shadow of His, and that your sorrows and humiliation are imaginary. And fear and tremble, lest for a moment the slightest feeling of reluctance to suffer for love of your Lord be permitted to find the least resting-place in your heart.
This Crucified Lord, beloved, is the book which I put into your hands, and by reading It you may learn the true form of every virtue.
It is the Book of Life, which not only by means of words enlightens the understanding, but also by Its living Example enkindles the will.
The world is full of books; and yet, were they all put together, they could not teach so perfectly how to gain all virtues, as does the contemplation of a Crucified God.
There are, however, some who spend whole hours in weeping over our Lord's Passion, and meditating on His patience; and yet, when troubles arise, they manifest as much impatience, as if in prayer they had learnt quite another lesson.
Such persons are like those soldiers, who in their tents, before battle, are full of heroism, but when the fight really begins, cast away their arms and take to flight. Can any thing be more sad and foolish, than to contemplate as in a mirror the Virtues of the Lord, to be enamoured
