3. A person’s character may undergo great changes. Thus we read of St. Francis of Sales that his gentleness of temper was the result of strenuous and continuous efforts. In St. Ignatius “Unalterable calmness was the result of his vigorous perseverance in combatting the irascibility to which his constitution much inclined him” (Franciosi, Spir. of St. Ign., p. 149). 4. Often men of strong passions make most progress in virtue, as St. Ignatius found in Peter Ribadineira and Edmund Auger, who triumphed over great defects of character (Ib., p. 141). _POINT III. How is strength of character increased or diminished?_ This is chiefly effected by the successive acts of our free will. Every virtuous act strengthens our power of doing such virtuous acts again, and every yielding to our passions strengthens those passions, and in the same proportion weakens our power of resistance to their promptings. For habits are formed by the repetition of acts, and habits become like a second nature. We are all bundles of habits; the habits determine the cast of character. It is proper for each one to examine during the triduum whether he is now different from what he was at former times; for instance, at the completion of his novitiate or his entrance on more active duties—better or worse. We cannot long remain just the same. The religious life is like rowing against the current of a river: if we cease rowing, we are carried back. What is my present condition of fidelity to duty, of zeal, charity, obedience, piety, etc.? _Colloquy_, as the occasion suggests. MEDITATION V On Co-operation with Grace _1st Prelude._ Imagine you see the thousands of happy souls in Heaven who worked out their salvation in our Society while on earth. _2nd Prelude._ Ask for abundant grace to follow in their footsteps. _POINT I. What manner of men were they on earth?_ They were very much like ourselves. They had the same human passions to control, the same rules to observe, the same labors to perform, the same sacrifices to make, etc. And to help them along they had the same aids that we have: the same loving Lord, who had called them from amid the dangers of the world, as He has called us; the same training by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the same holy Sacraments, the same everything; not of course in the same proportion for every individual soul; but enough of grace for all to live up to our grand vocation, and in due time to be with our blessed brethren in Heaven, as we are now their associates in the Society of Jesus on earth. _POINT II. To what do those happy souls owe their success?_