Letter 668. To Mother Marie Aimée de Blonay

Superior at Lyons. [Annecy] 25 October, 1625.!

Vive > Jésus!

You have, I feel sure, my dearest daughter, by this time received several of our letters which we had entrusted to a man that we were under the impression was going on purpose; but I think he has taken us in—all the more likely as we had given him but a few florins.

The desire to belong wholly to God includes every other good thing, if it is entire and true, as I know yours to be. This desire shows me that you are not so destitute as you say youare. Neither are you so deprived of requisite light, for you have seen your imperfections very clearly and describe them admirably. But will you not allow me to tell you what I have perceived on this subject? Itis, it seems to me, that in your zeal for good you are too inquisitive to know what is going on in other houses and with other sisters. Your inquiries are too eager: these are the very words of a person whom you have questioned on this subject. Oh! my dearest daughter, 1 have remarked this for a long time, and I think I have often told you of it; but Idid not speak seriously enough, seeing that you have not corrected yourself. This, then, is what I add to your examen of conscience, which I find is very like my own, only that my faults are far more numerous. Now we need, dearest daughter, great courage to reform ourselves and to satisfy Our Lord; for, truth to say, grace is efficacious in its work, though it does it always in a sweet and tranquil manner. It is grace that animates you and provides the first springs of action, but without doubt, your nature, which is ardent, eager, and fairly hard, mixes itself up with it. To sanctify all that is no small labour. Do you not observe in yourself still a certain little complacency that your community excels others? Examine yourself on this, and if it is true mortify it, for thisis nature. See, my dearest daughter, what I have observed, and that you ought to govern with ever-increasing gentleness and mildness. I do not know how to make what you tell me of having no relish, no light, no feeling, agree with this sweetness and ease of access to Our Lord; this childlike trustfulness and pure longing for God and this feeling of gratitude for His benefits and for your vocation, together with so much love and esteem. It is impossible to have all this without very great light and without a taste, wherein there is no taste, but which surpasses all sensible relish in its sweetness, its efficacy, and its effects. Such is a rare gift of grace, and the divine goodness has bestowed it upon the intellectual or highest region of your soul. Rejoice thereat humbly without examining it. Tell me, my daughter, have you not these same graces at the time of prayer—I mean, this easy access and sweet nearness to Our Lord and this childlike trust in Him? And the words which you underline in your letter, tell me, do they draw you to God, or do you impel yourself to say them by force and without relish? This I should not wish, for that would only be to give satisfaction to self. But if you say them, let it be so that they may, as it were, drop sweetly and gently into the HEART of Our Lord, as our Blessed Father used to say.

It is comforting to me to speak to you. I write at length as if I had nothing else to do, and yet, though I am in retreat, I am not free of business. May God turn all to His glory!

Your daughters who wrote to me are good, and Sister A. F. [Bourgeat] is a chosen soul, but you must inspire her with great generosity. Ifshe has a good judgment and discretion she will one day make an excellent superior. I answered their letters briefly, for, my daughter, I have not leisure to perform my duties to our poor sisters here, nor to my own soul. Believe me, I long for the help of Sister Péronne Marie de Chatel.

The self-conceited answer of that good sister astonishes me, and the audacity of her disobedience. I am glad you have done as you did so reservedly and wisely in this matter; I entirely approve of your conduct and bless God for it. Yes, indeed, good God! does this poor sister want to keep up and pamper her pride? She truly deserves great compassion. I hope by the goodness of God that she has recognised her fault and asked pardon; but if she has not, you are obliged, as it is a formal disobedience, to give her apenance. As to sending her to Saint Etienne for the reason she gives, that our Blessed Father said she was like the Superior there, truly I am not of this opinion. Like spirits ought not to be put together. When you send to fetch little Sister M. Francoise, send some good sensible sister if one is required.

I am very glad our dear Sister [Marie Elizabeth} Guérard takes to heart the practice of true virtue. If she attains holy humility she will be a valiant daughter.

Considering the great number of foundations that I foresee it will be necessary to make, I am glad that your family is increasing, above all during your reign; it is very desirable that they should be given sufficient time to be well formed before they are sent out on foundations. How is it that that of Belleville has not been made? We sent plenty of good subjects to Rumilly, and we always have postulants enough. Our sisters are exceedingly good, gentle, and gracious, and all have a true desire for virtue.

I do not know if you have received the letter I wrote to you from Chambéry, in which I begged of you not to put in the ‘ Letters’ that point in regard to the Jesuit fathers, for we found it was in the ‘Conferences.’ I certainly have answered all your letters. Our sister who has returned from Dijon will be a discreet and useful member if she is in earnest about her own perfection—I write too much. What a retreat! Pray for me, whom God has made very specially yours. May He be blessed!

P.S.—I am in trouble about our dear Bishop of Bourges.

Fold and seal and make up into a packet the letter I write to Madame de Nemours. Did you not receive a note with our last packet about the blankets and the fustian? Send the Paris letters by post. My very dear daughter, except for the opportunity provided by our retreat I should not have been able to write you such a long letter, for my first duty is to our sisters here.