Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium - 1.2

I. A joy ever new, a joy which is shared

The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.

This reminded me of St. Luke's words:

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 16:13

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." 12:15


And other verses:

But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:17

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 Jn 2:15

So the wage of every covetous man destroys the souls of the possessors. Pro 1:19 

SLOTH VS DILIGENCE - DAY 2

Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. They have no leader, chief, or ruler, but they store up their food during the summer, getting things ready for winter. How long is the lazy man going to lie around? When is he ever going to get up? "I'll just take a short nap," he says; "I'll fold my hands and rest awhile." But when he sleeps, poverty will attack him like an armed robber. - Proverbs 6:6-11

Can one person make a difference?

YES!!!

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

– Ghandi

All you have to do is be the best version of yourself.

If you want to see love in the world...then love. 

If you want to see service...then serve.

If you want there to be peace... then forgive all those who have wrong you.

If you want to see an end to hunger and poverty... then share your food and possessions.

Three Degrees of Humility

     As conceived by St. Ignatius, humility is the proper disposition that a human will should assume in relation to the divine will. It may reach one of three levels of union with the will of God, in ascending order of sublimity.
    I. The first form of humility means that quality of submission to the Divine Majesty which makes the will ready to sacrifice any created good, even life itself, rather than disobey a commandment of God binding under mortal sin. In terms of indifference or interior freedom, it requires habitual detachment at least from those creatures which cannot be enjoyed without loss of sanctifying grace.
     II.The second level of humility is essentially higher. It presupposes the first but goes beyond it with a readiness to sacrifice anything rather than offend God by venial sin. To practice the second degree, I should be no more "inclined to have riches rather than poverty, to seek honor rather than dishonor, to desire a long life rather than a short life, provided in either alternative I should promote equally the service of God and the salvation of my soul." St. Ignatius' doctrine here is in full accord with the Church's spiritual teaching. Our fallen human nature requires many practices which are not binding under mortal sin. In fact, we must perform even some actions which are not strictly obligatory if we are to avoid sinning mortally.
     III. Assuming that a person has attained the first and second levels, there is still one higher degree, which is "the most perfect kind of humility."
     As explained by St. Ignatius in a little-known Directory written by himself, the basic difference between the second and third modes lies in the attitude of the will towards poverty and humiliations. If my will is ready to accept them, but equally ready to avoid them, then I am in the second degree. But if I am not only willing to accept, but actually prefer poverty and humiliations, then I am in the third level of humility.
     Concretely, this means that a person is willing to accept the evangelical counsels. Thus a person making the Spiritual Exercises is to be encouraged "to desire the counsels rather than (just) the precepts, if this be for the greater service of God" (Monumenta Historica, "Exercitia Spiritualia," pp. 779, 781).
 taken from Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives: http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Saints/Saints_001.htm