Letter (number unidentified). To the Nuns of Seville, Avila, January 31, 1579

Exhorts them to bear persecutions with resignation and joy. The Saint's grief at the calumnies uttered against Father Gracian by the two nuns.

JESUS !

May the grace of the Holy Ghost be with your

Charities, my daughters and sisters.

[HAVE never loved you as I do now nor have you ever been so bound to serve our Lord as when He is granting you the great grace of sharing somewhat of His Cross and the extreme abandonment His Majesty experienced on it. Happy the day when you came to this place where such good fortune awaited you ! I envy you immensely : it is the fa(5t that when I heard of all these reverses (which have been fully described to me), of how they tried to drive you from the house, with other details, instead of regretting it, I felt immense joy within myself at seeing that, without your having crossed the ocean, the Master had enabled you to discover mines of eternal treasures. I trust in Him that these will make you very rich and you will share your gains with us here. I feel full confidence that, in His mercy. He will aid you to bear all your troubles without offending Him in anv way. Do not be distressed because you feel your trials deeply, for our Lord wishes to teach you that you are not as strong as you thought you were when you longed for sufferings so ardently.

Courage, courage, my daughters! Remember, God never sends any one trials too heavy to bear, and He is with those in distress. Since this is certain you need fear nothing, but rely on His mercy, for He will bring the whole truth to light and we shall discover some of the hidden plots with which the devil has been trying to upset everything, which caused me more pain than your present crosses.

Prayer, prayer, my sisters ! And now let your humility and obedience shine forth. Let no one outvie all your Charities, especially the former Prioress, in obedience to her who has been appointed as your deputy-superior.

Oh ! What a good opportunity for profiting by the good resolutions you made to serve our Lord! Remember, He often proves us to see whether our actions will carry out our resolutions and promises. Do honour to yourselves as daughters of the Virgin, and to your sisters, by the way in which you bear this severe persecution; do your best and the good Jesus will help you. Though He may sleep in the boat, when the storm increases He will quiet the wind. He wishes us to ask Him, and He loves us so that He is always seeking how to do us good. Blessed be His name for ever. Amen, amen, amen.

All our communities are praying much for you, so I trust that, in His loving- kindness, God will soon bring matters right. Be of good cheer, for when we consider it, all we undergo for so good a

God amounts to little, considering what He bore for us, for you have not even shed your blood for Him yet, and you are with your sisters, not in Algiers. Leave it all to your Bridegroom and you will see that, before long, the sea will swallow up those who war against us as it did King Pharoah, leaving God's people free and longing to suffer more, seeing what they have gained by it in the past.

I have received your letter and wish that you had not burnt the one you wrote before, as it would have been useful. Theologians say that you might have refused to deliver up my letters, but it is not of much importance.

God grant that all the blame may fall on me, though I have felt the penalties of those who suffered wrongfully as a heavy burden.

What pained me was to see, in the process of information drawn up by the Father Provincial, charges which I know to be utterly untrue, for I was at the convent at the time. For love of our Lord examine carefully whether any one made the statements through nervousness or by mistake, for nothing matters as long as God is not sinned against. But falsehoods and slanders too, grieve me deeply. I cannot believe the statements, for every one knows how upright and modest Father Gracian's behaviour to us has been and what help he has given us to advance in our Lord's service. This being the case, it is very wrong to bring such charges against him, however insignificant.

Have the kindness to say so to these sisters, and abide with the Blessed Trinity. May They have you in Their keeping! Amen.

The community here send you very kind messages. When the clouds have blown over, they hope to have a full account of the matter from Sister St. Francis. Remember me to the good Gabriela, whom I ask to keep happy, for I know how very keenly she must grieve over the way in which Mother Mary of St.Joseph has been treated. I feel no pity for Sister San Jeronimo if her desires are genuine: otherwise, I pity her most of all. To-morrow will be the eve of our Lady of the Candles (Candlemas Day).

I should much prefer talking to Senor Garci Alvarez to writing to him, and as I cannot say what I wish in a letter, I am not sending him one. Remember me to those of the Andalusian sisters to whom you dare mention this letter.

Your Charities' unworthy servant Teresa de Jesus.,