Letter XXXII. To Mother de Chantal

The weak to be corrected with mildness.

How glad I am, my dear mother, of the good news of your health! May the great God, whom my poor soul and yours will to serve for ever, be blessed and praised, and may he deign to fortify more and more this dear health, which we have dedicated to his infinite holiness. But meantime the heart, how is it in you? Ah! my dear mother, what blessings do I desire it! When will our love, triumphing above all our affections and thoughts, make us wholly united to the sovereign love of Our Saviour, to which ours in cessantly aspires? Yes, my dearest mother, it aspires incessantly, though for the greater part of the time insensibly. I was truly much disappointed this morning that I had to leave my work just as there had come to me a certain fulness of the sentiments which we shall have on the sight of God in Paradise — for I was going to write on that in our little book * — and now I have them no more. Still, as I only turned from them to go and receive the pledges of this same sight in the holy Mass, I hope they will come back to me when the time requires. 0 my dear and sole mother, may we perfectly love this divine object, who prepares for us so much sweetness in heaven! Let us be indeed all his, and walk night and day amongst thorns and roses till we arrive at that heavenly Jerusalem.

The granddaughter walks by a very safe way, provided that its roughness does not discourage her. The easiest ways do not always lead us the most directly nor the most safely; one is so occupied sometimes with the pleasure that one finds there, and with looking on one side and the other at the pleasing prospects, that one forgets in this to be diligent in the journey. I must be brief. Look at this note which was sent me this morning; and as I have not seen this poor creature, and you will see her before me, I thought I should do well to send it to you. Alas! my dear mother, what harm does vanity do to these poor little

• The Treatise on the Love of God. [Tr.]

LET. xxxvii. ] Earlier Letters to Visitation. 167 souls, who do not know themselves, and place themselves in risks! But still, as you know, while remonstrating earnestly you must use love and sweetness; for admonitions have a better effect so, and otherwise one might drive away these somewhat feeble hearts. Only I do not know how you will be able to say that you do not know of the quarrel. Well, God will in spire into our heart what to say on this point, as I beg him to do, as likewise to inspire me what to preach to-night. I write amid many distractions. Good night, my dear mother. I am, your very affectionate servant in Jesus Christ.