Practical devotion of the day: fervor towards Jesus

Jesus' command urges us to fervor. He orders us to love him with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strength (Mt 22, 37); he tells us: Be not only holy, but perfect (Mt 5:48); he orders us to gouge out an eye, to sacrifice a hand, a foot if it offends us (Mt 18: 8); to renounce everything (Lk 14:33) rather than offend him. How to obey him without great fervor?

The brevity of life imposes fervor on us. If we were granted the long life of the patriarchs, if we counted the years by centuries, perhaps the slowness and delay in serving God would be more worthy of excuse; but what is the life of man? How it escapes! Don't you realize that old age is already approaching? Death is behind the door ... Goodbye then desires, wills, projects ... all useless for blessed eternity.

The example of others must incite us to fervor. What are those people who live in a reputation for holiness not doing? They devote themselves to good works with so much fervor and so ardent zeal that our vaunted virtues pale in front of them. And if you compare yourself to blessed Sebastiano Valfrè, who, already octogenarian, still works and consumes himself for the good of others, victim of his fervor…; what a mortification for you!

PRACTICE. - Spend the whole day with fervor ... Repeat often: O Blessed Sebastiano Valfrè, obtain your fervor for me.