Letter 474. To the same

[Annecy] 2 August, 1623. Vive > Jésus!

My dearest Daughter,—Now you have just the right opportunity for becoming holy. You do indeed need great courage for it, but God will, I trust, give you more every day. Do not be dejected, I beg of you, but profit by this splendid occasion provided by God to enable you to acquire true humility, gentleness, patience, and, above all, that great lesson of our Saint, the incomparable virtue of bearing with our offensive and tiresome neighbour. Oh, my daughter, often turn your thoughts to our good Saviour amidst the divers sufferings of His Passion. See how He was mocked, despised, vilified, and then how He said: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

This poor creature, dearest daughter, certainly does not know what she is doing,? for her temper carries her

LETTER 474 IIL

We keep our parlours locked and the shutters of the choir grille, and, from dinner till two o’clock, the choir door. Our Blessed Father ordered this. You will see it in the Book of Customs, for we have taken from the Directory what ought to be in the instructions for the Superior and in the Book of Customs. I have sent the corrected Directories; one will, I think, be sent to you. Have good courage, dearest daughter, and God will, I am sure, assist you. No, you ought not to receive girls who are epileptic. Good-bye, my most dear daughter; carry your cross patiently, and God will be with you, of this you need have no doubt. I remain, yours altogether and for always.

You see I am not able to write this time to the Reverend Father, but I very humbly salute him, and I cannot express how much I feel the assistance he gives you. I should like to know his opinion on this subject, and his advice. May God reward him, for indeed we are under great obligations to him. God be praised.¹

Footnotes

1. Luke xxiii. 34. 2 Marie Aimée de Morville. away. But have patience. Go to Our Lord, entrust completely to His sacred hands the charge He has committed to you, and especially that of this poor soul. Rely on Him and you will soon see calm restored and your house full of blessings, as it certainly is, since holy union reigns in all the family. To have one black sheep is nothing. Besides, the expedient adopted by those gentlemen of changing that good man’s place of abode and procuring from ecclesiastical superiors an absolute prohibition for him to write, will be a complete remedy, though a drastic one. Now, I think, as you suspected the frivolous pastime, it was only prudent and your duty to investigate the matter, and if your doing so has caused a commotion it is, I hope, through the mercy of God only that a greater good may result. I consider you have behaved very well in all this affair; and I thank God for it. Certainly if these things continue you ought to take wise counsel as to how to act. Meanwhile have patience and be as gentle about it all as you can. I have not heard from the Rev. Father Rector; if I can, I will write to him, but I am overwhelmed with work. Ask your two dear sisters who wrote to me to excuse me from writing. They are in my very heart, and their zealous and holy affection for you is a comfort to me. ↩