Letter 23. To a Lady at Court

TO A LADY AT COURT.

Madame, Annecy, Sept. 27, 1607.

It is unnecessary to make any excuse for writing to me; your letters are a consolation to me in the Lord, in Whom I love you sincerely. I see that you are alarmed at the prospect of being established at the Castle, fearing lest you be deprived of your present opportunities of serving God, but you must • xi. 4a lOO not be discouraged. Even if you have less of external aid, so long as your wishes and resolutions to be wholly devoted to God remain stedfast, the Holy Spirit will help you with a hidden power, which will supply all deficiencies, as well as the religious exercises which you give up only to serve Him in another way.

I think your communions will be permitted; I do not see how that could be denied you. And you can surely have half an hour daily for mental prayer, in addition to the appointed prayers in which you join Madame; you may fairly be satisfied with that, supplying other services with frequent and fervent ejaculatory prayer, and uplifting of spirit to God; replacing sermons by diligent, attentive reading of some good book.

As for the rest, being under restraint and obliged to live with others, will give you a thousand opportunities for real mortification, and bending your will, which is no slight means of perfection, if you use it with gentleness and humility. These must be your cherished virtues — ^as specially set before you by our Lord — as also an exceeding purity of heart, and great sincerity in your words, especially in confession. No society, no trammels, can prevent your speaking often with our Lord, His Saints and Angels, or hinder your pacing the streets of the Heavenly Jerusalem, or from listening to the words preached within your heart by Jesus Chiistand your guardian Angel, or from daily Spiritual lot

Communion. Do all this in a cheerful spirit, and for my part, accepting the confidence you have in me, I will pray His Divine Majesty to fill you with the grace of His Holy Spirit, and to make you more and more wholly His. Yours, &c.

^*35.3 XXV.