Peace for the Startled and Incredulous

Take care never to let your heart be troubled, saddened, agitated, or involved in that which can cause it to lose its peace.  Rather work always to remain tranquil because the Lord says: "Happy are those who are at peace."  Do this and the Lord will build in your soul the City of Peace and he will make of you a House of Delight.  That which he wants of you is that, whenever you are troubled, you would recover your calm, your peace, on your own — in your work, in your thoughts, and in all your activities without exception.

Just as a city is not built in a day, do not think that you can achieve, in a day, this peace, this interior calm, because it is within you that a home must be built for God, while you yourself become his temple.  And it is the Lord himself who must handle the construction. Without him your work would not exist.

Remind yourself, moreover, that this edifice has humility for its foundation.

Your will should always be ready for every eventuality.  And your heart must not be enslaved by anything.  When you form some desire, it should not be such as to cause you to experience pain in case of failure, but you should keep your spirit as tranquil as though you had never wished for anything.  True freedom consists in not being attached to anything.  It is in this detachment that God seeks your soul in order to work his great marvels.