O soul, if you desire to ascend the heights of holiness and be inflamed with the fire of divine love, begin with the sacred gift of repentance. For it is in the weeping of the heart that the veil is lifted, and the brightness of Christ’s mercy is made known. Repentance is the golden key that unlocks the gates of grace; it softens the stony heart and renders it tender to the touch of the Crucified. As wax melts before the flame, so does the proud heart yield before the gaze of Jesus when it is bathed in contrition. In turning from sin, the soul turns toward Love Himself, and in that encounter, it is made radiant, transformed, and drawn ever deeper into the sweetness of the divine embrace.