St. Bernard of Clairvaux comes. He says: “Praise be to Jesus.”

“Listen carefully. I desire the world understand what I am about to say. The virtuous life, even grace itself, is often obstructed by human emotion. When people respond to situations, whether in thought, word or deed with purely emotion, virtue flees and so, too, does the grace to practice virtue.”

“Say, for instance, someone offers constructive criticism to you and it is received only with lack of humility and self-defense. Perhaps you worry about your reputation and how others perceive your words or actions. This opposes simplicity of heart, which does not chase after its reputation. Perhaps you are prone to impatience or anger. Humility, based on Holy Love, must be allowed to capture your heart.”

“Pray for a generous spirit. Such a spirit is always ready to forgive, always ready to practice virtue when put to the test. The generous heart recognizes when he should give to others and when to hold back. He recognizes the opportunities that grace affords him to practice virtue. In this way, he practices wisdom, not impulse.”

“Always trust in the Lord to give you the grace you need to rise above pure human emotion. It is given to each soul in every present moment.”