Mother de Chantal to the Sisters of the Visitation

ASotbet fce Cbantal to tbe Sitter* ot the Visitation.

My very dear Sisters:

We gladly send you this manuscript, as it is taken from the works of our blessed Father, and especially from several memoirs written by his dear and holy hand. These are his thoughts and words; you will readily recognize in them his spirit "We have endeavored to abridge and arrange them into Meditations that may serve for the retreats made before the renovation of our vows, because many of our Sisters, the Superioresses, have long .urged tts to do so. I think that, after the first and second parts of Philothea, you will find nothing more solid or practical. If you read and reflect upon them attentively, they will enlighten your understanding and inflame your hearts. The Meditations on Silence, on , Modesty, and on several other religious virtues are wanting, because these subjects were not treated in the brief memoirs of our blessed Father. You will find them in the exercises of Reverend Father Dom Sens, which our blessed Father held in great esteem, or elsewhere. Believe me, my very dear Sisters, I most cheerfully communicate to you all that we possess of the writings of our holy Founder, being anxious beyond expression that we may live upon his sweet and holy doctrine. May God grant us the grace to accomplish this! Supplicate His goodness in behalf of

Tour unworthy Sister and servant in Our Lord,

Sister Jane Fbanoes Fbemiot. God be praised! Amen.

preface*

It is a custom observed from time immemorial among the children of God, who knows the frailty and weakness of their nature, to renew their good purposes and holy resolutions. The Israelites, the chosen people of God, did so at every new moon, when the trumpet was sounded, and a solemn festival held, in order to elevate the mind to eternal things. Holy Church, from time to time, presents grand feasts and solemnities to her children, that they may renew their desire and resolution of doing better. The ancient Eeligious chose for this end the day of their profession and 5

PREFACE.

entrance into religion. But as the Daughters of the Visitation should not be attached even to special anniversaries, they have most appropriately selected the festival of the Presentation to make the renewal of their vows with Mary, who offered herself to God on this day. In this action we verify the words of the Prophet David that many virgins would be brought to God after the example of the most blessed Virgin, to be offered to the divine majesty. To do this with more humility, it is very proper that we prepare for it by a retreat of several days, in which to renew our vows, refresh our soul, and strengthen our resolutions. As a skilful player on the lute is accustomed from time to time to tighten or relax its strings in order to tune them to a certain pitch and render them harmonious, so every year, in our retreats, we should test the affections of our soul as to whether they

PREFACE.

are in accord to intone the canticle of the glory of God and of our own perfection. For this end we make our annual confession, by which we recognize all discordant ^ chords, all immortified affections, all resolutions not faithfully practised; and having thus tightened the pegs of our spiritual lute, we tjegin again to sing the canticle of divine love, which consists in strict observance. In imitation of our glorious Mistress and under her protection, we offer ourselves on the altar of divine Goodness, to be wholly consumed in the fire of His burning love.

To these animating words of our blessed Founder we have thought it advisable to join an admonition of a worthy servant of God who, speaking of the profit we should draw from solitude, says: " Great talkers ordinarily leave their retreat lovers of silence and retirement; the slothful and lax

PREFACE.

become fervent, diligent, and prompt to their duty; they who thought only of their own ease are henceforth enemies of corrupt nature and friends of mortification, without which the spiritual life cannot exist. If you have made a good retreat, you should have learned therein to converse meritoriously with God in reverence, humility, union, love> and continual recollection of His divine presence; to converse advantageously with yourself in purity of heart, in solitude, in peace, and in sincere love of your spiritual welfare and hatred of self; to converse well with the Sisters in charity, mutual support, and edification; and, when requisite, to treat with strangers in modesty and devotion, showing them that you live but for God; in short, to converse well with your guardian angel and the saints, by often visiting and remembering them.

PREFACE.

May God bestow upon you this grace! Amen.

First Convent of the Visitation of Holy Mary, Annect, August 15, 1637, commenced under the auspices of the glorious Mother of God.

Ood be praised!

dbyGOQgl

Contents

PAOI

Mother de Chantal to the Sisters of the Visitation. 3

II. Meditation on the End for which we were Created 19

XII. Meditation to Assist us to Know our

XIII. Meditation on the Submission that Our Saviour practised in His Divine Infancy 72

PAOI

XIV. Meditation on the Incomparable Grace that we possess in being Daughters of Holy Church 77

XV. Meditation on the Particular Benefit of the Religious Vocation 82

XVI. Meditation on the Obligation imposed by the Religious Life of strictly imitating Our Saviour 87

XVII. Meditation on the Principal Lessons that Our Saviour teaches the Religious Soul , 92

XVIII. Meditation on the Means by which the

Religious Soul ravishes the Heart of her Beloved 97

XIX. Meditation on the Love of our Neighbor 102

XXI. Meditation on the Love of Our Saviour in the Midst of His Labors 112

XXII. Meditation on Our Saviour on the

XXIH. Meditation on the First five Words that

XXIV. Meditation on the Blessed Virgin standing at the Foot of the Cross 126

XXV. Meditation on the Death of Our Saviour on the Cross 131

CONTENTS.

PAGE

XXVI. Meditation on the Joy and Happiness that the Devout Soul experiences in the Cross 136

XXVII. Meditation on the Resurrection of Our

Lord 141

XXVIII. Meditation on the Ascension of Our

Lord 146

XXIX. Meditation on the Descent of the Holy

XXX Meditation on the Presence of God. . • . 156 XXXI. Meditation on the Providence of God. . 160

XXXII I. Meditation on Detachment and on the flDe&ttatfons for IRetreata*