Letter 9

The enclosed is an answer to that which I received from ——; pray deliver it to her. She seems to me full of good will, but she would go faster than grace. One does not become holy all at once. I recommend her to you: we ought to help one another by our advice, and yet more by our good examples. You will oblige me to let me hear of her from time to time, and whether she be very fervent and very obedient.

The enclosed letter is a reply to the one I received from ___. Please give it to her. She seems to have good intentions, but she wants to move faster than grace allows. No one becomes holy all at once. I commend her to your care. We should help one another with advice, and even more by setting good examples. Please let me know how she is from time to time, and whether she is very devoted and obedient.

Let us thus think often that our only business in this life is to please GOD, and that all besides is but folly and vanity. You and I have lived about forty years in religion (i.e., a monastic life). Have we employed them in loving and serving GOD, who by His mercy has called us to this state and for that very end? I am filled with shame and confusion when I reflect on one hand upon the great favors which GOD has done, and incessantly continues to do me; and on the other, upon the ill use I have made of them, and my small advancement in the way of perfection.

Let us often remember that our only purpose in this life is to please God. Everything else is foolish and empty. You and I have lived in religion (that is, a monastic life) for about forty years. Have we spent those years loving and serving God? In his mercy, he called us to this life for that very purpose. I am filled with shame and confusion when I reflect on the great favors God has shown me. He continues to show me these favors without ceasing. Yet I have made poor use of them and made little progress toward perfection.

Since by His mercy He gives us still a little time, let us begin in earnest: let us repair the lost time: let us return with a full assurance to that FATHER of mercies, who is always ready to receive us affectionately. Let us renounce, let us generously renounce, for the love of Him, all that is not Himself; He deserves infinitely more. Let us think of Him perpetually. Let us put all our trust in Him. I doubt not but we shall soon find the effects of it in receiving the abundance of His grace, with which we can do all things, and without which we can do nothing but sin.

In his mercy, God still gives us a little time. So let us begin in earnest and make up for lost time. Let us return with full confidence to the Father of mercies, who is always ready to welcome us with affection. For his love, let us willingly give up everything that is not God himself. He deserves infinitely more. Let us think of him always and put all our trust in him. I have no doubt that we will soon see the results. We will receive his abundant grace, with which we can do all things. Without it, we can do nothing but sin.

We cannot escape the dangers which abound in life without the actual and continual help of GOD: let us then pray to Him for it continually. How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him but in thinking of Him often? And how can we often think of Him, but by a holy habit which we should form of it? You will tell me that I am always saying the same thing. It is true, for this is the best and easiest method I know; and as I use no other, I advise all the world to do it. We must know before we can love. In order to know GOD, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure. This is an argument which well deserves your consideration.

We cannot escape the many dangers of life without God's real and continual help. So let us pray to him for that help continually. How can we pray to him without being with him? How can we be with him unless we think of him often? And how can we think of him often unless we develop a holy habit of doing so? You may say that I am always saying the same thing. That is true, because this is the best and easiest method I know. I use no other, so I advise everyone to use it. We must know before we can love. To know God, we must think of him often. And when we come to love him, we will also think of him often, because our hearts will be with our treasure. This argument deserves your careful thought.

I am, Yours, &c.

Yours, etc.