Letter III. To Mother de Chantal

Same Subject.

gth August ftHg.

0 MY Jesus! what a blessing and consolation to my soul to know that my mother is quite stripped of self before God! For a long time I have had an in comparable sweetness when I chant these responses: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall

1 return thither: the Lord gave me her, and the Lord hath taken her away, blessed be the name of the Lord.*

What a happiness is that of St. Joseph and the glorious Virgin, on the journey into Egypt, when, most of the way, they see nothing except the sweet Jesus. It is the end of the Transfiguration, my dear mother, to see no longer Moses, nor Elias, but Jesus only. It is the glory of the sacred Sulamitess to be alone with her God only, so as to say to him: My beloved to me, and I to him^ We must then remain for ever all

• Job. i. 21. t Cant. ii. 16, despoiled, in affection, although in effect we clothe ourselves; for we must have our affection united so absolutely and so simply to God that nothing may cling to us. Oh how blessed was that Joseph of old who had neither buttoned nor clasped his mantle, so that when they would hold him thereby, he let it go in an instant!

I admire with sweetness the Saviour of our souls, coming naked from the womb of his mother, dying all naked on the Cross, and then put back into his mother's bosom to be buried. I admire his glorious Mother, who was born without her maternity, and was stripped of that maternity at the foot of the Cross, and who might well say: naked was I of my greatest good when my son came into my womb, and naked am I when I receive him dead into my bosom. The Lord gave him to me, the Lord took him away: blessed be the name of the Lord. I say then to you, my dear mother: Blessed be the Lord who has despoiled you! Oh how content is my heart to know that you are in so desirable a state! And I say to you as it was said to Isaias: * Walk and prophecy naked these three days: persevere in keeping to this self-renunciation before our Lord; there is no longer need to make acts, unless they come naturally to your mind, but only softly to sing, as you can, the canticle of your renouncement: Naked came I from the womb of my mother, and the rest.

Make no further acts of effort, but, founded on yesterday's resolution, go, my dear daughter, hearken and incline your ear; forget your people — your other affections — and your father's house, for the king hath desired your free-heartedness and simplicity.t Remain

• Isa. xx. 2. t Ps. xliv. u, 12.

LET. iv.] Later Letters to Visitation. 173 at rest there, in a spirit of very simple confidence, with out even looking where your garments are; I mean not looking with any attention or solicitude.

Good-bye, my dear mother. Glory to Jesus, de prived of father and of mother on the cross! Glory to Jesus, despoiled of all things! Glory to Mary, de spoiled of her Son at the foot of the cross. Remain in the tranquil acceptance of your poverty of spirit; make no violent efforts; peacefully refresh the body. Vive Jesus / Amen.