I cannot say i am quite in love with camp life, which in many respects is quite repellent. But even in these disagreeable things there is a joy and secret pleasure, since it means all the more merit, and let us hope, a richer harvest if souls. My eyes have been opened still more to the awful godlessness of the world and the need, the immense need, there is for us who owe so much to our Blessed Lord to try and make up to Him for all this by greater love and generosity. It will never equal, I fear, the worldly generosity of these men. For example, this morning a regiment marched out of camp at 5am in torrents of rain merely for exercise. When they return tonight, they will dry their wet underclothing by sleeping in them.
What a witness of mortification…when we read stories like the one above it should encourage us to pray for all those in the military, especially those in combat. Please, Father Doyle, help us to acquire a healthy, holy sense of mortification so that we can better imitate the ways of the Holy Family, and all the saints, when they were called upon to endure hardships in their lives.