LXXXVIII — To Sister Marie Aimée de Morville, at Moulins
Vive ✠ Jésus!
Annecy, 1632.
I have just come from holy communion, my dearest daughter, at which I blessed and thanked the God of infinite goodness for the loud call with which He has been pleased to bid you turn back to Him, and I besought Him with all the energy of my soul to keep so firm a hold upon you that nothing ever again may draw you away. For this I hope, dearest daughter, through His grace and your faithful co-operation. I cannot but think that your heart is too good ever to forget His superabundant mercies to you. Ponder often on that counsel given by both the Princes of the Apostles; Labour in fear and trembling by good works to make sure your vocation.A Your past miserable experience ought surely to make you tremble, and fearful of again falling, and very watchful in avoiding all occasions of temptation, especially those which you know to be most prejudicial, such as conversations, intimacies, affections, and communications with the outside world, and even with spiritual persons unless rarely and from true necessity. Then will it be your delight to find contentment in the instructions you will receive from the good Mother (Marie Angélique de Bigny), who has a singular love for you, and is besides both capable and full of charity. Her tears, fasts, austerities, and prayers so frequently offered to God on your behalf will, I doubt not, have touched His heart, and helped to achieve your conversion. To her will be given without fail every help requisite for your happiness, and by means of her will His Goodness lead you in the straight path. I have a strong belief that those who submit not themselves to the guidance of their Superiors submit not to God. In a word, apply yourself to do rather than to learn; this is my wish for you. We have in abundance holy and solid instructions in the Institute. For none better could we wish, and none are better adapted to lead us to the great perfection that our vocation demands. May the study and the practice of them henceforth be your delight. To this I conjure you so that by means of them you may offer to the divine Goodness fruits worthy of His mercy and to the Institute the perfume of a holy and sincere conversion. Thus will be assuaged the sorrow and shame that by your past disorders you have made it suffer, and all our hearts will be filled with consolation. So much do I feel consoled by the generous acts you have madeB that my displeasure at the past is all gone, and I assure you you are now within my heart, where I cherish you most truly and affectionately, and believe me you will receive from all of the Institute and from me nothing but proofs of love and affection.
I think it would be well some months hence, when you have given yourself time to test your perseverance, that you should give testimony of it to the houses of the Institute by some humbly written note, to make satisfaction for your past misconduct. You have done well, dearest daughter, in giving yourself unreservedly to God. His Providence will not fail you nor permit you to be in want of anything. If the good sister who used to serve you is worthy of the favour you desire for her, most willingly can it be granted, but not till she has proved her perseverance in well-doing for some years. I pray God to shed abundantly upon you the assistance of His grace.
Notes
A “Labour the more that by good works you may make sure your calling and election.” 2 Pet. i. 10.
“With fear and trembling work your own salvation.” Phil. ii. 12.
B In the early part of the summer of this year, 1632, says the Mother de Chaugy, “it pleased God to open the eyes of the Benefactress of our monastery of Moulins by means of a dream. One night she dreamt that she saw a torch suddenly extinguished by someone at the moment it seemed to be trying to give forth more light. Taking this as a divine warning that her life would, when she least expected it, be thus suddenly extinguished, it evoked a keen remorse for her past conduct. She sought her Superior, and with every mark of genuine sorrow begged, for God’s sake, to be permitted once more to enter the novitiate, of which petition the good Mother warmly approved. Sister Marie Aimée, now desiring to make public reparation for the scandal she had given, asked to do so at the open grille. This was allowed, and having there renewed her profession, she tore up the document containing the list of privileges which had been granted to her as Benefactress and Co-foundress with Madame de Gouffier. At the same time she begged to be allowed the favour of living as a simple religious, while confessing herself unworthy of such a grace. From this time she became the consolation and the edification of all her Sisters, an example of fidelity to the holy Rule, and for fifteen months her obedience, mortification, and piety were all that could be desired. At the end of that time the dream which had wrought her conversion was verified. She was taken suddenly ill, and had only time, before passing from this life, to implore the mercy of Him who came to save the repentant sinner.”