Chapter II: Letter to Her Sister Céline

[4] Matt., iii, 10.

WE must practice the little virtues. This is difficult sometimes, but the good God never refuses the first grace, which gives courage to conquer self: if the soul corresponds to it she will find that she immediately receives light. I have ever been struck with those words of praise to Judith: _"Thou hast done manfully, and thy heart has been strengthened."_ [5] We must first act with courage, then the heart is strengthened and we go from victory to victory.

COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES

[5] Judith, xv, 11.

MY God, how varied are the ways by which Thou dost lead souls. In reading the Lives of the Saints we find a great number of whom nothing has remained to us after their death: not the smallest souvenir, not a written line. Others there are, on the contrary, like our Holy Mother Saint Teresa, who have enriched the Church with their sublime doctrine, not fearing _to reveal the secrets of the King,_ [6] in the hope that souls might know Him better and love Him more. Which of these two ways pleases our Lord best? It seems to me that they are equally pleasing to Him.

All the well-beloved of God have followed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by whom the Prophet wrote: _"Say to the just that all is well."_ [7] Yes, all is well when we seek only the Divine Will.

HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. IX

[6] Tobias, xii. [7] _Cf._ Isaias, iii, 10.

HOW narrow are the thoughts of creatures! When they see that a soul has lights which surpass their own, they conclude that the Divine Master loves them less. Since when, then, has He lost the right to make use of one of His creatures, in order to dispense to His children the sustenance needful for them?

HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. X

WHEN we are grieved at our powerlessness to do good, our only resource is to offer to God the works of others. In this you see the benefit of the communion of Saints.

COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES

THOUGH I do not undervalue beautiful thoughts that seem to unite us to God, I have long understood that we must carefully guard against leaning too much upon them. The most sublime inspirations are nothing without deeds.

Other souls, it is true, may draw therefrom much profit if they testify humble gratitude to God for being permitted to share the feast of one of His privileged children. But if the privileged one were to grow vain of her spiritual riches, if her prayer resembled that of the Pharisee, she herself would become like to a person starving to death before a well-served table while all her guests take from it abundant nourishment, and cast perhaps a look of envy on the possessor of so much wealth.

HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. X

THE Well-Beloved has no need of our glorious deeds nor of our fine thoughts. If He desire sublime conceptions has He not His Angels, whose knowledge surpasses infinitely that of the world's greatest geniuses? It is not then either intellect or talent that He looks for here below . . . He has called Himself _the Flower of the Field_ [8] to show us how much He cherishes simplicity.