Devotion to the Saints: the thought of Padre Pio today December 17th

10. Not only do I not find fault that in returning to Casacalenda you return visits to your acquaintances, but I find it very necessary. Piety is useful for everything and adapts to everything, depending on the circumstances, less than what you call sin. Feel free to return the visits and you will also receive the obedience prize and the blessing of the Lord.

11. I see that all seasons of the year are found in your souls; that sometimes you feel the winter of many sterility, distractions, listlessness and boredom; now the dew of the month of May with the smell of the holy florets; now the heats of desire to please our divine Bridegroom. Therefore, there remains only the autumn of which you do not see much fruit; however, it is often necessary that at the time of beating the beans and pressing the grapes, there are larger collections than those promised to be reaped and harvested. You would like everything to be in spring and summer; but no, my beloved daughters, it must be this vicissitude both inside and outside.
In the sky everything will be of spring as for beauty, all of autumn as for enjoyment, all in summer as for love. There will be no winter; but here winter is necessary for the exercise of self-denial and of a thousand small but beautiful virtues which are exercised in the time of sterility.

12. I beg you, my dear children, for the love of God, do not fear God because he does not want to hurt anyone; love him very much because he wants to do you great good. Simply walk with confidence in your resolutions, and reject the reflections of spirit that you make over your evils as cruel temptations.

13. Be, my beloved daughters, all resigned in the hands of our Lord, giving him the rest of your years, and always beg him to use them to make use of them in that fate of life that he will most like. Do not worry your heart with vain promises of tranquility, taste and merits; but present to your divine Bridegroom your hearts, all empty of any other affection but not of his chaste love, and implore him to fill him purely and simply with the movements, desires and wills that are of his (love) so that your heart, as a mother of pearl, conceive only with the dew of heaven and not with the water of the world; and you will see that God will help you and that you will do much, both in choosing and in performing.

14. The Lord bless you and make the family's yoke less heavy. Always be good. Remember that marriage brings difficult duties that only divine grace can make easy. You always deserve this grace and the Lord will keep you until the third and fourth generation.

15. Be a deeply convinced soul in your family, smiling in the self-sacrifice and constant immolation of your whole self.

16. Nothing more nauseating than a woman, especially if she is a bride, light, frivolous and haughty.
The Christian bride must be a woman of firm pity towards God, an angel of peace in the family, dignified and pleasant towards others.

17. God gave me my poor sister and God took it from me. Blessed be his holy name. In these exclamations and in this resignation I find the sufficient strength not to succumb under the weight of pain. To this resignation in the divine will I also urge you and you will find, like me, the relief of pain.

18. May the blessing of God be your escort, support and guide! Start a Christian family if you want some peace in this life. The Lord give you children and then the grace to direct them on the way to heaven.

19. Courage, courage, children are not nails!

20. Comfort then, good lady, comfort yourselves, since the hand of the Lord to support you has not been shortened. Oh! yes, he is the Father of all, but in a most singular way he is for the unhappy, and in a much more singular way he is for you who are a widow, and a widow mother.