Letter 44. To Madame De Chantal

ON SPIRITUAL DRYNESS.

. •.. Now as to the inward trial, about which you write. It is a downright insensibility, which deprives you, not only of consolation and inspiration, but even of faith, hope, and charity, you say.

Nevertheless you have these really and fully, only you do not enjoy them; you are as a child whose guardian deprives him of the disposal of his property, so that, while really his, he has no power over it, but, as S. Paul says, ‘‘diflfereth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.” * Even so, dear daughter, God withholds from you the disposal of your faith, love, and hope, and does not allow you to enjoy them, only to use them when actually necessary. But in truth, my daughter, we are very happy to be thus held and restrained by our Heavenly Guardian 1 and we may well adore His Loving Providence, and cast ourselves unquestioning into His Arms. No, Lord, I ask no conscious enjoyment of Thy gifts, save that I may be able to say in all honesty, though without sweetness or feeling, that I would die sooner than give up faith, hope, and love. If it be Thy good pleasure. Lord, that I should have no enjoyment in exercising the graces Thou givest me, I would heartily acquiesce, however much my will may be thwarted thereby.

The highest point of holy religion is to be content with bare dry acts, performed solely by the superior will; just as it would be the highest degree of abstinence to be content to eat, if not with positive disgust, at all events without any taste or relish.

You have clearly explained your trial, and there is no remedy but that which you already use, making * Gal. iv. 1.

frequent protest to our Lord that you are willing to bear a living death, and to take your spiritual food without taste, feeling, or consciousness.

That Dear Lord would have us so entirely His, as that nothing should remain ours, but that we may give ourselves up wholly, unreservedly to His Providence. Let us abide patiently amid the darkness of the Passion. Amid the darkness; — ^for bethink you that when Our Lady and S. John were at the foot of the Cross, surrounded by the marvellous darkness which came on, they could neither see nor hear the Saviour; nothing was left them but distress and bitterness; and though they had full faith, it too was plunged in deep darkness, inasmuch as they shared in the Saviouf s desolation when He was forsaken of His Father. Happy we, who are the slaves of that God Who became a slave for us 1 It is time for my sennon. — Farewell