XXXII. To an Irish novice

Pax Abbaye de St. Benoit, Maredsous. par Maredret. 3. XII. 1921. My dear Child,

I am so pleased with your letter. It is so frank and open. I shall be just as frank and open with you, and so, we shall understand each other. I hate what is commonly known as direction, and directors a la mode." There is often very little of God, and a lot of ourselves in it.

On the penitent’s side, it means often leading the life of a mole, burrowing in the earth of your being, finding nothing but discouragement and misery; on the Director’s side, loss of time, and learned discourses which lead to little or nothing.

St. Benedict loved his sister, Scholastica, dearly. He went Ke see her once a year. They spoke of God, of His love, of Heaven. They prayed much for each other. They spoke little of themselves.

When I met you during the retreat, I saw, that beneath your wild, girlish nature, there was a very deep sanctuary capable of great love; and I know that Jesus wanted that al] for Himself. You understand this too; and the programme of the Spiritual Life, which you propose in your letter, is just what the Holy Ghost wants from you.

1. Do all through love. 2. For Love, work, suffer, bear up, despite monotony, just as Jesus on the Cross.

1 Fashionable directors.

3. If He asks for anything, never refuse; but if it seems too hard to nature, pray, pray till He gives you the grace.

4. Keep the eye of your soul ever fixed on your ONE Love, for Whom you have left all. If anything comes between you and Him, He will show it to you “in the light of His Face.” [dluxitt nobis in facie Xt. Jesu?

Be very open and confiding with your Mistress. Don’t write to me more than once a year, unless something comes to trouble you. What I told you: “He wants you to do all for Love,” came from His S. Heart. Pray for me daily, as I shall for you. May God bless and love you, and make you a holocaust of love united with your crucified spouse.

Y rS-clneecs + Columba, Abb.

Pax .

Tournat. $205 LV aoa: My dear Child,

A holy, happy Feast. At Holy Mass to-morrow, specially, I shall take you, and present you to Jesus, that you may be very faithful to His love. He loves you so. When you fall into any fault, just run to Our Heavenly Father, and show Him your soul; just as a child runs to her mother to show her her soiled frock, and get it cleaned at once.

I have a great desire to make a little Saint of you. I know Our Lord wants it; and for that, all He requires is, that you do all for love, quite simply; and don’t be astonished if you are not always as perfect as you would wish.

Let us pray for our poor Erin. I am quite ashamed of her.’

Your most devoted

FC. Abb.

*“God .. . hath shined in our hearts . . . in the face of Christ Jesus’ (II Cor. Os

• Reference to the Irish rebellion plus civil war at its height at that time. Dom Marmion’s remark does not imply any lack of patriotism or love of his suffering country, but probably his opinion that atrocities on one side do not excuse reprisals of the same kind. See preceding letters for other references to his suffering homeland.

Pax 20m Neer oe My dear Child,

Just got back from Lourdes? full of love for Mary; but so rushed and crushed with work, I can only say just a word. Your soul is on the right way. You love Jesus. He loves you dearly. The snobbishness is an obstacle, and He has shown it to you, to give Him the glory of your sacrifice. Like Our Lord, the deeper the misery-weakness of my children are, the dearer they are to me. Be faithful, and you will arrive at great union. It is impossible, dear Child, to arrive at intimate union with a Crucified Love, without feeling at times the thorns and nails. It is they which cause the union. You must not be discouraged when Our Lord lets you see a /ittle of your misery. He bears with it always, and hides it from you; but you must see it, and feel it, before it comes out. This is painful and humiliating for a little Irish Snob.

I pray daily for you, that you may become a Saint according to His Heart. Just do your daily task for Him, and leave the rest to His love. He wants you to do all for love.

May God bless and love you, as I do from my heart of hearts.

Your Father # Columba, Abb.

P.S. I shall write more at length next time.

Pax Maredsous. 21. XI. 22. My dear Child,

Just one little word to tell my little child how much joy her letter gave me. I see that you are going straight to God, by simple, loyal love. That is your way. Our Dear Lord wants you to be His, and for Him alone. He calls you to His mysterious espousals zn Faith. He wants you as the Spouse to give yourself up to Him, and leave Him absolute Master and Spouse of your person. Don’t complicate your

'T.e., on the diocesan pilgrimage he had led that year.

DIPS prayer by thinking of people in particular. Leave that to Him, except in very particular cases. As a rule, in souls, whom Jesus calls to Him, as He does yours, He invites you by His inward inspiration, when He wants you to pray for particular things or persons.

I should love to come for your Profession; but I suppose Rey. Mother must invite someone else. If she were to invite me, I would find a way of coming for a couple of days.

I am sending you my IIIrd Vol.* for your retreat. It is such a joy for me to guide you to Jesus. It is a great grace for you to have such a holy and enlightened Mistress of Novices.

May God bless and love you, my dear Child.

Columba, Abb.

Pax Abbaye de Maredsous. 23.1. 23. My dear Child, ;

Just a little word straight from my heart to tell you I am with you in your offering. St. Paul says: Xtus pro omnibus crucifixus est, justus pro injustis ut nos offerret Deo.? What the Crucified Jesus offers His Father is ever acceptable, however miserable we be.

I am offering Mass for you on the 25th; asking Jesus to take you through the veil, that is His crucified Humanity, into the Holy of Holies.* During our little retreat,* I hope to show you what this “Holy of Holies” is. I want it to be Our home. “Father, says Jesus, I will that there where I am, my servant also may be.” ° I want us to pass through the veil, and to dwell there with Jesus in love.

• Le Christ idéal du moine, which had just been published in French.

*Unwittingly Abbot Marmion was writing his spiritual testament. For this letter is, with the two others sent the same day to other correspondents, the last he wrote. The same day he was obliged to take to his bed on account of the illness that was to bring him home to God just a week later, on January 30. It was he whom God was calling to “pass through the veil and to dwell there with Jesus in love.”

• Actually this text comes from I Pet. 3:18.” Christ . . . died once for our sins, the Just for the unjust: that He might offer us to God.”

• See Heb. 9:11-12.

• Abbot Marmion had accepted an invitation to preach a retreat in the convent where the correspondent lived.

‘John 17:24.

This programme is high, but it is our Destiny; it is God’s wish. It is the fruit and object of the Passion of Jesus.

Iam really sorry not to be at B]. . .| for your Profession; but there is no distance for those united in Xt. I want you to make this little retreat with great fervour, as it contains the programme of that journey which I am to guide you by during your life.

My dear Child, I have very deep sufferings of Aeart and soul at present; I know you pray for me, as I do daily for you.

Your father in J.C. Columba, Abb.

P.S. I expect to arrive early on the 6th,® so as to begin that evening. If you like to see me before beginning, you have but to call me.

° February 6. if | Sas A IRR EM RA) a ' + ‘ i" : ) , iff t ; : y « \ i i ae : vu ve é 1 ve } i oat ity mi ; i ye ere ‘y nu E y a P : ie "i ‘ia why 7 MASA. At By! hg mas ad at %, hi icin mts | i A al) " | he r } rst : ) f * ’ lot Ap, “a 4 : PES CR AR Ear lee a ey Hi BE " * ‘ | 7 “tt = A ‘ f | ' = i D " I, oi i Abe) ' iin Nain’ We ie) a at an 8 i nt Ae Me | Aw d ior a an Pri i i A " Pek # ’ iit ay TA Th { af 1 bd ; j he . il al iat mee , i. on) stite Ne | “ 4 in * MLE a l in Ay fhe i f » my “1 Veh bs (ea) ware 7 | : . ’ , ' bn i Ub ae ae aes ‘ yi 4 poet: Wa t J , we a i prey 0) iv iA ! (cB Fi ase ree oil Ve yy; 1 ‘ “i ‘G . 4 me ‘ : i f i Y pr hedey \ oT B yy’ 7 i sh) ae : 3 } a : 9 4 F aD i f i j i M 4 4 , , Ny. Saat Tiga \ : Nts Fd ee } A yeas i i ‘ i} | vi ‘Ware. | | , Th ’ 4 ‘s } , i oat i - ‘ rn 4 Vy ’ ays 4 f | ‘we, ts Ms Bs " ' 4 q y Ec SON ae] | ; rial § : \ { Oo ae ha ' Rite i i mn) ‘ {1 - : res Tus “4 t 7 ‘ { et i Fi th : ,) aby, Hes = im ' % ey i ' : t y rab i \ f fell | ‘ ; ‘ih ‘ if a ~ ie ? ’ f \1 i x 14a - x Z / ; a] , re ot : : i ' fl ) : i y ‘ i ‘ <4 i, i Peta | nati irs = ' 4 a Wie a) 1 \ i ‘ L¥ | — 5 ve t M ry f Fiore : \ e AEE i 5 ot , : iH 12 ' , 1 ea | be alta i y ' Wiley n ne ; y U ; 7 ! \ us ¥ f ‘ Wy ‘; Fs r ee (as ' i re - ee { é : . t A olucet K %, ‘ iy - . i f it x r. a) ; Ay i J mys a ht ( de ae iy . ; : “a ai Y is oa | P i} | by } ‘