Point 16
You a drifter? You… one of the crowd? You, who were born to be a leader!
There is no room among us for the lukewarm. Humble yourself and Christ will set you aflame again with the fire of Love.
Point 17
Don’t succumb to that disease of character whose symptoms are inconstancy in everything, thoughtlessness in action and speech scatter-brained ideas: superficiality, in short.
Mark this well: unless you react in time — not tomorrow: now! — that superficiality which each day leads you to form those empty plans (plans ’so full of emptiness’) will make of your life a dead and useless puppet.
Point 18
You persist in being worldly, superficial, scatter-brained, because you are a coward. What is it but cowardice not to want to face yourself?
Point 19
Will-power. A very important quality. Don’t despise little things, for by the continual practice of denying yourself again and again in such things — which are never futile or trivial — with God’s grace you will add strength and resilience to your character. In that way you will first become master of yourself, and then a guide, a chief, a leader: to compel and to urge and to inspire others, with your word, with your example, with your knowledge and with your power.
Point 20
It is inevitable that you should feel the rub of other people’s characters against your own. After all, you are not a gold coin that everyone likes.
Besides, without that friction produced by contact with others, how would you ever lose those corners, those edges and projections — the imperfections and defects — of your character, and acquire the smooth and regular finish, the firm flexibility of charity, of perfection?
If your character and the characters of those who live with you were soft and sweet like sponge-cake you would never become a saint.
Point 21
Excuses. You will always find plenty if you want to avoid your obligations. What a profusion of well-thought-out nonsense!
Don’t stop to consider it. Dismiss it and do your duty.
Point 22
Be firm. Be virile. Be a man. And then… be a saint.
Point 23
You say that you can’t do more? Could it not be that… you can’t do less?
Point 24
You are ambitious: for knowledge, for leadership, for great ventures.
Good. Very good. But let it be for Christ, for Love.
Point 25
Don’t argue. Arguing seldom brings light, for the light is quenched by passion.
Point 26
Matrimony is a holy sacrament. When the time comes for you to receive it, ask your spiritual adviser or your confessor to suggest a suitable book. And you will be better prepared to bear worthily the burdens of the home.
Point 27
You laugh because I tell you that you have a ‘vocation for marriage’? Well, you have just that: a vocation.
Commend yourself to the Archangel Raphael that he may keep you pure, as he did Tobias, until the end of the way.
Point 28
Marriage is for the soldiers and not for the General Staff of Christ’s army. For, whereas food is a necessity for each individual, procreation is a necessity for the species only, not for the individual.
Longing for children? Children, many children, and a lasting trail of light we shall leave behind us if we sacrifice the selfishness of the flesh.
Point 29
The limited, miserable happiness of the egoist — who withdraws into his ivory tower, into his shell — is not difficult to attain in this world. But the happiness of the egoist is not lasting.
For this false semblance of heaven, are you going to forsake the happiness which will have no end?
Point 30
You are too calculating. Don’t tell me you are young. Youth gives all it can: it gives itself without reserve
Point 31
Selfish. Always looking after yourself You seem incapable of feeling the fraternity of Christ. In those around you, you do not see brothers: you see stepping stones.
I can foresee your complete failure. And when you have fallen, you will want others to treat you with the charity you are not willing to show towards them.
Point 32
You will never be a leader if you see others only as stepping-stones to get ahead. You will be a leader if you are ambitious for the salvation of all mankind.
You can’t turn your back on your fellow-men: you have to be anxious to make them happy.
Had a talk with Sir Dennis this evening. Talked about UP, grades, studying, decisions, my homework.
Must… go… to Mass… more often.
(Here we go again with the ligawan and being with that certain someone for extended periods.)
BA | 
08 30th, 2006| 
