Читать книгу Selected Letters of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal - Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal - Страница 10

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Vive ✠ Jésus!

Annecy, 1614.

Madame, My most dear and beloved Sister, The grace of Our Lord be in your heart.

He has been pleased to grant you your request and it is He alone who has inspired you with this desire. Again, He alone has put into the hearts of this little Community a feeling of general satisfaction in regard to your undertaking, and for this intention we have communicated and prayed much. As for me I tell you, trustfully, in confidence, that when I was speaking to our Lord about this affair His divine goodness seemed to make manifest to me that He Himself led you here with His own hand. This consoled me and made me resolve to give you what He commands, and this my dearly loved Sister is my answer to what you ask. I give it simply and in all sincerity. O how happy you are to have been thus called by God to this most excellent service. Respond courageously to such abundant graces and remain very humble and faithful to His holy will.

I must say this one word more in answer to what you feel as regards God's goodness in giving you as guide this great and admirable servant of His.[B] Know, my dearest Sister, that I also so strongly feel this, that every day I make a special act of thanksgiving to God for it, and the longer we live the more we shall understand what a grace it is. I remember, in reference to it, a Capuchin once telling me that it increased his regard for me to think of the peculiar care and love that God must have for me to have given me this grace. … Remain now full of thanksgiving in peace and certainty, as much as it is possible to have in this life, that you are carrying out God's holy will.

We pray continually for you. All our Sisters unite with me in saluting you most cordially. I, indeed, look upon your heart, my beloved Sister, as mine own, and because this is the very truth you must look upon my heart as yours in His who is our only Love.

Adieu. May we belong always wholly to God.

I remain with incomparable affection,

Yours, etc.