Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer

I edit a prayer calendar for my Christ Renew's Team. This is today's entry:
Tues 5 St. Vincent Ferrer. Vincent felt that he was the messenger of penance sent to prepare men for the judgment. For twenty years he traversed Western Europe preaching penance and awakening the dormant consciences of sinners by his wondrous eloquence. His austere life was but the living expression of his doctrine. The floor was his usual bed; perpetually fasting, he arose at two in the morning to chant the Office, celebrating Mass daily, afterwards preaching, sometimes three hours, and frequently working miracles. After his midday meal he would tend the sic children; at eight o'clock he prepared his sermon for the following day. he  usually traveled on foot, poorly clad. Well, his schedule is not mine. Thank God He called me to a different evangelization. But it certainly seems Vincent fulfilled his call with enthusiasm. May it be said to be the same for all of us.

In today's Magnificat there is a  meditation written by St. Vincent. Commenting on the words of St. Bernard, Vincent said, "But what is the use of all the other qualities, as the same saint remarks, if the strength is lacking which establishes the other virtues in the fortress of constancy, arming them so well that the fury of this persecutor (the evil one) cannot expect to vanquish them?"

'The fortress of constancy. '

A quote by Mother Teresa crossed my desk from another source. She said we are called to faithfulness, not to success.

An emailed web page introduced me today to  the word pre-mortem. The inventor of the term calls us to imagine something that we want that has not yet been achieved and to think about failing at its success. We are to imagine what we would think  in a post-mortem;  what we would have changed in hopes of attainment. This would help us in determining the tools for success.
I am sure persistence, constancy, and faithfulness to the right path would be some my tools. Slip shod activity, and lackadaisical attitude do not a successful person make. I must listen to the saints; and learn from their wisdom.
Constancy and faithfulness. These are my watchwords for today.