There is a beautiful story on  the Feast of the Epiphany, the oldest of the Christmas feasts. There is a beautiful story about a little boy who prayed with great intensity to Padre Pio, asking for a toy train. “If you can help me to get a train, I will bring you a box of candy when I see you again,” the boy prayed. It happened that the boy’s father was a police officer. In the town where they lived, it was the tradition to give police officers and other public officials, a gift on the Feast of Epiphany. The police officer was given a toy train which he gave to his son. When the boy’s aunt took him to San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio greeted him and said, “Now, did you bring me a box of candy?”

Margharita Cassano, who lived in the town of Bari, visited San Giovanni Rotondo for the first time in 1948. She was very depressed because of the recent death of her father. Attending Padre Pio’s Mass and making her confession to him lifted her out of her sadness. She decided to move to San Giovanni Rotondo permanently. She told Padre Pio about her decision but he made no reply.

Marghartita had a very difficult time finding a place to live and finally had to settle for a tiny one-room hut in the countryside. It was an isolated dwelling and had neither electricity nor running water. There was not a single neighbor nearby. Even though it was a far cry from what she had hoped for, she was grateful at least to have a roof over her head.

To Margharita’s way of thinking, most of the people who moved to San Giovanni Rotondo seemed to have a much easier time than she did of finding accommodations and making ends meet. As far as Margharita was concerned, it was not fair. One day without warning, Padre Pio suddenly said to her, “Well, did you come here for the good of your soul or to set yourself up in a comfortable life?” Margharita knew then that she needed to correct her attitude.

Margharita rose at 4:00 a.m. each morning in order to walk to the church of Our Lady of Grace to attend the morning Mass. In the winter time, the harsh winds and cold temperatures made the walking very difficult. In addition, making her way alone in the pitch darkness filled her with fear.

One morning on her way to Mass, Margharita heard a distinct voice which said “One, two, one, two.” The voice almost seemed to be measuring her footsteps. When she stopped, the voice would stop. When she walked, the voice would resume. In the confessional she spoke to Padre Pio about the unusual experience. “I am afraid for my sanity,” Margharita said. “All the way to Mass I heard a voice which said – One, two, one two. It makes no sense.” “It is nothing to be worried about,” Padre Pio replied. “It was the voice of your guardian angel. He was counting your footsteps to keep you company. He is letting you know that he is watching over you so that you will not be afraid anymore.”

Margharita still had many challenges to face. Due to her uneasiness at living in such an isolated place, it was usually hard for her to get to sleep at night. One night she prayed to Padre Pio to take away her fear. The next morning when she woke up, she found a beautiful German Shephard dog sitting on her front porch. When she started out for Mass that morning, the dog walked on the path just in front of her, as if leading the way. To her great surprise, when Mass was over, he walked home with her.

That night the dog slept on her doorstep. He seemed to have made himself perfectly at home and his presence took away Margharita’s anxieties. She could sleep soundly from then on, with no fear at all.

From:Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry:True Stories of Padre Pio
Book II

Giovanni Gigliozzi was a famous journalist, radio broadcaster and writer who lived and worked in Rome. Giovanni had a great love for Padre Pio and Padre Pio in turn had a great love for him. Giovanni’s beautiful spiritual writings were presented in some of the earliest publications put out by Our Lady of Grace monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo. Giovanni always looked forward to attending Padre Pio’s Mass and he did so whenever his schedule would allow him to.

For a long time, Giovanni had suffered from migraine headaches. On one occasion, shortly before he was scheduled to go on the air at his broadcast studio in Rome, he had a severe migraine headache. He knew from experience that the terrible headache would probably last for a long time. He told the director of the show that he would not be able to do the program that day. “But you have to do the program!” the director said. “We have no one who can substitute for you.”

The director led him to one of the offices that had a couch. He told him to lie down and rest and perhaps the headache would go away. Giovanni followed his advice. He stretched out on the couch, closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Lying on the office couch, Giovanni suddenly heard a strange sound; it sounded like the clicking of Rosary beds. Next, he heard footsteps. He opened his eyes and to his utter amazement, he saw Padre Pio standing beside the couch. He was staring intently at Giovanni. Giovanni was so startled by the unexpected appearance of Padre Pio that he let out a scream. The thought occurred to Giovanni that perhaps he was about to die and that Padre Pio was there to usher him into the next world.

Padre Pio smiled and put his hand on Giovanni’s head in a blessing. Right after that, Padre Pio disappeared. Giovanni then realized that his migraine headache had vanished. He was able to continue with the scheduled broadcast that day.

The next time Giovanni visited the monastery of Our Lady of Grace, Padre Pio greeted him and said, “By the way, how are those headaches doing?” “I am feeling very well now,” Giovanni replied. “And I thank you for assisting me,” he added. Padre Pio then smiled at him and said, “My goodness, those hallucinations!” It was Padre Pio’s way of confirming to Giovanni that he had come to his aide.

From: Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry: True Stories of Padre Pio Book II by Diane Allen

Beautiful testimony by Elizabeth Reid

Dear friends, this beautiful testimony by Elizabeth Reid confirms that we are never alone in our sufferings.
My thirteen year old sister Bernadette was paralyzed from birth. She was very bright and very pretty. In the last year of her life she suffered great sickness and severe pain with very little sleep or rest. She always wore a relic of Padre Pio pinned to her vest. One morning, Bernadette told us that she had slept all night and that a lovely man appeared at her bedside during the night. She said he wore a long dress with a rope tied around the waist and he had a beard. He told her he was taking her away to a land where she would have no pain or sickness ever again. He held her hand and she said she was not afraid because he was a holy man. Upon hearing this, my mother became very upset. Bernadette asked him to leave her here a little bit longer. She talked about the “holy man” all the time. As the days went by we all knew she had seen somebody because she seemed so peaceful. Six weeks later, on June 1, 1978 Bernadette died with no pain. Padre Pio appeared to my little sister and took away her fear of death and guided her gently from this world to the next.
- Elizabeth Reid

The souls that suffer the most are favorites of the Sacred Heart; and you may rest assured that Jesus has chosen your soul to be the favorite of His adorable heart. You must hide yourself in this Heart; in this Heart you must give vent to your ardent desires, in this Heart you must live out the days that Providence will grant you; in this Heart you must die when the Lord so wishes.
– St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Not in Vain

1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV: "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

The cares of life, the deceitfulness of what this world would offer, the pains, the trials, and hard times, can all shake the very foundation beneath our feet--if that foundation is something other than Jesus. Like a very old tree seems to stand strong against the storms, we are encouraged to stand firm, and to let nothing move us. But it is not only the difficult times that can shake us, but the good. Sometimes the perceived good times become the doorways for the entrance of pride, complacency, and self-centeredness. The Good (which is Christ) is present, but the bad seeks to press in from every angle. We've so much to do in this short time here, and so much we do that seems in vain. But we are reminded also that whatever our circumstance, we have steadfastness in our Lord. And regardless of what we do that seems for nothing, our work in the Lord is never for nothing. And not one thing built on the foundation of Jesus will ever be lost.

St. Josaphat

NOV 12

John Kuncevyc was born at Vladimir in Volhynia about the year 1580. His Catholic father came from a good family and sent John to school in Vladimir. He was then made an apprentice to a merchant in Vilna. During this time he made the acquaintance of two Jesuits and Peter Arcudius, rector of the Oriental college at Vilna. They encouraged John in his studies of Church Slavonic and Byzantine Liturgy.

John's employer didn't like his preoccupation with religion, but he was such a good worker that the merchant offered him a partnership in the business and marriage to one of his daughters. John refused his offer and taking the name Josaphat, he became a monk at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Vilna in 1604. His friend Joseph Rutsky had been ordered against his wishes to join the Byzantine rite by Pope Clement VIII. Josaphat convinced Joseph to join him in the monastery and together these young monks worked to bring about union and reform in the Ruthenian monastic observance.

Josaphat was ordained to the priesthood in 1609. His reputation for living a very holy life and being an excellent preacher soon became known. In 1614 he succeeded his friend Joseph as abbot of Vilna. Josaphat worked to bring about reform also in the monastery at the Caves of Kiev which had became very lax. He had no success in bringing them to a belief in union, but he did bring about a changed attitude and greater good-will.

In 1617 he was made bishop of Vitebsk with right of succession to the archbishopric of Polotsk. He found his diocese in a shambles with churches in ruins, decadent clergy and monks and much chaos. While at Vitebsk he was able to win a large part of the Orthodox of Lithuania to the idea of Union. By 1620 order had been restored and the people seriously looked at their Christian life. However a new hierarchy was established in the Orthodox Church of Lithuania and they mounted a more effective opposition to Josaphat's efforts.

Due to betrayal, false accusations and violence, Josaphat's efforts were seriously opposed among the Catholic as well as Byzantine people. Because he maintained the right of the Byzantine clergy to equal rights with the Roman clergy he did not get the support of many of the Latin Bishops. In spite of death threats and confrontations with angry mobs he continued to work for unity.

Josaphat was attacked by an angry mob and after pleading that his servants remain unharmed he was murdered and his body dumped in the Dnieper River. His remains were recovered and buried at Biala in Podlesie. He was canonized in 1867.

Today his body rests in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, where every year on his feastday Byzantine Catholics, especially Ukranian Catholic, celebrate the Divine Liturgy (Mass) at his tomb. Josaphat is a great example to us today. When confronted with anger, hostility and rejection he remained steadfast in his struggle to attain equality, unity and peace.

PERFECTION 8

All perfection is based upon two principles, which, if we practice, and attend to the daily duties of our vocations, will surely bring us to its summit and fulfillment. The first principle is a very low opinion of all creation, but above all, of oneself.  From this lowly opinion of self will follow the renunciation of oneself and of the things created as well as detachment from self-love, with a resolute will to do one's duty whenever and however necessary. The second principle is a very high esteem of God, which is easily acquired with the light of faith; reflecting that He is omnipotent, the greatest good, our end and has loved us so much. He is always present, He governs us in all, both in nature and in grace and calls each of us to a high perfection, giving us our start with our special vocation. From esteem for God should follow promptness and great submission of the will to all that God wants of us, and at the same time, a complete conformity to the Divine Will, which should be the practical gauge of all our plans, affections and deeds.
– P. Achille Gagliardi

St. Vincent de Paul's principal concern was to be well established and perfected in those above-mentioned principles. In his profound humility he believed himself utterly incapable of great things, and he thought of nothing else but faithfully fulfilling the obligations a true and perfect Christian has toward God. Then, because he understood through a supernatural light that all Christian perfection depends on the good use of these two principles, he made them his goal and tried his best to engrave them in his soul, so as to make them serve him a as a sure rule and guide for every action. And he succeeded in doing so very well, because God, Who exalts the humble, was not only content to lead him, though this means, to that Christian perfection which he was striving to achieve, but also willed to raise him to a solid, eminent and singular sanctity.

I hear speak of nothing but perfection, but I see it practiced by just a few. Each pictures perfection in how own way. Some see it in simplicity of dress, some in austerity, some in almsgiving, some in the frequenting of the Sacraments; others see it in prayers, others in passive contemplation, and still others in those freely-given or gratuitous graces – but they all err, taking the effects for the cause and the means for the end. I, for my part, know of no other perfection than that of loving God with one's whole heart and one's neighbor as oneself. He who conceives any other type of perfection deceives himself, because the accumulation of all the other virtues without this love is nothing but the amassing of stones. And if we do not immediately and perfectly enjoy this treasure of holy love, it is our own fault, because we are too parsimonious and hesitant with God, and we do not give ourselves entirely to Him as did the Saints.
– St. Francis de Sales

From this holy thought, who does not realize that St. Francis de Sales' perfection could not help but be real and very sublime, when his love of God and neighbor was so holy and so pure? The same can be said of St. Vincent de Paul.

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was truly admirable in these two virtues. She acquired such a great love of God and of neighbor that she labored more for the latter's good than for her own.

God greatly desires us to be so perfect as to be one with Him. Let us examine ourselves and see what is still lacking in us to reach this goal.
– St. Teresa of Avila

When Father Peter Faber, a companion of St. Ignatius, thought of the fact that God greatly desires our perfection, he would try his best to increase in it daily and never let a day pass without some progress in the acquisition of virtue. Thus he grew in perfection and was highly esteemed as a saint.

We must begin with a strong and constant resolution to give ourselves entirely to God, protesting with a tender and loving sentiment, which comes from the depths of the heart, that for the future we want to be His without reserve, and then frequently renew this resolution.
– St. Francis de Sales

Every once in a while, St. Francis de Sales would renew this resolution and his desires to serve God better.

From the first day of his entrance into religious life, St. John Berchmans resolved to become a saint. Not only did he remain constant in all he resolved to do, but also renewed his fervor daily, to his spiritual advantage.

Act as though all the past were nothing and with David say: "Now I will begin to love my God."

– St. Francis de Sales

 

Thus did St. Paul. Even though after his conversion he had become the Vessel of Election and was filled with the Holy Spirit, he used this method in order to keep on the road to perfection and advance. When writing to the Philippians he said: "Brethren, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it (perfection) already. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind, I strain forward to what is before, I press on toward the goal to the prize of God's heavenly cal in Christ Jesus."

 

And among the saints who thus counseled and practiced it themselves, we find St. George, St. Bernard and St. Charles. In order to render the necessity and usefulness of this method clear, these saints used two beautiful comparisons. "We should act as travelers do," they said. "They do not look back to see how much they have traveled, but ahead – at the distance they must still cover. This goal they keep before their eyes until the end of the day. Again, we should be like misers who, greedy for riches, do not consider what they have already amassed, nor the fatigue they have endured, but try their utmost to acquire more and multiply their riches daily, as though they had never acquired anything in the past."

 

 

PERFECTION 7

Perfection is not acquired by holding one's arms extended in the form of a cross, but rather by one really working in order to dominate oneself and force oneself to live not according to one's inclinations and passions, but according to reason, the Rule and obedience. This is hard, it is true, but it is necessary. With practice, however, it becomes easy and pleasant.
– St. Francis de Sales

Plutarch once related that a certain Lycurgus took two puppies of the same parents and raised one as a house dog and one as a hunting dog. Then, when the dogs were grown, he took them to the forum, where he was to give a talk. First he threw some bones on the ground and at the same time let loose a hare. Upon seeing the bones, the first dog began to chew on them hungrily while the second dog took off to chase the hare. Then Lycurgus called the people's attention, saying: "Did you see what happened? These two dogs are of the the same pedigree, yet they do not have the same inclinations, each is inclined to do that which he is accustomed to do." One is able to overcome even the strongest inclinations of nature if one becomes accustomed to self-abnegation.

Of St. Ignatius Loyola, it is written that with the continued self-denial he inflicted upon himself and in his bearing all adversities, he acquired such a degree of holy indifference that it seemed as though he no longer had any inclinations. The same was true of many other saints.

Although to one who has entered religion and guards himself against offending God, it might seem that he has done everything, oh! there yet remain certain worms that are not seen until they have eaten away the virtues! These worms are self-love, high esteem of self, rash judgment of others, and lack of charity toward our neighbor. So that, although we fulfill our duties, we do not perform them with that perfection which God wants of us.
– St. Teresa of Avila

It was to one of these worms, that the Venerable de Palafox attributed the cause of his falling into mediocrity after his conversion, so much so, that he almost we to the point of losing his soul. "Why," he asked, "should I have thought myself really humble, even though I might be? And even though I tried to be an ardently desired to be good, was I to presume that I really was good? That hidden pride obliged Divine Goodness to teach me to see myself as I really was, not good but bad, lazy, unfaithful, miserable, full of pride and sensuality, and a squanderer of graces."

To be perfect in one's vocation entails nothing else than doing the duties and tasks that one must perform according to his position, but doing them well and only for the love and honor of God, referring all the glory to Him. He who does this is perfect in his state of life; he is a man according to God's Heart and Will.
– St. Francis de Sales

We read in the lives of the holy Fathers that the Abbot Pafnuzio, well known for his sanctity, one day desired to know whether he had any merits before God. In answer he was told that his merits were similar to those of a certain Baron. The saint went to visit that Baron, who received the abbot with kindness and treated him well. After supper, the abbot asked the Baron to tell him of his way of life. The Baron, however, said that he was most careful to accommodate all travelers and give them what they needed for their journey; he never mistreated the poor, but helped them in their needs; he saw to it that all in his jurisdiction were always treated with justice and that no one could ever complain of having been hurt by his family; he had never saddened anyone, but honored all, helped all those he could and tried his best to keep peace among all. Upon hearing this, the abbot understood that true perfection consists not in doing many things, but in fulfilling one's duties well.

To be a servant of God means to have a great charity toward one's neighbor and an unshakable resolution to follow the Divine Will in all things, trusting in God with simplicity and humility, bearing with one's defects and patiently tolerating the imperfections of others.
– St. Francis de Sales

One day, while St. Gertrude was bemoaning the fact that every once in a while she still committed a certain small defect, she begged Our Lord to liberate her from it. He, however, answered her: "Would you then deprive Me of a great honor and yourself of a great reward? Know you, that as often as one recognizes his weakness and resolves to overcome it in the future, he gains a great reward for himself. And each time he refrains from falling for love of Me, he gives Me as great an honor as a good soldier gives to his king when he fights and overcomes his enemies."

PERFECTION 6

The trouble with us is that we want to serve God in our own way and not in His, and according to our own will, not His. When He permits that we be ill, we want to be well; when He wills that we serve Him in sufferings, we desire to serve Him with works; when He wants us to exercise charity, we want to exercise humility; when He wants resignation from us, we want devotion, piety or some other virtue. And this, not because the things we want are more pleasing to Him, but because they give us greater satisfaction. This, undoubtedly, is the greatest impediment to our perfection  because if we want to become saints according to our will we will never become saints. In order really to become a saint it is best to do so according to God's will.
– St. Francis de Sales

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi well understood the great importance of this truth. With it as a sure guide, she submitted her will to that of God in such a manner that she was always happy, no matter what happened. She never desired anything contrary to the will of God. To ask God any graces for herself or for others with insistence was deemed by her a great defect; she said it was better to ask for graces with simple prayers and that she gloried and took pleasure in doing God's will rather than her own. Furthermore, she even desired to acquire the degree of sanctity God wanted of her rather than the degree she might want. Hence she wrote this resolution: "I will to offer myself to God, to want all and only that perfection which He wishes me to acquire and in the way and time He wishes and in no other way." Once, while confiding to one of her Sisters she said: "The good that does not come to me by way of the will of God, does not seem good, and I would prefer not to have any gift but that of leaving all my will and desires in God, rather than to have a gift which I desire or will."

The worst thing that can befall persons who have good will is to want to be what they cannot be and not want to be what they necessarily must be. They conceive desires to do great things, which perhaps will never be expected of them; in the meantime, they neglect the little things which God puts into their hands. There are thousands of acts of virtue as, for example, to bear little troubles and the imperfections of our neighbors; to suffer a biting word or some little injustice; to repress a harsh word; to mortify a little attachment or curiosity; to refrain from giving a bit of news; to excuse an indiscretion; to be condescending toward others in little things – these are for everyone, so why not practice them? Very seldom do we have the opportunity to gain large "sums", but we can daily earn little ones. And with the intelligent handling of these little "earnings", there are many who become rich. Oh, how many merits we would earn and what great saints we would become if we were to take advantage of every occasion that our vocation offers us!
– St. Francis de Sales

Inflamed with the great desire of martyrdom, St. Philip Neri resolved to go to preach the Faith in India. But upon learning, through a revelation, that God wished his India to be in Rome, there he remained and led such a virtuous life that he became a great saint.

In just five years of religious life, St. John Berchmans attained a high degree of perfection. What did he do? Nothing exceptional. He did his best to be faithful and exact in all his duties, never neglecting any means which, with the help of grace, could help him to acquire this perfection.

In the life of a young Jesuit seminarian we read that one morning when he was about to go out for a game with his companions, a priest asked him to give up the game and go to serve his Mass. The seminarian did so. Years later, when that seminarian was ordained, he went to preach the Faith to the infidels and had the grace of dying a martyr. Then it was revealed that it was because of that mortification of not going out to play with the others but of remaining in to serve Mass, that he received such a great reward.

I would like to persuade spiritual persons that the way to perfection does not consist of many methods nor much thinking, but in denying oneself in everything for the love of Jesus Christ. If this exercise is lacking, all the other modes of walking in the spiritual way lead astray, even though the person should have reached a high degree of contemplation and communication with God.
– St. John of the Cross

One day Blessed Angela of Foligno had an ecstasy during which she saw Our Lord caressing some of His servants, but some He caressed more than others. Desiring to know the reason for this diversity of treatment, she asked Our Lord and He answered: "I call all to Me, but not everyone wishes to come, because the way is covered with thorns. Those who do follow Me, I invite to My table and to drink of My cup. But because my foods are distasteful to the senses and My chalice is full of bitterness, not everyone cares to satiate himself with those things with which I nourished Myself while  on earth. Of course, those who are most faithful to Me are dearest to Me and are My favorites." Upon hearing this, Blessed Angela was filled with such an ardent desire for suffering and self-denial that upon encountering great difficulties she enjoyed as much consolation as a worldly person would enjoy in his favorite pastime.

All the science of the saints my be reduced to two things: to work and to suffer. He who best does these two things, becomes a greater saint.
– St. Francis de Sales

We find in the lives of the holy Fathers of the Church, that St. Dorotheus thus led his disciple, St. Dosetheus, in the work of his sanctification. He kept his disciple constantly busy, especially in those things contrary to his will. Hence, if St. Dorotheus saw him with something in his hands, even though necessary for what he was doing, such as a knife, book or other similar objects, he would immediately take it from him. If he asked news bout something, even about something good, he was sent away without a reply. Thus, in all his desires, St. Dorotheus sought to deny him and St. Dosetheus promptly obeyed in all things and suffered all in silence. In this way he reached a high degree of perfection within the short period of five years.

PERFECTION 5

If you really want to become perfect, you must firmly hold to the counsel of the Apostle: Attend to yourself, which implies two things. The first is not to look at the affairs of others nor at their defects. For the one who wishes to do his duty well and correct his own faults certainly has enough to do. The second is to strive for your own perfection and work incessantly for it, without worrying whether or not the others are doing so.
– Abbot Pastore

St. John Berchmans was an outstanding example in this regard. From the first day of his religious life, St. John Berchmans resolved that he would tend only and always to his own affairs. To this he dedicated all his life with such solicitude, that he never had time to look at the affairs of the others or to notice their defects. Hence he never stopped to reflect why others did or said this or that, or whether they acted well or not. Nor did he ever take it upon himself to defend one at the risk of offending others. He just quietly let each one think of himself and take care of his own affairs. As for the defects of the others, he took no notice of them even when committed before his eyes. For this reason it can be said that he never was able to point out the defects in the others. All he worried about was to correct his defects and to do his duties well. Therefore, in order to keep his soul free from defects, he used extraordinary diligence. Alhtough he had a great love for studies, he never let his studies interfere with his spiritual exercises, acts of charity or obedience; he never sought to satisfy his desires but to gain as many merits as possible.

Lord, what wilt Thou have me do? Behold the true sign of a totally perfect soul: when one has reached the point of giving up his will so completely that he no longer seeks, expects or desires to do ought but that which God wills.
– St. Bernard of Clairvaux

These were St. Paul's first words as soon as he came to know Jesus: "Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?" He said these words with such sincere affection and such submission of his will, that from then on he had no other desire than to fulfill the divine will. Neither did he ever vacillate in his constancy and fidelity, regardless of how many adversities, sufferings or trials he encountered.

It is not as necessary to strive for great favors as it is to gain virtue, for the one who makes mortifications and, with humility and purity of conscience, serves the Lord is the one who, without doubt, will be the greatest saint.
– St. Teresa of Avila

Rufino d'Aquileia narrates that one day, while praying, St. Macarius, who thought he had progressed quite well in virtue, heard an interior voice say: "Marcarius, know that you have not yet reached the virtue which is found in those two women who live in that city." Macarius went to visit those two women. After questioning and examining them, he found them to be quite advanced in virtue; for, although they had lived together for fifteen years, they had never disagreed either in words or in actions. Surprised, St. Macarius confessed that those two women were holier than he, even though head had received so many and such extraordinary graces.

I see two common mistakes among spiritual persons. The first is that they measure their devotions by the consolations and satisfactions that they experience in the service of God; so much so, that if these are lacking at times, they feel that they have lost all their piety. No, this is nothing but a sensible devotion. The true and substantial devotion does not consist in these things, but in having a will that is resolute, active, prompt and constant in not offending God and in fulfilling all that which appertains to His service. The second mistake is that if they should ever do something with repugnance or weariness, they feel that they have not gained any merit. On the contrary they have gained greater merit, for a single ounce of good performed with weariness and without satisfaction while the soul is undergoing a period of spiritual darkness, is worth more than one hundred pounds of good done with pleasure and satisfaction, because the first was performed with a stronger and purer love than the latter. Hence, no matter how much aridity and repugnance the sensitive part of us may feel, we must not lose courage but continue along our way.
– St. Francis de Sales

In order to prevent his penitents from falling into the first mistake, St. Philip Neri used to tell them that in the spiritual life there are three degrees or stages. The first is called animal life and is of those who in their devotions seeks sensible consolations. These consolations are given by God to beginners so that, attracted by the delight derived from the sensible pleasure, they will give themselves to the spiritual life. The second is called the life of man, and is of those who, deprived of sensible sweetness, combat their passions for the acquisition of virtue. The third is called life of the angels. This life is reached by those who, having fought for a long time to overcome their passions, receive from God a tranquil, quiet and almost angelic life even in this world.