Читать книгу Selected Letters of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal - Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal - Страница 20

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Vive ✠ Jésus!

Annecy,

January 4th, 1616.

Only one word, my poor dear daughter, for there is no time to write as much as I should wish. Hardly has one been told that there is an opportunity of sending a letter than they come to fetch it. For the love of God, my dear friend, do not allow yourself to be so easily carried away by your affections. Hold fast in God your spirit, your love, and all your pleasure. Keep your heart strong and generous, and interior joy will come back to you. We are not separated, my dearest daughter, be assured of this, and when it is necessary to think and speak of me accustom yourself to do so with a free and joyous spirit as if I were present to you. Ah! my love, to know that our good God is everywhere, and that He is always ready to be to us, Father, Mother, sweet and gentle Spouse, should indeed make us happy. I am very glad that you have taken Mme. de Chevrières for a mother;[A] she is a virtuous and useful friend and I greatly like her: offer her my humble respects. Our poor dear Sisters' Christmas carols are very nice. I love all these dear hearts: tell them so, darling, I beg of you. …

In your next letter say how you are really feeling, for I cannot say that I like to hear of your getting thin. My daughter de Thorens has written to me (illegible lines), speaks of the marriage of M. de Foras with Françoise. Madame is wrong, I assure you, my dear friend, in blaming his Lordship[B] for not writing to her. I see very little of him, and I cannot tell you how long it is since I last spoke with him: he is overwhelmed with business. However, if I see him I will ask him to write to her, and I shall do so myself, if possible.

Well, most certainly I pity the good Archbishop of Lyons with his rules: the poor man is worrying himself to death over them. Why on earth does he not fish where he knows there is plenty of water. Do not send the regulations that he has made for us without also sending the rules, and get to know as tactfully as you can what he is planning and the cause of this delay.

As to exterior mortifications, they are performed here in the right spirit and with devotion. You know them: Some prostrate across the doorway with face to the ground, others hold out their arms in the form of a cross, others again wear a cord round their neck, and ask pardon, or mention and deplore their imperfections out loud, ask for an alms and the like. However, I permit them but rarely, because frequency lessens their power, and when done with devotion they profit and mortify those who perform them, and edify the others. You can of course allow them, but only at the times set down, unless the Sisters ask your permission, and let this come from themselves (illegible lines).

They have come to fetch the letters. Good-day, dearest daughter. Always yours. Be humble in all things, and practice mortification of spirit. Vive Jésus.

[A] It was a common custom at this epoch to contract spiritual alliances as a mark of reverence, gratitude, and affection. It is of such an alliance that Saint Jane Frances here approves. Madame de Chevrières was a pious and devoted friend of the monastery at Lyons.

[B] St. Francis de Sales.