Let us learn above all to pursue with gentleness and charity those who cause us to suffer and who are in the wrong. We shall conquer them more surely in this way than by complaints and petty acts of revenge.

Let us be convinced that to do good, one must be, above all, humble and submissive.

~ Meditations. (MD 459)

Do we have the gentleness, the patience to realize that those who bring us any cross whether great or small, are but instruments n the hand of God to help us to perfection? Instead of rebelling or showing impatience, we ought to raise our hearts above purely human considerations and see the work of Divine Providence desirous of purifying us in the fire of trial. This consideration will make us charitable and even grateful to the one who has crossed us, perhaps unknowingly, and we will not lose this precious opportunity to advance anther step on the road of perfection.

When we show irritation, we prove that we are already in fault. Cain was jealous of Abel, because his works were wicked, and his brother’s were just.

When we fail in charity, in whatever way it may be, it is because we are excited by some passion. Moreover even when someone is failing in charity towards us, we should like Jesus, become still more charitable, remembering that the one who has caused suffering has more need of our charity; it is the time when we can give our suffering even if we cannot give our lives for our brethren.

Let us humbly follow every good example and never lose an opportunity of profiting from those who can help us.

If we wish to do good, we must be meek like Jesus and St. Francis de Sales; otherwise, we shall never win anyone to the love of Jesus Christ.