Letter 86. To a Young Lady in Illness

TO A YOUNG LADY IN ILLNESS.

Ftb. 8, 1621.

Fire on all sides, my dearest child! the fire of fever consuming your body, and the fever of fire destroying your house! But I hope that your heart is so filled with the fire of heavenly love as to be able to say amid all these troubles, ^ The Lord gave health and home, the Lord hath taken them away, the Lord’s Holy Name be praised.”

True, you say, but nevertheless we are grievously impoverished and discomfited. Doubtless, my dear child, but ‘‘ blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Dwell upon the troubles and the patience of Job; meditate upon him, prince as he was, sitting on a dunghill. He endured patiently, and God gave him more abundantly than before of all temporal blessings, together with tenfold of such as are eternal

You are the child of Christ Crucified; what wonder then if you have to carry His Cross? ‘‘I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, for it was Thy doing,” David says. We reach eternal life through many a stormy wave and wind. Cast all your care upon God, and He will nourish you, and stretch forth His Right Hand to shield you. I pray Him to do so, and also that, in proportion to the trials He sends you. He may abimdantly strengthen you with His Holy Grace.

Cssa.] LXXXIX.