XXV. To Mother Marie Jacqueline Favre, Superior at Lyons.

Vive ✠ Jésus!

Annecy, 25th November, 1617.

This severe mortification which the good N. has given you is, my dearest daughter, the fruit of the holy cross. Ah! may God grant us the grace to profit by every mortification that He sends us. You are indeed blessed; for see how the divine Saviour lays on you burden upon burden. May His goodness give you His holy strength. He will do so, daughter, for with your whole soul you have given yourself into the arms of divine Providence, and you have no other arms to bear you up and no other breast on which to repose in love save His. Abide there as a gentle dove in all simplicity and tranquility, not making account of your afflictions but looking only at the Heart of Him who has sent them to you.

Here we have truly shed many tears and prayed much for our dear one who is taken from us.[A] I have, however, much consolation; for could there have come a greater happiness to this pure and innocent soul than to meet her Saviour? Rejoice in her repose, my dearest daughter.

In order not to lose this opportunity of writing to you I am doing so without having given myself time to look over your letters again. Believe me, daughter, that if we are faithful to our vocation, and if in our little efforts we seek only the pure glory of God, His majesty will raise us up.

His Lordship wishes us to make another attempt before sending to Rome M. de Sainte-Catherine, who will be an admirable agent. God will help us, daughter, but we must keep lowly and patient and let ourselves be trampled under foot. His Lordship hopes that this new petition, supported by our Rules and the testimonials, will settle the matter. If the Archbishop thinks well to write a new letter of recommendation, from himself, to this gentleman who is acting for him, it is quite as it should be, so long as this gentleman acts in unison with the Father Procurator of the Barnabites. But to ask him to send these attestations to the house of Lyons would, I think, be loss of time, as they have already been sent here. The Prince, on his side, has heard that the matter is being taken up warmly. Ah! well, we have done what we can, and the success of it we must leave to the Providence of God and ask Him to guide and fashion this work according to His holy will. I hope we shall have some news in a few weeks.

His Lordship left us yesterday, and he asked me to send you his apologies for not having written to you, but he will write from Grenoble. He is absolutely overwhelmed with business. We spoke of our vow of obedience, and he believes it to be pleasing to God. He asked me how you bore that sharp mortification; but alas! I could not tell him.

Yes, my dear daughter, we read the Catechism to the Sisters four times a week,[B] and if any one wants to know over and above what is in the book I check her, saying that she and I must submit our understandings to what we read without questioning beyond, and this I find does much good, for such as we are very ignorant.

Thank you a thousand times for the beautiful wax candles. They are most acceptable, but one lasts for a whole year. We have never seen the blessed grains of incense.

Please forward the packet from Dôle at once, and securely. There is one from his Lordship from Paris. My darling, I am wholly yours and salute you all.

This St. Catherine's Day.