Letter 112. To the Superior of a Carmelite Convent

My Dearest Daughter,

It ought to be a great comfort to you to feel that God Himself has made you a Superior, inasmuch as you have come to that charge, not because you sought it, but by the ordinary course of events. His Provi- • Prov. JL 9, dence, Which has thus placed you, is bound to uphold you with His Hand, so that you may rightly fulfil your calling. Believe me, dear daughter, you must go on bravely, trusting to the guidance of that Good Lord, and not doubting the promise, that God Who has begun in you an excellent work, will finish it, according to His own Loving Wisdom, if only you are faithful and humble.

But “it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”* Now, I promise you that you will be faithful if you are humble. “ But shall I be humble? ” Yes; if you desire it. “ But I do desire it” Then you are what you desire. “But I feel that I am not so really 1” So much the better; that tends to becoming more so. Do not go into such refinements; go on in straightforwardness; and since God has given you charge over these souls, give Him the charge of yours, and ask Him to bear both you and your burden. There is room for you in His capacious Heart Rest upon Him, and do not be astonished when you fall into faults and errors, but humble yourself before God, remembering that “ His strength is made perfect in weakness.”*

In a word, my dear daughter, your humility must be bold and brave through your confidence in Him Who has committed this trust to you; and in order * L Cor. iv. 2, ■ II. Cor. xiL 9.

to cut short all the arguments with which human prudence is wont to ply us, under the name of humility, bear in mind that our Lord taught us to ask for our bread, not yearly, or monthly, or weekly, but daily. Try to do well to-day, without thinking about to-morrow; then the next day the same; and do not dwell upon what you will have to do all through your time of office. Rather let it glide away, day by day, without giving way to anxious care, certain that your Heavenly Father, Who guides you to-day, will guide you to-morrow, and next day, in proportion to your conscious weakness and absolute trust in Him. I think, dear daughter, that I am very bold in speaking thus to you, as though you did not know all this better than I do: but never mind; such words make more impression when they come from a friendly heart I am, &c.