God's wisdom has so well ordered things in this world that night follows day, sadness joy, and contradiction applause, so that our mind may dwell on God alone, who is above all these changes (VI:1-2).

We should receive with respect all that God offers us, then examine matters in detail in order to do what is most expedient (V:636).

Profound humility is needed in order not to be complacent about progress and public applause (V:635).

We should consider that everything done for God is important, convinced that there are no insignificant duties in His house and that the least of them, when entrusted to us, honor us too greatly (V:626).

God's inspirations are gentle, attractive, and almost imperceptible, whereas the movements of nature and the suggestions of the devil upset and torment the soul by their violence (V:613).

To belong to God, it is enough to want to belong to Him in the best way His best children can be, honored with the title of servants of the Gospel (V:593).

How happy are they who give themselves unreservedly to God to do the works that Jesus Christ did and to practice the virtues he practiced (V:585).

The older I get the more convinced I am [of my unworthiness to be a priest] because day by day I discover how far removed I am from the state of perfection in which I should be living (V:569).

If I had known what it was when I had the temerity to enter it [the priesthood]--- I would have preferred to till the soil than to commit myself to such a formidable state of life (V:569).

How blessed are those who give themselves to God in this way to do what Jesus Christ did and to practice, after His example, the virtues he practiced: poverty, obedience, humility, patience, zeal, and the other virtues (V:554).