Letter 84. To the same
Vive > Jésus!
May Jesus take complete possession of your heart, my very dear and best of daughters. You will have received the Archbishop’s reply long since; I do not know if it has satisfied you, but in any case we must with great patience remain humbly submissive to Our Lord, who permits that we should have these trials and humiliations. In a word, He will exalt us if we faithfully carry out what He has given us to do. And let us with all humility beseech Him to allow His glory alone ever to be our one aim.
You will also have received from M. Vilasca the other letters for our sisters of Moulins. Would to God that they were here! My Sister de Gouffier has undertaken a task difficult of success. In short, dearest daughter, we must be apprentices first before we can be masters. Certainly this foundation has not been either our choice or our will: the force of circumstances constrained us to it.
I shall not be sorry, but very glad, if they cool down about Riom. We sent them word to let us know at once should they continue their project. If they fail to do this they shall have a very curt refusal from us, and then I will think no more about it until everything we desire is quite ready. They ought to be suitably housed, have a guarantee for the support of at least eight sisters, and for the maintenance of a good and capable confessor; since to serve them at the expense of this house is impossible. We have not wherewith to do it, and to send sisters where they may be overwhelmed with worries about temporal affairs and with poverty could not be done. It is far better to keep them here in peace than to expose them to such solicitude. This, my very dear daughter, is a matter about which there cannot be any question; so when the occasion presents itself there will be _ no danger of its not being clearly understood.
The people may like to send their daughters to be instructed at Moulins, and if they do it would greatly oblige us. But enough on this subject.
I send you some letters for good Madame Favrot. Write her a line, and then address the packet to M. Bernaud.
Our Mistress of Novices? carries out her charge admirably with a charitable carefulness. Nothing is wanting to her save somewhat of the pleasant ways of a nurse in the midst of her children; but this will come when God sees it is necessary, for she knows she lacks it, and tries to make up for it by being all the more gentle. Yet I do not give her the satisfaction of telling her this, for humility must be guarded as much as possible. One ounce of this blessed virtue is worth more than all the treasures of the world. She still always has these feelings of lassitude: it is not really lassitude, but faintness.
Now do not tell me any more that you are a mass of miseries. I love you every bit as much, with all your dryness and loathing of self, and insensibility of God and of all good things. Truly, my darling, have you not yet gained freedom and strength enough to make your way without all these helps? One thing alone is necessary to possess God. The more you have of detachment and simplicity in your possession of Him, the stronger you will be. In this possession, then, rest satisfied with the holy and unalterable resolution to be wholly His, and never knowingly to offend Him, and to labour, as you are doing, in the supreme region of your soul. Oh! my daughter, one such act of virtue is worth a hundred—nay, more than a thousand—performed with feeling of sensible devotion. Your road is that of the Cross; and are you not blessed in walking beside your holy Spouse, the Cross on your shoulders, and in your heart the pure love of His holy will? Read attentively Books VIII, IX, and X of the Treatise on Divine Love,” and in them you will find great consolation and light. I pray the sweet Saviour to strip you of all that is not He, and to unite you most perfectly to Himself. Keep your feelings in subjection, and they will not do you much harm.
LETTER 84 21
I am very glad you have written as you say to these sisters. I gave your letter to Sister Claude Agnes [de la Roche] without thinking of it, before them all; though, indeed, I do not like them to be so tender. You should not train them thus, but rather to a charity that is solid and independent of such little things.
Sell our watch and keep the money. The alarm we have here goes very well now, and it suffices for us. Some day God will provide you with a clock; we cannot afford to buy one at present, they are so dear. I have given Sister Péronne Marie the care of the little one,! so that she may be attended to with all possible care. If after that she is no better, for the peace of the house we shall have to send her away. Iam so devoted to M. [Austrain] and his wife that I shall be very sorry if I cannot give them a proof of my regard by means of their daughter.
Your friendship with the Carmelite mothers gives me great pleasure. Recommend us sometimes to their prayers and to those of our dear sisters, whom I cordially salute. It is also well that M. d’Halincourt is so devoted to the house.
What you tell me about your temporal affairs distresses me very much, but put all your trust in God, and He will provide. I am afraid your pensions are not paid regularly. Here we are in absolute want. God be blessed! The sisters’ relatives have no thought of us.
Most affectionate salutations to my very dear sister Madame le Blanc. When she goes to Grenoble for Advent tell her straight out to leave his Lordship quite free in the mornings.
Ah! but it is good of you, my daughter, to ask me to stop your dispensation for breakfast. I gladly do so; but take great care of your health, and keep up your strength.
I read your letter to his Lordship, and he thinks it well for you to make a little retreat—that is, if you feel it would help you, and that the cares of the house allow of it. The other two professed might do likewise if you think well. How is Sister Anne Marie [Bellet] going on? What a relief it will be for you to be rid of the parlour! Thanks be to God, one hour there in the week is enough for me. Yet how can one escape it on certain occasions? though it is true these happen but seldom. In short, we must put up with it, surrendering ourselves to the will of God. I beg of you be always brave, joyous, courageous: to be one is to be all. Whenever you think it right, offer my respectful and affectionate salutations to the Archbishop, as also to our good Father Rector: do not let him forget to pray for me, for I have a great esteem for this father. I likewise salute the chaplain, and anyone else you wish me to remember. Good-bye, dearest sister, my darling. You put me under the obligation of being every day, if that were possible, more devoted to you. Your humble sister and servant in Our Lord, J. F. Fremyot, of the Visitation.2
Footnotes
Chapter 9 of 252