Letter 119. To the Same

April 3a

May our Saviour take out your heart, as He did to the holy Saint Catherine of Sienna, whose festival we keep to-day, and give you His Own Heart, in which you may live wholly to Him. What a blessing, dearest sister, if some day, on coming from Holy Communion, I were to find my weak, wretched heart gone, and the Precious Heart of my God in its place! But, dear child, although we may not seek after such extraordinary things, at all events we may desire that henceforth our poor hearts may live wholly in obedience to His precepts. In this way we can imitate S. Catherine, and so doing we shall be meek, humble, and charitable, for there is nothing nearer to His Heart than meekness, humility, and charity.

You will be very happy, my dearest sister-child, if, amid all these frivolous distractions, you can live an inward life for God, Who Alone is worthy to be served and followed with earnestness. In so doing you will set a good example to all around, and you will ensure a holy peace and calm to yourself.

Pray let others speculate as they please concerning your motives for communicating often. It is quite sufficient for your conscience that you and I know sucli diligent reviewing and repairing of your soul’s breaches to be most needful for its welfare. If you wish to give explanations to any one, say that you need to partake so frequently of that Sacred Food because you are very weak, and without that strength your spiritual force would soon perish.

Give heed, dearest sister, to clasp that Dear Lord closely to your bosom. Let Him be the bouquet which rests upon your heart, so that every one who comes near you may perceive the perfume, and recognise the incense of Heaven. Try to keep an even mind, in spite of the troubles around. Refer all your difficulties to God’s hidden Providence, and believe firmly that He will lead you gently on, guiding you, all your affairs, and your whole life. When Arabian shepherds are overtaken by a thunderstorm they hide with their flocks beneath the laurel bushes; and so, when persecution or contradiction seem to overwhelm us, we must take shelter beneath the Holy Cross, with a firm confidence that everything will work together for good to those that love God.

And now, dearest child-sister, keep your heart well in hand, beware of over-eagerness, put all your confidence in our Dear Lord. Be certain that Heaven and earth will pass away rather than He fail you, so long as you are His obedient child, or while you seek to obey Him. Examine yourself two or three times during the course of the day, as to whether your heart is disturbed by anything, and if you find that it is not at rest, strive at once to put it right

Adieu, my dearest child. May God ever be in the midst of your heart Amen.

t7S3.1 CXXIV.