Letter 102. To a Religious of the Visitation. on the Earthly and Spiritual Mind

EARTHLY AND SPIRITUAL MIND.

It is most fitting, my dearest child, that I should write a few words to you, and I do so with sincere pleasure. Would to God that I had the power to comfort you! To live after the spirit, my beloved child, is to think, speak, and act according to spiritual graces, and not according to the senses and feelings which appertain to the flesh. We must make use of these, but we must subdue them, and not be led by them; while, on the other hand, we must obey those spiritual graces, and subject all else to them. What are these spiritual graces? Faith, which teaches us truths far beyond the power of the senses; Hope, which teaches us to aspire to an invisible gain; Charity, which teaches us to love God above all things, and our neighbour as ourself, with a love which is not sensual, natural, or self-interested, but pure, solid, and unchangeable, which has its foundation, in God.

You see, my child, our earthly mind, with its carnal tendencies, often hinders us from a sufficiently real dependence upon God. We imagine that, worthless as we are. He will not heed us, even as men in their worldly wisdom despise that which is feeble and useless. But, on the contrary, the spirit of faith takes fresh courage amid difficulties, from the certainty that God loves, bears with, and succours the weakest, provided they trust in Him.

The earthly mind seeks to take its share in all that goes on; and it is so full of self-love that it thinks nothing can prosper without its aid. But the spiritual mind cleaves to God, realizing that whatever is not God, is as nought; and though it takes a charitable and loving share in such matters as come in the way of duty, it willingly abstains from all else, in simple abnegation and humility.

To live after the spirit is to love spiritually; to live after the flesh, is to have a carnal affection; for love is the souVs life, just as the soul is the life of the body. One Sister is very gentle and agreeable, and she is most acceptable to me; she loves me, and she seeks to please me; and I reciprocate her love. Who does not see that this is a mere carnal, sensual affection, just as the very brute beasts love those who are kind and useful to them? Another Sister is rough, quick, and uncourteous, but she is very devout, and anxious to grow gentler and more amiable; therefore, not for any pleasure or profit I find in her, but for God^s Sake only, I esteem her, serve her, caress her. This is a spiritual affection, in which the flesh has no part.

“ I am mistrustful of myself, and therefore I would fain live according to my inclination." Who cannot see that this is not living after the spirit? No indeed, my dearest child; when I was quite yoimg, and had very little of the spiritual in me, I did the like. But although naturally of a timid, anxious mind, I strove to overcome my natural passions, and little by little to perform whatever belongs to the office laid upon me by obedience to God: This is to live after the spirit. My dear child, we live after the spirit when we do the actions, speak the words, and think the thoughts which God's Holy Spirit requires of us. When I speak of thoughts, I mean voluntary thoughts. I am sad, and therefore I do not choose to talk: a waggoner, or a parrot, would do the same. I am sad; but since charity requires it of me, I will exert myself to talk. This is what the spiritual mind does.

I am despised, and I grow angry; so does the peacock or the monkey.

I am despised, and I give God thanks; that is what the Apostles did.

So, then, to live after the spirit is to do what faith,

SPIRITUAL LEITERS OF hope, and charity teach, in things temporal as well as things spiritual

Do you, my dearest child, live wholly after the spirit, abide in restful peace, be certain that God will help you, and come what may, abide within the Arms of His Fatherly Love and Mercy.

May God ever be All in All to you. You know that I am wholly yours in Him.

Your father, and all your natural relations, are well: may it be the same with all appertaining to you through spiritual bonds. Amen.

C703.] CVL