Letter 183. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Toledo, June 28, 1577

Health of the Saint and of Mother Brianda. Two little slaves. Counsel about austerities.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be in the soul of your Reverence, my daughter.

I AM deeply grieved that you have so much work and fever as well, but whoever desires to become a saint must suffer more than that.

Our Father sent me the letter you wrote to him on the tenth instant. My head tries me severely and I have been anxious to hear about your health and that of the Mother Subprioress, whose illness I much regret. Mother Brianda gets better for a short time but soon becomes very ill again in consequence of her usual attacks.

As my head is not so weak, I can write and work more, but the same noises continue which is very troublesome. I make use of a secretary for my letters unless they are private or very pressing and must come from my own hand. You must be patient about this and the rest. I had written so far when my brother arrived. He is very anxious for your prayers. I do not know whether he will write to you: (I am speaking of Lorenzo.) He is well, glory be to God, and is going to xMadrid on business. Oh, how he has sympathized with your trials! I assure you that God does indeed wish you to become a great saint. Take courage, for the times will change and then you will be glad that you have suffered.

As for the poor little slave girl, on no account refuse to admit her. When a house is first founded, many things must be put up with which cannot be allowed later. You need not train her to praftise perfedlion but only to serve the nuns well. It is not important as she is to be a lay sister. In fa¿l,she can remain all her life without making profession if she is unsuited for it. Her sister's case is more ditficult. But do not refuse to receive her and ask God to make her good; perfeflion must not beexadled from either of them: it will be enough for them to do what is essential. You owe them much and are thus saving them from great misery. Something always has to be borne when a fresh foundation is made ; it could not be otherwise.

If the other postulant is a good one, take her, for your community needs to be a large one as the nuns die so often. They go to heaven, so do not grieve about it. I foresee how you will miss the good Subprioress: we must bring the sisters back from Paterna as soon as affairs are settled there. '

Oh what a letter I wrote to you and Fray

Gregorio! God grant it reached you. How I scolded you about your wanting to move to another house! I cannot understand how you could both dream of such a foolish plan.

I commend my brother to the prayers of my friends and daughters. As he has only just arrived, I say no more about him. May God have you in His care for me, for I am more grieved about your illness than about anything else! Both you and my Gabriela are to look well to your health. You are to wear linen and to leave off some of your austerities now that there is such great need for care. The health here is not good. I ask all of you to pray for this community. God keep you for me: I cannot think why I love you so dearly. Mother Brianda asks you to remember her: ill as she is, she is a very pleasant companion. To-day is June 28.

Try to borrow money to pay for food; you can repay it later on. Do not starve yourselves for it would render me very unhappy. We borrow money here and God provides for the debt afterwards. Yours,

Teresa de Jesus.