"To change the world we must change ourselves." (To a woman angered by sinfulness in the world)

I am enjoying more of Saint Francis de Sales....

"We must hate our faults, but with a tranquil and quiet hate, not with an angry and restless hate; and so we must have patience when we see them, and draw from them the profit of holy abasement of ourselves. Without this, my child, your imperfections, which you scrutinize so subtly, will trouble you by getting still more subtle, and by this means sustain themselves, as there is nothing that more preserves our weeds than disquietude and eagerness in removing them....

To be dissatisfied and fret about the world when we must of necessity be in it, is a great temptation. God's Providence is wiser than we. We fancy that by changing our ships, we shall get on better; if we change ourselves."

from "Thy Will Be Done: letters to persons in the world" by Saint Francis de Sales

Oh to have a Saint Francis de Sales as a spiritual director....He sure speaks to me. Once while ranting and raving about the world with my brother I asked him, "Why are we doing this?" He replied, "because it makes us feel superior." Ouch. I think he was right. The devil uses whatever means he can to distract us from true conversion....