Represent to yourself a dark city all burning and stinking with fire and brimstone. The damned are in the depth of hell within this woful city, where they suffer unspeakable torments in all their senses and members. Consider above all the eternity of their pains, which above all things makes hell intolerable.

Never be hurried in anything. Do all things calmly and in a spirit of repose. Do not lose your inward peace even if everything seems to be going wrong. What is anything in life compared to peace of soul?

Naturally we all have an inclination to command, and a great aversion to obey; and yet it is certain that it is more for our good to obey than to command; hence perfect souls have always had a great affection for obedience, and have found all their joy and comfort in it.

Work hard every day at increasing your purity of heart, which consists in appraising things and weighing them in the balance of God's will.

True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.

Let us think only of spending the present day well. Then when tomorrow shall have come, it will be called today, and then we will think about it.

Be not miserable about what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father, who cares for you today, will care for you tomorrow.