I become a Saint, Lord! Ah me, Lord Jesus! for that, I have sinned too much during my life.

The voice of the Disciple. - I become a Saint, Lord!  Ah me, Lord Jesus! for that, I have sinned too much during my life. And would it not be pride to feel such a presumption? and, moreover, I am so weak that I am unable to perform anything worthy of sanctity. 

The voice of Jesus. - Dost thou say these things of Thyself, My Child, or have others suggested it to thee? If of thyself, thou art mistaken: if at the suggestion of others, thou hast been deceived.

And first, if thou hast sinned during thy life, behold! this is a new reason why thou shouldst sanctify thyself, that thus, by the future, thou mayst make amends for the past.

But, My Son, there is no question of what thou hast been, but of what thou oughtest to be hereafter.

How many souls there are that, after having committed sins, have reached, in a shorter time, a higher degree of perfection than others that have ever remained innocent! And this, because they used the remembrance of the sins which they had unfortunately committed, and which had been most mercifully forgiven by Me, as a spur, to urge and goad themselves on to sanctity.

The sins that have been committed are, therefore, not only no hindrances, but, if thou art willing, may be instruments of holiness.