Suffering is the school of humility

  Letters to Rose Bourgeois

(Letters of Spiritual Direction, "Suffering is the school of humility")

Humility makes our hearts gentle toward the perfect and the imperfect: toward the perfect, out of respect; toward the imperfect, out of compassion.  Humility helps us to receive afflictions serenely, knowing that we deserve them, and to receive blessings with reverence, knowing that they are undeserved.

(Read further in Letter to Rose Bourgeois, Letters of Spiritual Direction)

Facing temptations while trusting in God

  Letters to a Gentleman

(Letters of Spiritual Direction, "Facing temptations while trusting in God")

What is of greater concern to me now is that everyone says that besides your physical illness, you are suffering from deep depression.  I can imagine how much this will slow down your return to perfect health and breed the very opposite condition.  Now, sir, my heart is very sad to hear this, and since I have such deep, inexpressible affection for you, I also feel great compassion for your family.

(Read further in Letter to a Gentleman, Letters of Spiritual Direction)

In moments of melancholy

  Letters to a Wife and Mother

Even though there seems to be no meaning, life or pleasure in anything you do, continue to kiss your crucifix; with all your love give our Lord your mind and your heart, cold and faint as they are.

(Read further in Letters to a Wife and Mother)

The secret of inward peace

  Letters to a Wife and Mother

We shall realise how wrong we are to describe all the little things that happen to us as sufferings, pains or setbacks in comparison with the scorn, calumnies, poverty and destitution, humiliation, pain, agony, privations, insults and grief in every shape and form that he endured.

(Read further in Letters to a Wife and Mother)

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