Letter XIX. To a Postulant. He praises her for wishing to enter the Order of the Visitation

Annecy, 6th March, 1622. I have never seen you, my dearest daughter, so far as I know, except upon the mountain of Calvary, where reside the hearts which the heavenly Spouse favours with his divine loves. O how happy are you, my dearest daughter, so faithfully and lovingly to have chosen this dwelling-place to adore the crucified Jesus in this life! For thus you are assured of adoring Jesus Christ glorified in the next.

But, look you, the inhabitants of this hill must be despoiled of all worldly habits and affections, as their king was of the garments which he wore when he got there. These, though they had been holy, had been profaned when the executioners stripped them off in the house of Pilate.

Beware, my dear child, of entering into the banquet of the cross, a thousand thousand times more delicious than secular marriage feasts, without the pure white robe, clear of all intention save to please the Lamb. O my dear child, how lovely is heaven's eternity, and how miserable are the moments of earth! Aspire continually to this eternity, and boldly despise this failing scene, and the moments of this mortality.

Let not yourself be misled by fears of past errors, or of future hardships in this crucified life of religion. Say not: how can I forget the world and the things of the world? For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of this oblivion, and will give it to you if, as a daughter of confidence, you throw yourself into his arms entirely and faithfully.

Our mother, your superior, writes to me that you have very good natural inclinations. My child, they are goods, for the management of which you will have to give account; be careful to use them in the service of him who has given them to you. Plant on this wild stock the grafts of the eternal love which God is ready to give you, if by perfect abnegation of self you dispose yourself to receive them. All the rest I have said to our mother. To you I have no more to say, save that, as God wills it, I am with all my heart, your, &c.