“Marvel at the goodness of God. Oh! how good God is towards me! Oh! how good he is! O Lord, how rich in mercy is thy heart, and how generous in lovingkindness. O my soul, let us recount forever the graces which he has given us.
Marvel at your ingratitude. But what am I, O Lord, that though art mindful of me? Oh! how great is my unworthiness! Alas! I have trampled under foot thy benefits; I have dishonored thy graces, misusing them in contempt of thy sovereign goodness; I have opposed the abyss of my ingratitude to the abyss of thy grace and favor.
Stir yourself up to gratitude. Well then, O my heart, be no longer faithless, ungrateful and disloyal to this great Benefactor. And shall not my soul henceforth be subject to God, who has wrought so many wonders and graces in me and for me?
Withdraw your heart from such and such pleasures, consecrate it to the service of God who has done so much for it. Apply the powers of your soul to know him and be grateful to him, by such and such exercises which are conducive to that purpose; make a careful use of the means which are in the Church to save yourself and to love God. Yes, I will be assiduous in prayer, in the frequentation of the sacraments, I will listen to the word of God, I will put into practice the inspirations and counsels that I receive.”
Francis de Sales (1567-1622) in Introduction to the Devout Life (Mineola, NY: Dover, 2009) 54.