Letter 97. To a Superior of the Visitation

Indeed, my dearest daughter, I see great cause in your letter to bless God on your soul's behalf, for I can see that you possess a practical holy indifference, although you do not feel it I think nothing of all you tell me about your little outbursts. Such little surprises of temper are inevitable in this mortal life, and even the great apostle is forced to exclaim, “ O wetched man that I am I I delight in the law of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of mind,” — ^the two opposing forces, nature and grace; “ Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”* My * Rom. yiL 22-24.

daughter, self-love only dies with our bodily death; so long as we are in exile here we must always be liable to its overt attacks or its hidden workings: enough if we do not consent deliberately or intentionally to the one or the other. And the grace of holy indifference is so great that our “ old man," the sentient, earthly part of our nature, is incapable of bringing it to perfection. Even our Lord Himself, inasmuch as He took upon Him Adames nature, while free from sin and all which appertains thereto, was not indifferent, but asked that the cup might pass from Him. Perfect indifference was only to be attained by His Higher Nature, in which He was God. So do not be disturbed about yourself. When we break the law of holy indifference in ordinary matters, or by sudden sallies of self-love or earthly passions, we ought to prostrate our hearts as soon as possible before God, crying out in all humility and trust, “ Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak! " * And then we should rise up in peace and composure, mend our broken nets, and go on with our work. When our lute is out of tune, we need neither break its strings nor cast it aside; we must rather listen attentively till we ascertain where the fault lies, and then make that particular string tighter or more slack, according to the need.

Be at rest, my dear daughter, and write to me in all confidence when it is any comfort to you; I shall always answer you faithfully and with sincere pleasure.