Fifteenth Letter

To the Same

My Very Dear Mother, — I render thanks to Our Lord for having relieved you a little according to your desire. I have been often near expiring, though I was never so much satisfied as then. Accordingly, I did not pray for any relief, but I prayed for strength to suffer bravely, meekly, lovingly. Ah I how sweet it is to suffer with God! However great may be the sufferings, receive them with love. Tis Paradise to suffer, and to be 57 with Him; so that, if even now in this life we would enjoy the peace of Paradise, we must accustom ourselves to hold familiar, humble, loving converse with Him: we must prevent our spirit from ever wandering from Him: we must make our heart a spiritual temple, wherein to adore Him unceasingly: we must watch continually over ourselves, that we may not do, nor say, nor think anything that may displease Him. When our minds are thus filled with God, suffering will become full of sweetness, of unction, and of quiet joy.

I know that to arrive at this state, the beginning is very difficult, for we must act purely in faith. But hard though it is, we know also that we can do all things with the grace of God, which He never refuses to them who ask Him for it earnestly. Knock, be instant in knocking, and I answer for it, He will open to you in His due time, and grant you in a moment what He has withheld during the many years. Adieu. Pray to Him for me, as I pray to Him for you. I hope to see Him very soon. — I am entirely yours, in Our Lord.

January 2 2 nd, 1691.