Letter 9. To A Young Lady at Madrid

Who Desired to Become A Barefooted Carmelite, and Who Was Afterwards Professed in A Convent at Arenas, in New Castile, Afterwards Transferred to Guadalajara

JESUS

Be in your soul. Your messenger came at a time when I was unable to reply before he left the place, and now, on his return, he is waiting for my letter. May God ever grant you, my daughter, His holy grace, that always and in all things you may be wholly occupied with His holy love ; for to this are you bound, and for this only He created and redeemed you. On the three questions there is much to say, more than time and a letter will allow. I will speak of three other points which may be profitable to you.

As to sins, God so hates them that He submitted to die ; it is expedient, in order utterly to root them out, and never to commit any, to have as little intercourse with people as possible, avoiding them, and never speaking an unnecessary word on any subject — for all conversation, beyond what necessity or reason absolutely requires, has never done good to any man, however holy — and at the same time keeping the law of God with great exactness and love.

As to the Passion of our Lord, chastise your body with discretion, hate and mortify yourself, and never in anything follow your own will and your own inclination, for that was the cause of His death and passion. What ever you may do, do it all under the advice of your director. As to the third, which is glory ; in order to meditate well upon it, and love it, you must hold all the riches of the world and all its pleasures to be mere dross, and vanity, and weariness, as, in truth, they are ; and make no account of anything, however great and precious it may be, but only to be well with God ; because the best things here below, when compared with the eternal good for which God created us, are vile and bitter ; and though the bitterness and deformity be but for a moment, they shall abide for ever in the soul which esteems them.

I have not forgotten your matter ; but at present, much as I desire it, nothing can be done. Recommend it earnestly to our Lord, and take our Lady and St. Joseph as your advocates with Him.

Remember me especially to your mother, to whom, as well as to yourself, this letter is addressed ; and do you both pray for me, and ask your friends in their charity to do the same. May God give you His Spirit.

Fr. JOHN OF THE CROSS.

From SEGOVIA : February, 1589.