January 31st
Book Two, Chapter 6
Of the Joy of a Good Conscience

An evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet; sweetly shall you rest, if your heart upbraids you not....Great tranquility of heart has he who cares neither for praise nor blame.  Easily will he be content and at peace whose conscience is undefiled.  You are not more holy for being praised, nor the worse for being blamed.  What you art, you are; nor can you be said to be greater than God sees you to be.  If you attend diligently to what you are interiorly, you will not regard what men say of you.

January 30th
Book Two, Chapter  5
Of Self-Consideration

We may not trust too much to ourselves; for grace and understanding are often wanting to us.  There is in us but little light, and this we soon lose by negligence.  Oftentimes, we are quite unconscious how interiorly blind we are....You will never be interior and devout unless you pass over in silence other men's affairs, and look especially to yourself...Where are you when you are absent from yourself?...The soul that loves God despises all things that are less than God.  God only, the eternal and infinite, who fills all things, is the solace of the soul and the true joy of the heart.

January 29th
Book Two, Chapter 4
Of a Pure Mind and a Simple Intention

By two wings is man lifted above earthly things, viz., by simplicity and purity.  Simplicity must be in the intention, purity in the affection.  Simplicity aims at God, purity apprehends Him and tastes Him....If there is joy in the world, truly the man of pure heart possesses it.  And if there be anywhere tribulation and distress, an evil conscience the more readily experiences it.

January 28th
Book Two, Chapter 3
Of the Good Peaceable Man

He that is in perfect peace suspects no man.  But he that is discontented and disturbed is agitated by various suspicions; he has neither rest himself, nor suffers others to rest.....to be able to live peacefully with the hard and the perverse, or with the undisciplined and those who contradict us, is a great grace, and a highly commendable and manly thing....Such a one is conqueror of himself and lord of the world, the friend of Christ and an heir of heaven.

January 27th
Book Two, Chapter 2
Of Humble Submission

Make no great account of who may be for you or against you, but mind and take care that God be with you in everything you do....It belongs to God to help us and deliver us from all confusion.  Many a time it is a great advantage to us, for the keeping us in greater humility, that others know and reprehend our faults.

January 26th
Book Two, Chapter 1
Of Interior Conversation

Turn to the Lord with your whole heart, and quit this miserable world, and your soul will find rest.  Learn to slight exterior things, and to give yourself to interior things, and you will see the kingdom of God come within you....There is nothing that so defiles and entangles the heart of man as an impure attachment to created things.  If you will refuse exterior consolations, then you will be able to apply your mind to heavenly things, and experience frequent interior joy.

January 25th
Book One, Chapter 25
Of the Fervent Amendment of Our Whole Life

 There is one thing that keeps many back from spiritual progress, and from fervor in amendment; namely, a dread of the difficulty or of the labor that is necessary in the struggle.
And assuredly they especially advance beyond others in virtue, who strive the most manfully to overcome the very things which are the hardest and most contrary to them....
Watch over yourself, stir yourself up, admonish yourself, and whatever may become of others, neglect not yourself.

January 24th
Book One, Chapter 24
Of Judgement and the Punishment of Sinners

Truly we deceive ourselves through the inordinate love we bear the flesh....All, therefore, is vanity, except to love God and serve Him only.

January 23rd
Book One, Chapter 23
Of the Thoughts of Death

Keep yourself as a pilgrim and a stranger upon earth, who has no concern with the business of the world.  Keep your heart free and lifted up to God, for you have not here a lasting city.

January 22nd
Book One, Chapter 22
Of the Consideration of Human Misery

Oh, how great is human frailty, which is ever prone to vice!  Today you confess your sins, and tomorrow you again commit what you had confessed.  Now you propose to be on your guard, and an hour after you are acting as if you had made no resolution.
Justly then may we humble ourselves, and never think anything great of ourselves; since we are so frail and unstable.

January 21st
Book One, Chapter 21
Of Compunction of Heart

Through levity of heart and neglect of our defects we feel not the sorrows of the soul; and we often vainly laugh when in all reason we should weep.  There is no true liberty nor profitable joy but in the fear of God with a good conscience.  Happy is the man that can cast away all the hindrance of distraction, and recollect himself in the unity of holy compunction.

January 20th
Book One, Chapter 20

Oh, what great peace and quietness would he possess, that would cut off all vain anxiety, and think only upon divine things, and such as are profitable for his soul, and would place all his confidence in God....What can you see anywhere that can long continue under the sun?  You think, perhaps, to satisfy yourself, but you can never attain it....Leave vain things to the vain; but be intent upon those things which God commands you.  Shut the door upon yourself, and call Jesus, your beloved, to you....for you will not find so great peace anywhere else.

January 19th
Book One, Chapter 19

The purpose of just men depends not upon their own wisdom, but upon God's grace; on whom they rely always for what they take in hand.  For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is the way of man in himself.

January 18th
Book One, Chapter 18

Oh the lukewarmness and negligence of our times! that we so quickly decline from the ancient fervour, and are come to that pass, that very sloth and lukewarmness of spirit make our life tedious unto us.

January 17th
Book One, Chapter 17

You must be contented for Christ's sake to be esteemed a fool in this world, if you desire to lead a holy life.

January 16th
Book One, Chapter 16

Study to be patient in bearing the defects of others, and their infirmities, be they what they may, for you have many things which others must bear withal.  If you can not make yourself what you would be, how can you expect to have another so exactly to your mind?  We would fain see others perfect, and yet our own faults we amend not.

January 15th
Book One, Chapter 15

Without charity external work is of no value, but anything done in charity, be it ever so small and trivial, is entirely fruitful inasmuch as God weighs the love with which a man acts rather than the deed itself....If man had but a spark of true charity he would surely sense that all the things of earth are full of vanity!

January 14th
Book One, Chapter 14

TURN your attention upon yourself and beware of judging the deeds of other men, for in judging others a man labors vainly, often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging and taking stock of himself he does something that is always profitable.

January 13
Book I, Chapter 13

We should not despair, therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the more fervently that He may see fit to help us, for according to the word of Paul, He will make issue with temptation that we may be able to bear it. Let us humble our souls under the hand of God in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble in spirit.

January 12th
Book I, Chapter 12

When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God Who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men.

January 11th
Book I, Chapter 11

We should enjoy much peace if we did not concern ourselves with what others say and do, for these are no concern of ours. How can a man who meddles in affairs not his own, who seeks strange distractions, and who is little or seldom inwardly recollected, live long in peace?

Blessed are the simple of heart for they shall enjoy peace in abundance.

January 10th
Book I, Chapter 10

Why, indeed, do we converse and gossip among ourselves when we so seldom part without a troubled conscience? We do so because we seek comfort from one another’s conversation and wish to ease the mind wearied by diverse thoughts. Hence, we talk and think quite fondly of things we like very much or of things we dislike intensely. But, sad to say, we often talk vainly and to no purpose; for this external pleasure effectively bars inward and divine consolation.

January 9th
Book I, Chapter 9

Who is so wise that he can have full knowledge of everything? Do not trust too much in your own opinions, but be willing to listen to those of others.

January 8th
Book I, Chapter 8

Seek only the intimacy of God and of His angels, and avoid the notice of men....We ought to have charity for all men but familiarity with all is not expedient.

January 7th
Book I, Chapter 7

 It does no harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but 11it is very harmful to think yourself better than even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.

January 6
Book I, Chapter 6

WHEN a man desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace....True peace of heart, then, is found in resisting passions, not in satisfying them.

January 5th
Book I, Chapter 5

...read with 9humility, simplicity, and faith, and never seek a reputation for being learned. Seek willingly and listen attentively to the words of the saints; do not be displeased with the sayings of the ancients, for they were not made without purpose.

January 4th 

Book One, Chapter 4

Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one’s opinion, not to believe everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.

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January 2nd
Book I, Chapter 2

If I knew all things in the world and had not charity, what would it profit me before God Who will judge me by my deeds?

January 3rd
Book I, Chapter 3

If men used as much care in uprooting vices and implanting virtues as they do in discussing problems, there would not be so much evil and scandal in the world.... Tell me, where now are all the masters and teachers whom you knew so well in life and who were famous for their learning? Others have already taken their places and I know not whether they ever think of their predecessors. During life they seemed to be something; now they are seldom remembered. How quickly the glory of the world passes away!... He is truly great who has great charity. He is truly great who is little in his own eyes and makes nothing of the highest honor. He is truly wise who looks upon all earthly things as folly that he may gain Christ. He who does God’s will and renounces his own is truly very learned.

January 1st
Book I, Chapter I

Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ....This is the greatest wisdom—to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honor and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.