Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. Magnificence aspires to great things and does notshrink from paying for them. Yet it is not foolish, norover-lavish, nor wasteful; for it is a virtue, and therefore anordinate thing, a thing in good relation to reason. Opposed to thisvirtue of magnificence is the vice of littleness or meanness. Thisvice either (a) aspires to little things only, when greater shouldbe attempted; or (b) exercises a pinchpenny care which refuses tonoble enterprise its full greatness of execution.
2. Magnificence, to which littleness or meanness isopposed, is not the direct contrary of this vice. For magnificencestands between two opposed vices, namely, meanness on theone hand, and wastefulnessor prodigality on the other. A meanman spends less than his undertaking is worth; a wasteful manspends more than the work deserves.
"Lord, take from me everything that hinders me from going to You. give me all that will lead me to You. Take me from myself and give me to Yourself."
St Nicholas Flue
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"Obedience is a short cut to perfection."
St Philip Neri
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"A man should keep himself down, and not busy himself in mirabilibus super se."
St Philip Neri
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