Letter 906. To Mother Paule Jéronyme de Monthoux

My dearest and beloved Daughter,—All praise to the divine Goodness who has privileged you to experience His heavenly favours! Consolations must needs abound where one has been so tried with afflictions and sufferings of the spirit. Yes, indeed, my daughter, we do serve a good and munificent Master, who is all-wise and all-powerful to give us succour at the right moment. Let us love Him. Let us serve Him whole-heartedly, and rely upon Him for everything, allowing Him to do with us just as He pleases. It is such a comfort to me to know that you have at hand one so helpful to you as the Reverend Father Rector. Follow his advice quite simply, I beg of you.

I am very glad to hear of those five desirable subjects you have received. Our good God will, in His mercy, multiply their dowries by the blessings which their virtue and exact observance will draw down. I pray you, dearest little one, impress well on the Mistress of Novices that she should lead her novices by love and sweetness to a great generosity, teaching them to love virtue rather than to fear mortification, so that this love and esteem, and not fear, may be their motive for labouring to acquire virtue. Let her teach them how to pray and how to mortify themselves, for every day I see more clearly that she who fails in either of these exercises is only a phantom and a sham in religion.

I am very glad to hear of your somewhat enlarging your quarters, and that M. approves of your plan. Your house will, I consider, be quite suitable and altogether well situated. God will provide for the building, do not doubt it.

I salute all our dear sisters—indeed, I bear them all in my heart—but you above all, dearest little one, who are dearer to me and more lovable than all.