Letter 114. To a Religious

.... There is no harm in saying a Pater for your headache, but, indeed, my child, I should not have boldness to pray to our Dear Lord by the pains of His Holy Head to take away a headache in mine! Of a truth. He bore it all that we might be spared. S. Catherine of Sienna was offered two crowns by her Saviour, one golden, the other of thorns. ‘‘ Give me the painful crown in this world,” she cried, ‘‘ the other will be for Heaven.” I would rather pray, through the merits of our Lord’s Crown, that I might have a crown of patience to soothe my headache.

C730.J CXVIII.