To Sister Marie-Thérèse de Vioménil.
My dear Sister,
If you could but understand, once for all, that everything that God wills must succeed, because He knows how to make even difficulties and the opposition of men conduce to the fulfilment of His designs. Believe me, if it be for your greater advantage, in vain will men try to prevent its success; but if, on the contrary, it will not be advantageous to you, what better can God do than to prevent it? Now God alone can look into the future and see all its consequences; as for us, we are poor blind creatures, who have to fear all sorts of danger even in the events that appear to have the best promise of success. What better could we do than to place the whole matter in God's care? Could our future be more secure than in the all-powerful hands of that adorable Master, of that good and loving Father? who loves us more than we love ourselves? Where could we find a safer refuge than in the arms of divine Providence? This is the blissful centre in which our hearts should find their repose. Withdrawn from this there is no solid peace, nor comfort, nothing but discomfort, anxiety, and bitterness of heart, miseries in the present life, and danger to eternal salvation.
To Mother Marie-Anne-Sophie de Rottembourg (I738). On abandonment in the acceptance of duties.
May the peace of Jesus Christ reign always in your heart, and may the most holy will of God be ever accomplished in, and by you. I already knew of your election, Rev. Mother, and rejoiced at it at once in God, because I did not doubt that it would be pleasing to all the community and for their spiritual profit.
As long as you retain your present dispositions your office, however calculated it may seem to relax your spirit, will not be at all injurious to you, for I remember to have read that our duties and employments do not hurt us so much as the eagerness, anxiety and trouble that arise from the activity of our nature, and the desire to succeed in everything before the world.
The celebrated M. de Renti said that it made no difference to him, nor did he experience any difficulty in keeping recollected whether he was at prayer in his oratory, or working, or in any other occupation done for the love of God, or the good of his neighbour. We should be able to say the same, if we were as detached as he and as free from all self-seeking.
You do not do well, therefore, in so strenuously opposing
the office that Providence had allotted to you. God forgive
you, but do not go on with it. To desire nothing, and to refuse
nothing, was the maxim of St. Francis of Sales. I advise you
to make it yours. Any fresh proof that you are likely to receive
of the visible succour of heaven, will render you without excuse
if you do not ground yourself in an unreserved abandonment,
and an unlimited confidence. Sister N. has committed the same
kind of fault, but she is less excusable, as she would not yield
to the entreaties that were made to her. Please tell her how
little edified I was at her conduct. The hope of being better
able to preserve recollection has made her lose the occasion for
practising a host of virtues. If she had had the simplicity to
submit, she would have practised at the same time the virtues
of obedience, charity and zeal. I do not speak of abnegation
which she would also have practised so excellently in overcoming
her antipathy, and in giving her services. so generously to the
community in the duty that was offered her. Even the want of
capacity that she believed she recognised in herself should have
been a greater incentive to its acceptance, for the harm which
might have resulted to the community through her incapacity,
was no business of hers, as she did not try in any way to obtain