Letter 16. To Mother Anne of Jesus

A Barefooted Carmelite of the Convent of Segovia F

He consoles her on his not having been chosen superior

JESUS

Be in your soul. I thank you very much for your letter and I am more your debtor than I was before. Though things have not come to pass as you desired, you ought to be glad and give thanks to God ; His Majesty has so ordained, and it is best for all. It remains only that we submit our will, that we may see it in its true light. For when things befall us that we do not like, they seem to us evil and contrary, be they never so good and profit able to our souls. But in this case there is plainly no evil either to me or to any other. To me, indeed, it is most favourable ; for being free and without the care of souls, I may, by God's help, if I like, enjoy peace and solitude, and the blessed fruit of forgetfulness of self and of all created things.*

And others, also, will be the better by my being set aside ; for so will they escape the faults which by reason of my unfittingness they would have committed. What I beg of you, then, my daughter, is to pray to God that He will continue to me this grace ; for I fear that they will send me to Segovia,f and that I shall not be perfectly free. However, I shall do my utmost to escape from this burthen also ; but if I fail, mother Anne of Jesus will not get out of my hands as she expects, and so will not die of grief at losing the opportunity, as she thinks, of becoming a very great saint. But whether I go or stay, wherever or however I may be, I will never forget her nor withdraw from the charge of her soul, of which she speaks, because 1 really desire her eternal good. Now, therefore, until God gives it in heaven, let her exercise herself continually in the virtues of patience and mortification, endeavouring to become like in some measure, through suffering, to our great God, Who was humbled and crucified for us, because our life here is not good if we do not imitate Him. May His Majesty preserve you and, make you increase daily in His love, as His holy and well-beloved child. Amen.

FR. JOHN OF THE CROSS.

From MADRID : the 6th July, 1591.