Letter 238. To Madame du Terire

I assure you, my dearest sister, my darling, tears came to my eyes on reading your letter, so much was I affected by the gentleness and kindness with which our good God treats you! Oh, what mercy! It seems to me, my sister, that you ought to be penetrated with gratitude and thanksgiving to God who has not disdained to make use of your pitiful miserableness for the increase of His glory. Never permit any other thoughts than those of peace and loving affection for His infinite goodness to enter into your mind. Consecrate to Him for ever and without ceasing this renunciation of all things, which in truth is nothing, and by which, nevertheless, you will acquire a blessed and desirable eternity. What a happiness for you, my dear friend! Eh! well may you say the hand of God hath touched me, His right hand hath upholden me: what then shall I henceforth fear? + Imprint on your heart the memory of His mercy and the promises you have made to Him, so that you may abound in all blessings. This I ask of our good God, and I will always, I assure you, my very dear sister, continue to ask.

Well, since Our Lord has given you the good inspiration of dedicating yourself and all your possessions to His holy service in the house which, please God, will be founded at Nevers 1—under the condition, however, that our very dear sister J. C. [de Bréchard] will always be your mother—do not doubt, my daughter, but that our good Father? will, as far as possible, grant your desire, which, in any case, you can have for several years. But we feel persuaded that during those years God will make His love so dominate your heart that your wish will be to keep the Rules. Yet whether she continue as your superior or not, she will be left to you as long as you may desire; of this, through the kindness of his Lordship, our good Father, I feel confident. And he will know how to use suitable means to induce his Grace of Lyons to accede to the change. Oh, well, in some years it may have to be made. God will direct all, my dearest daughter; the future is His affair rather than yours, for you have put yourself absolutely in His hands, and abandoned yourself to His goodness. With all my heart I beseech of Him to confirm you in your holy resolutions. Rather die, my daughter, than ever yield one single point of them. Yours, etc.¹