May 17

“We ought to cherish the small virtues which grow at the foot of the Cross, for they are watered with the blood of the Son of God. These virtues are humility, patience, sweet-temper, kindness, helpfulness to our neighbours, graciousness, good will, heartiness, sympathy, readiness to forgive, simplicity, truthfulness, and others like them. The virtues are like the violets which love the coolness of the shade, which are fed with dew, and which, though they have no brilliancy, cease not to shed fragrance around. There are great virtues on the top of the Cross, which have great splendour, especially when they are accompanied with love; such are wisdom, justice, zeal, liberality, and such like; and everyone wishes to have these virtues because they are the most esteemed and make us the most thought of. But we should not judge of the greatness or littleness of a virtue by that which it appears to the outward eye; for a virtue that is very small in appearance may be practiced with great love to God, while one that is more shining may go along with very little love; yet this is the measure of their true value before God. I put more value on prayer, which is the torch of all the virtues; on devotion, which consecrates all our actions to the service of God; on humility, which makes us have a low esteem of ourselves and of our actions; on sweet temper, which makes us kind to all the world; on patience, which makes us bear all things; than on heroism, magnanimity, liberality, virtues which do not cover so much ground and are more seldom in use. And these more splendid virtues are a little dangerous, because their brilliancy gives more occasion for vain glory, which is the true poison of all the virtues.”

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES