Son, if thou placest thy peace in any person for the sake of thy contentment in his company, thou shalt be unsettled and entangled. But if thou hast recourse to the everlasting and subsisting truth, thou shalt not be grieved when a friend departs or dies.
In Me the love of thy friend must stand; and for Me he is to be loved, whoever he be that appears to thee good, and is very dear to thee in this life. Without Me no friendship is of any strength, nor will it be durable; nor is that love true and pure of which I am not the author.
-Bk. III, ch. xlii.
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I have had to drink many a bitter chalice on account of my sisters. David spoke truly when he sang: Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together (Ps. cxxxii). But this union is consummated only at the price of much suffering. I did not enter Carmel in order to live with my sisters; on the contrary, I foresaw what a source of suffering they would be if I made up my mind not to give way to nature.
Theologians speak of the religious life as a martyrdom. Natural affection is not destroyed; as it becomes purer and more supernatural, it grows stronger, and it is with this affection that I love you, dear Mother, and my sisters. I am very happy to be allowed to fight for the King of kings with my family, but I should be quite content to be transferred by Him to some other field of action. A command would not be necessary; a hint, a mere look would be enough.
As I realized that separation is a possibility, even at Carmel, I accustomed myself to live in Heaven; I accepted the prospect of exile among a strange people not only for myself, but for my beloved sisters. When our foundation, the Carmel of Saigon, asked for two of them, the question of sending them out was seriously entertained. The thought of the difficulties they would have to face, broke my heart, but I would not have said one word to keep them back.
-The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'une Âme)
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For more information, see this post.
Adapted from Just For Today(©1943 Burns & Oates)
Nihil Obstat: Reginaldus Phillips, S.T.L.,Censor deputatus
Imprimatur: Edwardus Myers, Vic. Cap.
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