Letter, number unidentified. To a lady of rank, encouraging her to serve God

Madam, It is a great pleasure to hear of your holy desire to serve God, but I regret your want of courage in putting it into execution. It is extremely wrong for any one to dare to continue living in a worldly manner, and not begin to live for God, confiding in His help. My dear Sister, since the human race existed, has ever any man who trusted in his Creator, and obeyed his commands, been abandoned by Him? Has any one persevered in calling on God with his whole heart, and not been heard? Nay, rather, the Almighty is always seeking us, and urging us to serve Him. If we draw near to Him, what can He, Who is so good and so faithful to His promises do, but come forth to meet and embrace us, and give us His help and protection? Yes, most truly and most certainly He will, as St. Paul tells us, far more fully than we can possibly imagine. Begin, then, servant of God, begin: cast yourself upon Him, and be confident that He, Who inspired you with the desire, will give you strength to carry it out and perfect it to the end. Our Lord does not arouse one who sleeps except to give him many favours on his awaking.

Take courage, and set out with diligence and fervour: nothing is worse than for a beginner to commence badly by indulging his body and trying to please the world. Shut your ears against all human praise or blame, for in a litde while both the critic and the man he judges will be dust and ashes. We shall one day stand before God’s tribunal, where the mouth of wickedness shall be stopped and virtue will be exalted. Meanwhile, embrace the cross, and follow Him Who was dishonoured and Who lost His life upon it for your sake. Hide yourself in our Lord’s wounds, so that when He comes, He may find you dwelling in Himself. Then He will beautify you with His graces, and give Himself to you as your reward for having left all things, even yourself, for His sake. How little, indeed, does the man who forsakes all things give up! He but leaves now, what, whether he will of no, he can keep but for a very brief time. Even while he possesses it, it brings him misery, for all that is not God only burdens and saddens the soul, which its Creator alone can satisfy. Open your heart to Him, and rejoice in Him, and you will find Him more tender and loving than can be imagined.

I sometimes wonder how any one can possibly wish evil to others, for our Lord stands between him and them. How can he be harsh towards the body, who loves, or ought to love, the Head? Do you not know, my dear Sister, that when Jesus rose again and appeared to His disciples, He placed Himself “ in the midst of them,” and net at the head or elsewhere? He acted thus to show that He is in the midst of us and that we cannot wish harm, nor do wrong to any one, without first doing it to Him. The person who wishes evil to his neighbour, wishes evil to Christ, and it were better for that man never to have been born, since he ignores that the end for which he was created was to love our Lord. You should realise that your neighbours are very dear to Christ, that they are created in His image and that He gave His blood for them. Say to yourself, then, “ How can I wish ill to those to whom my Lord wishes well? How can I desire death to those, to whom He desires to give life? Jesus died for these souls, and would do so again if there were need, and shall not I love those who are so dear to Him? What does it matter if they injure me? I do not love them because of what they are, nor for the way they treat me, but for Christ’s sake alone. Why should their evil deeds destroy the affection I bear them on His account? I ask of God that they may be acceptable to Him, that they may please Him, and enjoy His favour, so that there may be more temples in which He may dwell, more souls to praise Him and more hearts to love Him as He deserves.” Offer up this prayer: “ O Lord, do Thou take possession of these souls and make them wholly Thine: may they enjoy Thy presence within them for Thou art ready to give Thyself to all. O my God, they are created in Thine image; make them resemble Thee more and more, and grant, both to them, and to us all, pardon, grace and glory.” If your nature rebel against this prayer, yet utter it in spirit and lift up your heart to Christ, crying: “ For Thy loving sake, O Lord, and not for their merits;” and so, little by little, you will find yourself in peace. If you should have to struggle with yourself, still do not let yourself be overcome; neither say nor do anything uncharitable, nor let your heart consent to any unkind thought about others.

Your scruples about confession are temptations by which the devil tries to deprive you of spiritual joy, and rob you of your pleasure in the things of God. A scrupulous soul is not fit to trust or to love God, and as it does not find what satisfies it in Him, is not contented with the way by which He leads it, and forsakes Him to seek its happiness elsewhere: it commits the fatal error of raising a storm where there was a calm. It follows its own conceits, and not God’s way, which is always sweet and simple. Treat your anxieties as a jest; obey your confessor’s advice; do not give way to your own judgment. You must pot .allow your scruples to influence you, but say “ God is not scrupulous. 1 do what is commanded me in His holy name, and that is all I have to answer for.” Lose no time in acquiring the love of God, my dear Sister, and you will soon get rid of scruples, which spring from a timorous heart, for “ perfect love casteth out fear.” Cry to our Lord: “Deus meus illumina tenebras meas,” “ O my God enlighten my darkness,” and trust to His merciful goodness, that whilst you serve Him He will deign to give you more grace to see your faults and amend them. As for your thoughts of vain glory, laugh at them too, and say to them, “ I am not doing this action on your account, nor will I cease doing it because of you. 1 O my God, it is to Thee I offer all that I do, all that I say, all that I think!” When the temptation returns, say: “ Thou hast come too late, the work is already given to God.”

It is more discreet for beginners not to perform any remarkable exterior acts of piety; their spiritual life is young and tender, and, as it were, only in the bud, and is easily injured by the breath of praise, so it is best for them to hide their graces. Follow this advice when you can, but when it is impossible and your act with liberty and without fear. When you¹

Utter XVI commence an action, lift up your heart to our Lord saying: “ Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini Tuo da gloriam.” “ Not unto us,²

1 would urge you to cast out of your heart all but God; let your eyes be ever towards Him, that He “ may pluck your feet from the snare.” (Ps. XXIV. 15.) Care for nothing in this world but contrition, solitude, humility and penance. Follow God’s law, and you will find how He will make your path straight, and cast your enemies under your feet. Practice will show you what you could never be taught by word of mouth. Those who are tepid and talkative learn little of God’s ways, while others who labour fervently for Him, come to know Him well. Our Lord Jesus Christ goes on before you, follow Him with your cross, and one day you will come to be with Him in heaven.

letter rtou

Footnotes

1. This is an allusion to the well known tale of St. Bernard, who, when preaching was tempted by the devil to be vain of his eloquence and its effects. He said : “ I did not begin for you and J shaU not foavo off for you,” and continued his sermon. ↩

2. Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name give glory.” (Ps. CXIII. 9.) Or else “ Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.” In conclusion, ↩