…virtues. Whoever has goodwill, the sincere desire to obtain My glory, to be thankful to Me, to share in My suffering, to love Me and serve Me, as well as all creatures, such a person will undoubtedly receive compensations that are worthy of My generosity and his desire will sometimes be more profitable to him than other peoples’ good works are to them.’

“Very contented with these good words,” Céline continued, “which were all to my advantage, I shared them with our dear little mistress (Thérèse),” who did her one better and added:

“Have you read what is reported regarding the life of Father Surin? He was performing an exorcism and the demons said to him: “We are able to surmount all difficulties; there is only this bloody dog of goodwill, which we are never able to deal with!” Well, if you don’t have virtue, you have a “bloody little dog,” which will save you from all perils; console yourself, it will lead you to paradise! Ah! Which is the heart that would not wish to possess virtue! It’s what everybody desires. But how few are those who accept to fall, to be weak, who are content to find themselves down and out and have others find them in that condition!” Father Jacques Philippe: ‘Searching For and Maintaining Peace”