60. To Mabilia, a Nun

Anselm the archbishop to his* dearest daughter, the nun Mabilia, greeting, and God's blessing, and his own.

I love thee, and as I love my own soul, so do I love thine. But I so love my own as that it may attain to enjoy God and may enjoy Him in the life that shall be; this I love, this I desire, for thee. Wherefore as a most dear daughter do I exhort and warn thee not to take delight in worldly things, since no one can love at once the good things of earth and of heaven. I would not have thee love secular, but religious, society. Thou hast nought to do with this world. If thou wouldst be a nun, a spouse of God, say with the blessed apostle Paul: "The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world; "reckon all things in this transitory world as but dung, with the same apostle. My daughter, what necessity is there for thee to pay visits to certain of thy relations? since they in no way need thy advice and help, nor canst thou receive from them any counsel or aid in keeping thy vow and profession which thou couldst not find in thy cloister. The aim of thy life is distracted by their society. Neither will they for thee put on religion, nor wilt thou because of them return to the secular life. What therefore, my beloved, hast thou, in God, to do with them, if thou art of no use to them in the life they are leading, nor they to thee in that which thou art bound to prefer? If they want to see thee, or in any way need thy advice or help, let them come to thee, for they may roam and run hither and thither; but do not thou consent to go to them, for thou oughtest not to leave the cloister except for some necessity which God shall make plain. Choose not, my daughter, wish not, to love the world, for the "friend of the world is the enemy of God." Desire not to love the world's friendship, since by so much the more as thou by thy own will art its friend, so much the less wilt thou be a friend of God and of the angels, who are nearest to Him. Be not anxious to be known in the world, for all the more God will say to thee, "I never knew thee." Long to please God only: desire to know God alone, and such things as may further this your longing and knowledge. To Him commend yourself daily. I, as far as in me lies, commend you to Him. May He ever rule and guide and guard thee. Amen.