Letter 109. To a Religious

Of a truth, is not God very good to you, my dear daughter? But to whom is He not good, He, the Saviour and Lover of Souls? Those who have tasted of His Sweetness cannot drink deeply enough thereof; and those who come near His Heart will ever pour out their own in praising and blessing Him 1 Continue in the holy silence of which you tell me; — truly it is well to spare our words for God and for His Glory. God has upheld you with His loving Hand through your affliction. ** How is it,” S. Gregory said, to a Bishop

Letters, g who was in affliction, how is it that our hearts, which aspire to Heaven, should yet be so moved by all the events of this life?” In truth the mere sight of our Dear Crucified Jesus has power to still all our agonies, which are but as flowers compared to the thorns with which He was pierced. And, moreover, we have a glorious prospect in eternity, which cannot be touched by these things, which have their end in time.

Go on, my child, uniting yourself more and more closely to that Saviour; plunge your heart into the depths of His Love, and say always with sincerity, “May I die, and may He live.” Ours will be a blessed death, if we die in Him. “I live,” the Apostle said, — ^but then he retracted his words, and said, “Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” *

May you be blessed, my dear daughter, with that blessing which His Goodness has prepared for all those hearts which give themselves up to His Holy Love. Be of good cheer. God is very Good — if all else be against us, what does it matter? Be cheerful and happy in this thought The years go by, and Eternity draws near. May we so spend these years in His Love, as to spend Eternity in His Glory. Amen.

• Gal iL 2a

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