It is a true sign of love to deprive ourselves of something for the sake of the one we love. What have you given up for God?
It is not enough to fast exteriorly if we do not fast interiorly, if we do not accompany the fast of the body with that of spirit.
You tell me that you do not have the time to give two or three hours to prayer. Who is asking you to do so?...Who can prevent you from speaking to Him in the depth of your heart? Make short fervent aspirations...When your ordinary work is not specially engrossing, let your heart be fixed more on God than on it.
Do not hurry along and say many things, but try to speak from your heart. A single "Our Father" said with feeling has greater value than many said quickly and hurriedly.
You should always have some good devout book at hand...daily read some small portion attentively, as though you were reading letters sent by the Saints from paradise to teach you the way thither, and encourage you to follow them.
Read the Lives of the Saints, which are as a mirror to you of Christian life, and try to imitate their actions according to your circumstances; for although many things which the Saints did may not be practicable for those who live in the world, they may be followed more or less...Others are more the subjects of our admiring wonder than of imitation...although these should tend to kindle a great love of God in our hearts.
It is not necessary for us always to have the feeling and movement of courage...It is enough for us to have a right desire to fight valiantly together with perfect confidence that the spirit of God will assist us with His help when occasion to use it presents itself.
And lastly, my favorite...
When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.
Thanks so much for sharing this. Daily spiritual reading is so good. St. Francis de Sales is next on my want-to-read list. But my spiritual director tells me I need to take a break from reading about mental prayer (I've become addicted)and has assigned me a book on the Mass for lent. I wasn't too excited about it but after starting it I'm finding it is really great: Understanding the Mass by Charles Belmonte.
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