An epitome of the priestly life

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garment.

Know that I am a spirit, and that those who adore me should adore in spirit and in truth. Μen see but the countenance biit I search the heari. Hear, my son: thou must be humiae. But do cast eyes, plain clostes and a modest bearing are not sufficient. Is thou resusest to suffer the contempt stat

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THE FUNDAMENTAL VIRTUES

these engender, thy humility is Vain, itis changed into pride. nou must be patient. But it is notenough to be a lamb in the pastum; thoushouldst be one also in the inambies. Isthou refusest to bear tribulation, thypatience is vain, it is changed into

impatience.

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Is it not true that thou honorest me

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son; beWare not to turn the graces of thine ordination into an argument forambition.

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greater thou ari humble thyseis the more, not minding hii things but consentingto the hvmble. Amen, amen, I say to thee: unless thou hecome as a litile child, thou shali notenter into my kingdom. Be hvmble, my son. In my religionand discipline this is the first, secondand third essentiat. Yea more, the whole and true rule os Christian wisdom consisis in genuine and voluntary humility. It is the foundation of saith, bringingevery intellect into subjection. It is me root of ali me other Viriues,as pride is the fource of ali sin. It is the mollier, the nurSe, the wΡ-pori and the anchor of true piety and

devotion.

And thou, my son, is thou acquirest viriues Without it, thou carriest sand in the wind.

All thy good woas inali amount tonothing, is they be not secured by humility. Without it the austerity of thy lili is mere hypocrisy, tosty contemplation, an

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heari.

Inou knowest that though Ι was the Son os God, I emptied myself taking the form os a servant and in inape formed

as a man.

a more, in my passion I Was as a Worm and not a man, the reproach of men and the ovicast of the pe0Ple See hoW easy it is to imitate me in regard to this virtve.

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member that thou cann do ali inings in him stat strengtheneth thee. Courage, my dearly bHOved; beassured that thou cansi attain to that humility that my sainis possessed is thou

Wherefore, like them frequently consider the reasons thou hast for humblingthyself, viz.: thy sins, sty desecis, thine infirmities, thine inclination to evil and tardiness in accomptishing good; and dothou like them, train in eis osten in the Various exercises of humili . Humble thyself, knowing that themore a priest is humbled in spirit, themore is he exalted in his ministry.

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HUMILITY