselves alive and clothing ourselves; otherwise, there would be no point in sowing any seed. (1656; SV XI, 316)

Dependent on the guidance of the Son of God

When you have to take action, you should make this reflection: ‘Is this in conformity with the maxims of the Son of God?’ If you see that it is, then say, ‘Fine, let’s do it.’ If it isn’t, then say, ‘I’ll do nothing of the sort. ’ … Furthermore, when there’s question of doing some good work, say to the Son of God, ‘Lord, if You were in my place, how would you act on this occasion? How would you instruct these people? How would you console this person sick in mind or body?’ (1656; SV XI, 314)

Advice for pastors

In order not to fall into the misfortune of Saul or Judas, you must be inseparably attached to Our Lord and say often, raising your heart and mind to Him, ‘O Lord, do not allow me, in trying to save

others, to be unfortunately lost myself; be my Shepherd, and do not deny me the graces you impart to others through my instrumentality and the functions of my ministry.’ (1656; SV XI, 312)

Mercy

Mercy is the distinctive feature of God. We practice it, too, and must do so all our lives: corporal mercy, spiritual mercy, mercy in the rural areas and in the missions by hastening to meet the needs of our neighbor, mercy when we’re at home, and with regard to the poor, by teaching them the things necessary for salvation, and in so many other circumstances God presents to us. (2-3 November 1656; SV XI, 328)

Let’s be merciful

Let’s be merciful, and let’s practice mercy toward everyone, so that we’ll never meet a poor person again without consoling him if we can, or an ignorant man without teaching him in a few words the things he must believe and do for his salvation. (6 August 1656; SV XI, 309)

The spirit of mercy and compassion

When we go to visit poor persons, we have to sympathize with them in order to suffer with them, and put ourselves in the dispositions of that great Apostle, who said, Omnibus omnia factus sum; I have made myself all to all... and ask God to give us the true spirit of mercy, which is the characteristic spirit of God. (6 August 1656; SV XI, 308)

The source of all evil

There's no evil in the world that doesn't spring from this accursed passion to possess. Greed, avarice, love of riches - there’s the source of all sorts of ills. Cupiditas, radix omnium malorum. The person subject to this avarice bears within himself the principle, the origin, and the source of all evil, radix omnium malorum... There’s no crime so scandalous that a man who wants to have possessions may not commit. (13 August 1655; SV XI, 224)

Desire to have possessions

The desire to have possessions makes a man think only of himself. (13 August 1655; SV XI, 222)

Spirit of poverty

Let’s all ask God to give us in His mercy His spirit of poverty. Yes, the spirit of poverty is the spirit of God; for to despise what God despises and value what He values, to seek what He approves and to be attached to what He loves, is to have the spirit of God, which is nothing else than to have the same desires and affections of God, to adopt the sentiments of God. (6 August 1655; SV XI, 212)

In Jesus Christ be united

Be united among yourselves and God will bless you; but let it be through the charity of Jesus Christ, for any other union that’s not cemented by the Blood of this Divine Savior can't subsist. So, it’s in Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ that you must be united with one another. (End of 1646, SV XI, 137)

Advice for priests on celebrating mass

It's not enough for us to celebrate Mass, but we must also offer this Sacrifice with the greatest devotion possible, in accord with God's Will, conforming ourselves, as far as is in us, with His grace, to Jesus Christ offering himself, when He was on earth, as a sacrifice to His eternal Father. So then, let's strive to offer our sacrifices to God in the same spirit that Our Lord offered His, and as perfectly as our poor, wretched nature allows. (SV XI, 83)

Sincere humility

Let’s follow in everything the humble footsteps of Jesus Christ; let’s use simple, everyday, familiar words; and if God allows it, let’s be glad that people make little account of what we say, that they look down on us and make fun of us, and let’s hold for certain that, without genuine, sincere humility, it’s impossible for us to benefit either ourselves or others. (SV XI, 78)

Meditation

Meditation is a sermon we preach to ourselves to convince us of the need we have to turn to God and to cooperate with His grace in order to uproot vices from our soul and implant virtues in it. In meditation, we have to strive especially to combat the passion or evil inclination that is devouring us and try always to mortify it because, when we succeed in that, the rest easily follows. (SV XI, 76)

Helping one another in ministries

Missioners must not only love one another with a holy, interior affection, and make this apparent simply by their words, but they must witness by works and good results, willingly helping one another in their ministries in this spirit and always being ready to go to the aid... By this mutual support the strong will sustain the weak, and the work of God will be accomplished. (SV XI, 68)

Christian love

Christian love is one by which we love one another in God, in accordance with God, and for God; it’s a love that causes us to love one another for the same purpose for which God loves us, which is to make saints of us in this world and blessed in the next; and, for that purpose, this love causes us to look at God and not anything else but God in every person we love. (SV XI, 67)

Burning desire to serve God

Let's pray that God will fill our hearts with the burning desire to serve Him; let's give ourselves to Him to do with us whatever He pleases... We won’t be true Christians until we’re ready to lose everything and even to give our lives for the love and glory of Jesus Christ. (SV XI, 62-63)

The good use of illness

It must be admitted that the state of sickness is an unfortunate state and is almost unbearable to nature; nevertheless, it's one of the most powerful means God uses to remind us of our duty, to detach us from attraction to sin, and to fill us with His gifts and graces... It’s through sickness, that souls are cleansed of impurities and that those who lack virtue have an efficacious means of acquiring it. No more suitable state can be found in which to practice it; it’s in sickness that faith is exercised in a marvelous way: hope shines brightly in it; resignation, love of God, and ample opportunities for the practice of all the virtues are found in it. (SV XI, 60)

External mortification also important

Woe betide the person who seeks his own satisfactions! Woe betide the person who flees from crosses, for he'll find such heavy ones that they'll overwhelm him! The man who makes little account of external mortifications, saying that interior ones are much more perfect makes it rather clear that he isn't mortified at all, either interiorly or exteriorly. (SV XI, 59)

Missioners need mortification

Let’s hold fast against our nature; for, if we give it an inch, it will take a mile. And we can rest assured that the measure of our progress in the spiritual life must be taken from the progress we’re making in the virtue of mortification, which is particularly necessary for those who have to work for the salvation of souls; for it’s useless for us to preach penance to others, if we don't practice it ourselves and if it isn't obvious in our actions and behavior. (SV XI, 59)

Affability toward the poor

Since God has destined us to serve the poor, we have to do it in the way most beneficial to them, and, consequently, treat them with great affability, taking this advice of the Wise Man as if it were addressed to each one of us in particular: Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito: make yourselves affable to the assembly of the poor. (SV XI, 58)

Patience during distress and trouble

One of the surest signs that God has great plans for someone is when He sends him distress upon distress and trouble upon trouble. The real time to recognize the spiritual mettle of a soul is the time of temptation and tribulation because the way we are during these trials is the way we usually are afterward. We can acquire greater merit in a single day of temptation than in many other peaceful ones. (SV XI, 56)

Patience

The state of pain and affliction is not a bad state; God puts us in it to make us practice the virtue of patience and to teach us compassion toward others. He himself willed to experience this state in order that we might have a high priest who could share our sufferings and encourage us by His example to practice this virtue. (SV XI, 56)

Gentleness

There are no people more constant and steadfast in doing good than those who are gentle and good-natured, just as, on the contrary, those who allow themselves to give in to anger and the passions of the irascible appetite are usually very fickle because they act only on impulse and fits of anger. They're like mountain streams, strong and impetuous only when they overflow, but which dry up as soon as their waters are drained; whereas rivers, which represent good-natured people, flow quietly, tranquilly, and never dry up. (SV XI, 54)

Pleasing God in humble actions

If we want to please God in great actions, we must accustom ourselves to please Him in humble ones. (SV XI, 53)

No Ambition

God hasn't sent us to have honorable posts and ministries, or to act or speak pompously and authoritatively, but to serve and evangelize poor persons and to carry out the other activities in a humble, gentle, and friendly way. (SV XI, 51)

True Missioner and humility

Humility is the virtue of Jesus Christ, of his holy Mother, of the greatest saints, and in a word, it's the virtue of Missioners... Without humility, we mustn’t expect to make any progress for ourselves or benefit for the neighbor... Anyone who wants to be a true Missioner must constantly strive to acquire this virtue and make progress in it, being careful above all to banish all thoughts of pride, ambition, and vanity, as being the greatest enemies he can have. As soon as they appear, he must rush upon them to uproot them, and keep a close watch so as not to give them any opening. (SV XI, 46)

Christian prudence

Christian prudence consists in judging, speaking, and working as the Eternal Wisdom of God, clothed in our weak flesh, judged, spoke, and worked. (SV XI, 43)

Doing things in the Spirit of Jesus Christ

It's not enough to fast, to observe the Rules, to carry out the ministries of the Mission; but we must do this in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, that is with perfection, for the purpose, and in the way He did them. (SV XI, 43)

The Royal Road

Let's walk confidently along the royal road on which Jesus Christ will be our leader and guide, remembering that He has said that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will never pass away. Let's strive to think and judge as He did and do what He recommended by His words and examples. Let's enter into His Spirit to adopt His ways of acting; for doing good isn’t everything; it must be done well, in imitation of Our Lord, of whom it is said. Bene omnia fecit: He has done all things well. (SV XI, 43)

Prudence in conversations

One of the effects of prudence and wisdom is not only to speak well and to say good things, but also to say them at the right time so that they may be well received and beneficial to the persons to whom we speak. Our Lord gave the example of this on several occasions, especially when He was speaking to the Samaritan woman and used the opportunity of the water she had just drawn to speak to her about grace and to inspire her with the desire of perfect conversion. (SV XI, 41)

The prudent person

The prudent man acts in the way he should, when he should, and for the purpose he should. The imprudent man, on the contrary, pays no attention to the manner, the time, or the proper motives, and that's where he’s at fault, whereas the prudent man, acting discreetly, weighs and measures everything. (SV XI, 42)

Prudence

It’s characteristic of this virtue to regulate and guide words and actions. Prudence helps us to speak wisely and at the right time, causing us to converse discreetly and judiciously of things that are good in their nature and circumstances and to keep silent about and suppress those that are contrary to God or which may harm the neighbor or tend to our own praise or to some other bad end. (SV XI, 42)

Simplicity in preaching

When the Company is working in the missions, it must give itself to God to explain by familiar comparisons the truths of the Gospel. So, let’s strive to form our minds to this method, imitating in that Our Lord, who, as the holy Evangelist states, sine parabolis non loquebatur ad eos. Let's be judicious about using passages from profane authors in our preaching; in addition, this should be done only to serve as a stepping stone to Holy Scripture. (SV XI, 41)

God is very simple

God is very simple, or, rather. He's Simplicity personified; consequently, where there’s simplicity, there God is also found. (SV XI, 40)

Disposition of prayer for the sicks

We pray that God will be pleased to preserve the sick; nevertheless, we submit entirely to His Divine Will... In asking God to restore health to the sick and to provide for other needs, it may always be on condition that such is His good pleasure and His greater glory. (SV XI, 38)

By our works we love God

The Church is compared to a great harvest that requires workers, but hard working ones. Nothing is more in conformity with the Gospel than to gather light and strength for our soul in meditation, reading, and solitude on the one hand, and then to go out and share this spiritual nourishment with others. This is to do as Our Lord did and His Apostles after Him; it's to unite the office of Martha to that of Mary and to imitate the dove, which half digests the food it has eaten and then uses its beak to put the rest in to that of its babies in order to feed them. That's what we should do, that's how we should witness to God by our works that we love Him. Totum opus nostrum in operatione consistit. (SV XI, 33)

Trust in God's Providence

The true Missioner mustn’t be concerned about the goods of this world but cast all his cares on the Providence of the Lord, holding for certain that, as long as he’s firmly grounded in charity and well anchored in this trust, he'll always be under the protection of God; consequently, no harm will befall him and he'll lack no good thing, even when he thinks that, judging from appearances, all is going to be lost. (SV XI, 32)

Why we won't be successful in a certain ministry?

Do you want to know why we won't be successful in a certain ministry? It's because we rely on ourselves. This preacher, that Superior, or that confessor relies too much on his own prudence, knowledge, and intelligence. And what does God do? He withdraws from him and leaves him on his own; and even though he works, whatever he does produces no fruit, in order to make him aware of his own uselessness and so that he’ll learn from personal experience that, whatever talent he may have, he can do nothing without God. (SV XI, 31)

Trust in God

Let’s trust in God. But let our trust be total and perfect, and let's rest assured that, having begun His work in us, He will complete it... So, let's put all our trust in Him; for, if we put it in human persons or rely on some advantage of nature or fortune, then God will withdraw from us.... Let's seek God alone, and He'll provide us with friends and with everything else, so much so that we'll lack nothing. (SV XI, 31)

Preaching in conformity with the light of faith

Experience teaches us that preachers who preach in conformity with the light of faith do more good in souls than those who fill their discourse with human and philosophical reasoning because the light of faith is always accompanied by a certain heavenly unction that diffuses itself secretly in the hearts of the listeners. From that we can judge how necessary it is, both for our own perfection and to procure the salvation of souls, to accustom ourselves to follow the light of faith always and in all things. (SV XI, 25-26)

Truths of Faith

Only eternal truths are capable of filling our hearts and of guiding us with assurance.... all we have to do is to rely strongly and solidly on one of the perfections of God, e.g.. His goodness, His providence, His truth. His immensity, etc. We have only to be firmly established on these divine foundations in order to become perfect in a short time. It's not that it isn't also good to be convinced by strong, significant reasons, which can always help us, but they must be subordinate to the truths of faith. (SV XI, 25)

Christianity and priests

The success of Christianity depends on priests; for, when good parishioners see a good member of the clergy, a charitable Pastor, they honor him, do what he says, and try to imitate him. (SV IX, 6)

The distinguishing mark of priests

The distinguishing mark of priests is a participation in the priesthood of the Son of God, who has given them the power to sacrifice His own Body and to give it as food, so that those who eat it will have eternal life. That's a totally divine and incomparable characteristic, a power over the Body of Jesus Christ that angels admire, and a power to forgive the sins of the people, which is a great source of amazement and gratitude to them. Is there anything greater and more admirable? Oh, What a great thing a good priest is! (SV XI, 6)

Missioners

The state of the Missioners is one in conformity with the evangelical maxims, which consists in leaving and abandoning everything, as the Apostles did, to follow Jesus Christ and, in imitation of Him, to do what is proper. (SV XI, 1)

Be careful not to do to much

"Be very careful to conserve your health for the love of the Lord and his poor members and be careful not to do too much. It is a ruse of the devil by which he deceives good souls when he incites them to do more than they can in order that they might not be able to do anything." (SV I, 96)

God embraces all that is good

"God is an abyss of sweetness, sovereign and eternally glorious Being, an infinite Good embracing all that is good." (13 December 1658, SV XII, 110)

Ways of mortifying ourselves

“We can practice mortification in every situation, even holding our bodies in a position that might be uncomfortable, without, however, failing in moderation. We can deprive our senses of things that might give them a certain satisfaction, and accept willingly good weather as well as bad.” (Abelly III, 264)

The time of thanksgiving must equal that of petition

“We should spend as much time thanking God for His favors as we did in asking Him for them.” (Abelly III, 236)

The spirit of uprightness and simplicity against cunning

“You’re going to a region where the people are for the most part crafty and devious. If that’s the case, the best way to help them is to act toward them with great simplicity. The teachings of the Gospel are totally opposed to worldly behavior. Since you’re going there to serve Our Lord, you must also act according to His spirit, which is a spirit of uprightness and simplicity.” (Abelly III, 218)

Overcoming hypocrisy by sincere simplicity

“Making things look good exteriorly while being otherwise interiorly is to be like the hypocritical Pharisees, and to imitate Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light. Since prudence of the flesh and hypocrisy are so prevalent in this corrupt age, to the great prejudice of the spirit of Christianity, the best way to combat and overcome them is by a true and sincere simplicity.” (Abelly III, 217-18)

The rule of condescension

“Be as polite as you can, provided God is not offended in this.” (Abelly III, 211)

The Company will subsist by humility

“The Company can’t subsist without the virtue of humility. When this virtue is lacking in a Company, each one thinks about his own particular ministry, and this leads to partiality, schism, and destruction. If Missioners should ask for one thing from God, it’s humility. They should be sad and weep when they receive applause, for Our Lord has said: Vae cum benedixerint vobis homines. Cursed shall you be, when men shall praise you”. (Abelly III, 190)

Peaceful death of the friends of the poor

“All those who love the poor in life will have nothing to fear from death." (Abelly III, 117)

For Charity, For God

“What’s done out of charity is done for God. It’s a great happiness for us if we’re found worthy to use what we have for charity’s sake, that is, for God who has given it to us. We should thank and bless His infinite goodness to us.” (Abelly III, 108)

Infallibility of Divine Wisdom

“Human prudence is often mistaken and leads us away from the right path, but the words of Eternal Wisdom are infallible, and its guidance right and sure.” (Abelly Ill, 88)

Dispositions for meditation

“The best virtues are humility, the recognition of our nothingness before God, mortification of the passions and the unruly movements of nature, interior recollection, uprightness and simplicity of heart, attention to the presence of God, total dependence on His Will, and frequent aspirations to God’s Goodness.” (Abelly Ill, 61)

The excellence of prayer and confidence in God

‘‘There’ s not much to be hoped for from a man who doesn’t love to converse constantly with God. In addition, if he doesn’t carry out his ministries in the Lord’s service as he should, it’s because he’s

not attached enough to God and hasn’t asked, with perfect confidence, for the help of His grace (Abelly III, 56)

Union with God's Will

“To conform ourselves in everything to the Will of God, and to take all our pleasure in this is to lead a truly angelic life upon earth, and even to live the very life of Jesus Christ. . . . ” (Abelly Ill, 40)

The Church, residence of the Holy Spirit

“The Church, which is the kingdom of God, inspires with good leadership those He appoints to govern it. Its Holy Spirit presides in the Councils, and from It come the lights spread over the earth,which have inspired the saints, judged the wicked, resolved doubts, proclaimed the truth, uncovered errors, and pointed out the way by which the whole Church and each one of the faithful in particular can advance with assurance.” (Abelly III, 15-16)

A Missioner: a Carthusian and an apostle

“The life of a Missioner should be the life of a Carthusian at home and an Apostle in the rural areas, and, in proportion as he works more earnestly at his interior holiness, his works and ministries will also be more fruitful for the spiritual welfare of others.” (Abelly II, 24)

Order needed in the service of charity

In view of the help brought to the poor people of Chatillon, Vincent said : “They’re practicing great charity, but it’s not well organized. Those poor sick people will be overwhelmed with so many provisions all at the same time, of which some will spoil and be lost, that they’ll be just as needy afterward as in the beginning.” (Abelly I, 72)

Excellence of the Missioner Vocation

“How happy, yes, how happy, is the situation of the Missioner who has no other boundaries for his missions and ministries for Jesus Christ than the entire inhabited world! Why, then, do we hold back and set limits for ourselves, since God has given us such an expanse in which to exercise our zeal?” (Abelly II, 84)

Constancy of Providence

“Divine Providence never fails us in those things we undertake by its direction.” (Abelly Ill, 22)

Discerning God's Will

“Among the multitude of thoughts and feelings that constantly come to us, many seem to be good, yet, they don’t come from God and aren’t pleasing to Him. How, then, can we discern them? We should examine them carefully, have recourse to God in prayer, and ask for His light. We should reflect on the motives, purposes, and means to see if all these are in keeping with His good pleasure. We should discuss them with prudent persons and take the advice of those placed over us. These persons are the depositories of the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God.11 In doing what they advise, we do God’s Will.” (Abelly III, 46)

O my God, I offer you my heart

“O God of my heart, your infinite goodness does not allow me to share my love without first considering your love for me. Take possession of my heart and of my liberty. How can I hope for anything good, except that it comes from you? For you love me far more than I love myself. You are infinitely more desirous of my welfare, and more powerful to effect it than I am. I have nothing, and I hope for nothing, except you. You are my only good. Oh Infinite Goodness, would that I could love you as much as all the Seraphim together. But it is too late to imitate them. But at least I can offer you, with all the affections of my heart, the love of the most holy Queen of the Angels. O my God, before all in heaven and on earth, I offer you my heart, such as it is. Out of love, I adore the decrees of your Fatherly Providence in regard to your poor servant. I detest all that could separate us from one another. God of goodness, you desire to be loved by sinners. Grant that I might love you and then do with me as you will; not my will but your will be done.” (Exhortation to a Dying Brother, 1645, O.C., XI, 64-65)

Jesus' love urges us

"Fountain of love! You humbled yourself before us and accepted an infamous punishment. You loved us so much that you opened yourself to our pain and suffering, you took the form of a sinner, and you endured a most horrible death. Is there any greater love? … Who else has loved us in this way? Nobody but our Lord. Who else was driven by such love for the human person that he left his Father’s throne, became one like us, subjected himself to our infirmities? And why? To give us an example of how we should love one another. Yes, Jesus’ love caused him to be crucified and, through his love, we have been redeemed. If we had only some degree of this love, we could not stand by with our arms folded. We would not be able to see our brothers and sisters in pain and not do something to alleviate their suffering. No. Charity cannot remain inactive; it urges us to save and console others." (“On Charity,” May 30, 1659, O.C., XI, 555)

‘Christian’ in name only

“It is incongruous that one could be a Christian and not see the afflictions of a brother or sister, not weep with them, nor suffer with them. Whoever does not respond to the cries of the poor would have to be completely devoid of love, ‘Christian’ in name only, lacking even the most basic human qualities, less than an animal.” (Letter to Jean Pierre, November 17, 1657, O.C., VI, 560-561)

Who acts contrary to the teaching of Jesus is doomed to failure

“No matter what you might think or desire, be assured that following the teaching of Jesus and the example of his life will never lead you to disaster, but rather direct you to the fullness of life. All things that are not in conformity with the Gospel are vain, and anyone who acts contrary to the teaching of Jesus is doomed to failure.” (O.C., II, 236-237)

Why we have failed in some task

 "Let us place our confidence in God, but let that confidence in him be complete and perfect and let us regard it as certain that, as he began his work in us, he will complete it... Do you wish to know why we have failed in some task? It is because we have relied on ourselves." (“On Confidence in God,” O.C., XI, 731)

Let us follow the paths God points out to us

"We have to value the few talents God has placed in our hands. If we are faithful in the little things, he will place us over greater things… The spirit of the world is restless and likes to do all sorts of things. Let us put aside this worldly spirit. Let us not follow our own paths, but rather let us follow the paths God points out to us. Let us offer ourselves to him so that we might do everything and suffer everything for his glory and for the edification of his Church." (Letter to Guillaume Desdames, April 25, 1659, O.C., VII, 438)

We have done what we were supposed to do

“We must get it firmly into our heads that when we have carried out all we have been asked to do, we should, following Christ's advice, say to ourselves that we are useless servants, that we have done what we were supposed to do, and that, in fact, we could not have done anything without him.” (CR XII, 14)

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you

“If divine providence ever allows us to be subjected to, and tested by, slander or persecution, we are to be extra careful to avoid any retaliation, verbal abuse, or complaint against the persecutors or slanderers. We should even praise and bless God, and joyfully thank him for it as an opportunity for great good, coming down from the Father of lights. We should even pray sincerely to him for those who harm us and, if the opportunity and possibility present themselves, should willingly help them, remembering that Christ commanded us, and all the faithful to do this: 'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for persecutors and slanderers'. And to get us to do this more willingly and more easily he said that we would be blessed in doing so and that we should be joyful and glad about it since our reward is great in heaven. And, more importantly, he was gracious enough to be the first to act in this way towards others so as to be a model for us. Afterwards the apostles, disciples, and numberless Christians followed his example'.” (CR II, 13)

A desire to serve God

“Let us beg our God to enkindle in our hearts a desire to serve him. Let us give ourselves to him to do whatever he pleases with us... Let us hold it as certain that we shall not be true Christians until we are ready to lose all and to give even our life for the love and glory of Jesus Christ, resolving, with the holy Apostle, to desire tortures and even death itself rather than be separated from the charity of the divine Savior.” (SV XI, 75)

Practical acts of charity toward the neighbor

“Acts of charity toward the neighbor ought to be practiced constantly by us, such as: 1) to do to others that which we would justly wish them to do to us; 2) to agree with others and to approve of everything of which the Lord would approve; 3) to bear with one another without complaint; 4) to weep with those who weep; 5) to rejoice with those who rejoice; 6) to show respect for one another; 7) to be sincerely kind and obliging to others; 8) finally, to become all things to all men that we may gain all for Christ.” (CR II, 12)

Become the least of all

Our obedience ought not limit itself only to those who have the right to command us, but ought to strive to move beyond that.... Let us therefore consider everyone as our superior and so place ourselves beneath them, and even more, beneath the least of them, outdoing them in deference, agreeableness, and service. (SV XI, 69)

God is served equally by both sexes

"Did the Lord not agree that women should enter his company? Yes. Did he not lead them to perfection and to the assistance of the poor? Yes. If, therefore, our Lord did that, he who did everything for our instruction, should we not consider it right to do the same thing? ... So God is served equally by both sexes" (6 December 1658, SV XII, 86-87).

The Spirit of Jesus Christ is a spirit of union and of peace

"Be united with one another, and God will bless you. But let it be by the charity of Jesus Christ, for any union which is not sealed by the blood of Our Savior cannot perdure. It is therefore in Jesus Christ, by Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ that you ought to be united with one another. The Spirit of Jesus Christ is a spirit of union and of peace. How can you attract people to Christ if you are not united with one another and with him?" (Abelly, book II, ch. 1, 145)

We are always in the sight of God

"If men have found a way to see everything that happens, even to the smallest movement of a tiny insect, how much more must we believe that we are always in the sight of the divine mirror of God's all-seeing vision." (SV XI, 409)

Never lose sense of God's presence

"The memory of the Divine Presence grows in the mind little by little and by his grace becomes habitual with us. We become, as it were, enlivened by this Divine Presence. My brothers, how many persons there are even in the world who almost never lose their sense of God's presence." (SV XII, 163-164)

The Infinite Good embracing all that is good

"Oh, if we had an eye sufficiently piercing to penetrate a little into the infinity of his excellence, O my God, O my brothers, what exalted sentiments of God should we not take away from it! We should say with St. Paul that eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, nor the mind of man conceived anything like it. God is an abyss of sweetness, sovereign and eternally glorious Being, an infinite Good embracing all that is good. Everything in him is incomprehensible." (13 December 1658; SV XII, 110)

The beauty of God

"What then compares to the beauty of God, the source of all beauty and of the perfection of his creatures? Do not the flowers, the birds, the stars, the moon, and the sun borrow their attraction and their beauty from him?" (SV XIII, 143)

Making the Gospel effective

“It can be said that to evangelize the poor is not only to be understood as teaching the mysteries necessary for salvation, but rather making the Gospel effective.” (SV XII, 84)

Clothe us with the virtue of humility

“Eternal Father! You have willed that your Son be clothed with our flesh to be made like us, 'he was made in human likeness and found clothed as human being.' Clothe us with the virtue of humility, that we may be like him.” (18 April 1659; SV XII, 200-201)

Jesus loved humility

“What is Jesus' life, but a series of acts of humility? It is one of continual humiliation, active and passive. He loved humility to such an extent that he never left it while on earth. Not only did he love it during his life, but after his precious death he left an imperishable memorial of the humiliations of his divine person in the crucifix, appearing on it as a criminal attached to an ignominious cross.” (18 April 1659; SV XII, 200)

Uniting affective and effective love

“The love of our Lord Jesus Christ... is exercised in two different ways, one affective, the other, effective. The first does not suffice. It is necessary to have both. Affective love must pass on to effective love which is the service of the poor undertaken joyously, courageously, steadfastly and lovingly.” (9 February 1647; SV IX, 593)

Uniting the love of God and neighbor

“We are called... to separate ourselves from all that is not God and unite to our neighbor through charity in order to unite ourselves to God's own self through Jesus Christ.” (14 February 1659; SV XII, 127)

Let us honor Christ's poverty

“Let us be more careful to extend the empire of Jesus Christ than our own possessions. Let us take care of his affairs and he will take care of ours. Let us honor his poverty, at least by our moderation, if we do not do so by total imitation.” (9 January 1650; SV III, 527)

Charity leads us to God

“Charity leads us to God. Charity causes us to love with the whole range of our affections, to desire that God be loved and served by all, that people know and love this eternal Truth, Immensity, Purity, Goodness, Wisdom, Divine Providence.” (15 November 1657; SV III, 310)

Effectively loving the Lord

“Effective love consists in doing the things that the person we love wishes or orders, and it is of this kind of love the Lord speaks when he says, 'Whoever loves me will keep my word' (John 14:15). This word consists of teachings and counsels. We show our love by loving his teaching and publicly teaching it to others.” (SV XI, 43)

You should love our Lord tenderly and affectionately

“Affective love is the element of tenderness present in love. You should love our Lord tenderly and affectionately, like a child that cannot bear to be parted from its mother and cries out, 'Mamma, Mamma,” whenever she is about to leave it. Likewise a heart that loves our Lord cannot endure his absence, and owes it to itself to hold fast to him with this affective love, which gives rise to effective love.” (9 February 1653; SV IX, 593)

Loving the Lord

“Loving someone is wanting all that is good for that person. Loving the Lord then is wanting that his name be known and manifested to the whole world, that his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (SV XI, 43)

Allow yourself to be led by the Lord

“Allow yourself to be led by the Lord. He will direct all things through you. Trust him and, following his example, always act humbly, gently and in good faith. You will see everything will go well.” (4 December 1650; SV IV, 115)

Sanctifying our works

“We must sanctify our works by seeking God in them and by doing them in order to find him in them, rather than just to get them done.” (21 February 1659; SV XII, 132)

Jesus Christ is our all

“Our Lord Jesus Christ is our father, our mother and our all.” (30 January 1656; SV V, 534)

Practicing meekness

“Our Lord Jesus Christ is the meek master of human beings and of angels. By the practice of this same virtue of meekness you will go to him and bring others to him as well.” (SV III, 168)

Do not limit your vision to yourself

“Do not limit your vision any longer to yourself, but see the Lord around you and in you, ready to put his hand to the work as soon as you ask for his help. You will see that all will go well.” (19 December 1655; SV V, 488)

Rule of the Mission

“Jesus Christ is the rule of the Mission.” (21 February 1655; SV XII, 130)

Human actions become actions of God

“Human actions become actions of God when they are performed in Him and through Him.” (28 March 1659; SV XII, 183)

Resembling Christ's actions and suffering

“The more our actions and sufferings resemble those of Christ's on earth, the more pleasing they are to God. And as your imprisonment honors God, the Lord of heaven honors you with his patience, in which I pray he will confirm you.” (16 September 1650; SV IV, 81)

Shortest way to perfection

“The masters of the spiritual life have proposed different exercises, which in fact are practiced differently by different people. Some are very subtle. The shortest way, though, is the practice of doing God's will in everything. It is more excellent than everything else.” (7 March 1659; SV XII, 152)

Way to perfection

“Perfection does not consist of ecstasies, but in doing God's will.... Now who is the most perfect person? The one whose will is conformed to the will of God. So perfection consists in so uniting our will to God's that His will and ours become one. The one who excels in this point is the most perfect.” (17 October 1655; SV XI, 317-318)

Following Divine Providence

“What great hidden treasures there are in holy Providence and how marvelously our Lord is honored by those who follow it and do not try to get ahead of it.” (1629; SV I, 59)

Way to ensure the continuing blessings

“One way to ensure the continuing blessings of the Lord is to use them as soon as we receive them, according to his good pleasure for the greatest benefit to our neighbor.” (22 November 1659; SV VIII, 178)

Prayer and mortification are two sisters

"Mortification is another means, which will be of great help to you on the road to prayer. Prayer and mortification are two sisters who are so closely united together that one will never be found without the other. Mortification goes first and prayer follows after." (IX, 427)

Daily prayer

"Although we cannot perfectly imitate Christ our Lord who spent whole nights in prayer to God in addition to his daily meditations, nevertheless we will do so as far as we are able."' (CR X, 7)

Give me a man of prayer

Give me a man of prayer and he will be capable of everything. He may say with the apostle, " I can do all things in him who strengthens me." (SV XI, 83).

Prayer

Prayer is "an elevation of the mind to God by which the soul detaches itself, as it were, from itself so as to seek God in himself. It is a conversation with God, an intercourse of the spirit, in which God interiorly teaches it what it should know and do, and in which the soul says to God what he himself teaches it to ask for" (SV IX, 419).

God is simple

"God is simple. Wherever you discover Christian simplicity, walk with confidence, whereas they that use craftiness and duplicity are in constant fear lest their cunning be detected, and lest in consequence other people cease to have confidence in them. For my part - as I can affirm - long experience has demonstrated to my satisfaction, that a strong and practical faith, and a true spirit of religion, are more commonly found among poor and simple people. God is pleased to enrich them with fervent faith. They believe and relish the words of everlasting life that Christ has left us in his gospel. As a general rule, they hear illness patiently, privations, too, and other afflictions. Such things they endure without murmuring or complaining, except a little and rarely. Moreover, everyone feels an attraction for persons who are simple and candid, persons who refuse to employ cunning or deceit. They are popular because they act ingenuously, and speak sincerely; their lips are ever in accord with their hearts. They are esteemed and loved everywhere ...." (SV XI, 50; XII, 171)

Simple as doves and prudent as serpents

"Jesus, the Lord, expects us to have the simplicity of a dove. This means giving a straightforward opinion about things in the way we honestly see them, without needless reservations . It also means doing things without any double -dealing or manipulation, our intention being focused solely on God. Each of us, then, should take care to behave always in this spirit of simplicity, remembering that God likes to deal with the simple, and that he conceals the secrets of heaven from the wise and prudent of this world and reveals them to little ones. But while Christ recommends the simplicity of a dove he tells us to have the prudence of a serpent as well. What he means is that we should speak and behave with discretion. We ought, therefore, to keep quiet about matters which should not be made know , especially if they are unsuitable or unlawful ... In actual practice this virtue is about choosing the right way to do things. We should make it a sacred principle, then, admitting of no exceptions, that since we are working for God we will always choose God-related ways for carrying out our work, and see and judge things from Christ 's point of view and not from a worldly- wise one; and not according to the feeble reasoning of our own mind either. That is how we can be prudent as serpents and simple as doves." (CR II, 4-5)