There are many who, when outwardly recollected and interiorly filled with lofty thoughts of God, stop there; and when it comes to the point and they find themselves in a position to act, they stop short. (…) they rest content with the sweet conversations they have with God in prayer; (…) but apart from that, when it is a matter of working for God, of suffering, of self-mortification (…), of going out to look for the lost sheep, (…) alas! Then there is no one left, they lack the courage. No, no, we must not deceive ourselves. [p. 56]

(St Vincent de Paul. From Jacques Delarue, The Holiness of Vincent de Paul, Geoffrey Chapman Ltd, London 1960, 132 pp)