Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. We have seen that the virtue of piety disposesa person to venerate those who have excellence and who bestowbenefit on him. Piety thus venerates God, parents, kinsfolk, andcountry. Now we speak of the supernatural piety which is a gift ofthe Holy Ghost. By this gift a person exercises the supernaturalvirtue of filial piety towards God, and worships him as theall-perfect and all-loving Father.
2. Because meekness removes from the soul theobstacles which obstruct the exercise of piety towards God as ourFather, it is said that the gift of piety finds a specialcorrespondence in the second beatitude: "Blessed are the meek,for they shall possess the earth" (Matt. 5:4).
"Spiritual persons ought to be equally ready to experience sweetness and consolation in the things of God, or to suffer and keep their ground in drynesses of spirit and devotion, and for as long as God pleases, without their making any complaint about it."
St Philip Neri
* * *
"The essence of perfection is to embrace the will of God in all things, prosperous or adverse. In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to the divine will; but it takes saints to unite themselves to God's will when things go wrong and are painful to self-love. Our conduct in such instances is the measure of our love of God."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
* * *
"The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely will you be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you."
Thomas á Kempis
* * *