Salesian Literature

Conference 12  :  On simplicity and Religious Prudence [1]

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the virtue we have now to treat is so necessary that, although I have often spoken of it[2], you still desire that I should devote a whole Conference to the subject. Now, in the first place, it is necessary to understand what this virtue of simplicity is. You know that, generally speaking, we call a thing simple when it is not embroidered, lined, or of more than one colour. For instance, we say, That person is dressed very simply, when her dress is only of one material; that is a simple dress—I mean, with no trimming or lining which we can see, and no outside ornamentation. Well, simplicity is nothing else than an act of pure and simple charity, having one only aim and end, which is to acquire the love of God, and our soul is simple when in all that we do or desire we have no other aim.

 

The well-known story of the two hostesses, Martha and Magdalene [Lk. 10:38-42], who entertained Our Lord, is most noteworthy for this very thing. Do you not see that although Martha's desire to show great hospitality to Our Lord was laudable, yet she was reproved by that divine Master, because she added another motive to the good object which made her so eager to serve Him. For, looking upon Our Lord as Man, and believing Him to be like ordinary human beings who cannot be satisfied with a simple meal of one dish, she bustled about, busy in the preparation of many and varied dishes. Thus, to the first pure aim of the love of God, she added many little secondary motives, for which she was reproved by Our Lord: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things: but one thing is necessary: Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her [Lk. 10:41-42].

 

This act of simple charity, then, which allows us to have no other aim in all our actions but the one desire of pleasing God, is Mary's part, which is alone necessary. This is simplicity, a virtue which is in­separable from charity, inasmuch as it looks straight to God, without ever suffering any admixture of self-interest. It would otherwise no longer be simpli­city, for that virtue cannot endure any addition of creatures or any consideration of them. God alone finds place in it[3]. This virtue is Christian only. Pagans, even the most eloquent on the subject of the other virtues, knew nothing whatever of this, any more than of humility. They wrote exceedingly well on magnanimity, liberality, and constancy, but of simplicity and humility they have written nothing at all. Our Lord Himself came down from heaven to make known to men both these virtues; without this mankind would have remained ignorant of this so necessary doctrine. Be ye wise as serpents, He said to His Apostles; but go still further, be simple as doves.

 

Learn from the dove to love God in simplicity of heart, having but one single aim and object in all that you do. Do not, however, only imitate the simple love of those birds in their having always only one mate, for whom alone they do everything, and whom alone they wish to please, but imitate them also in the simplicity with which they express and show their love. They do not practise little mincing ways, but only coo gently by the side of their mates, happy enough just to rest quietly in their presence.

 

Simplicity banishes from the soul that solicitous care, which so needlessly urges many to seek out, various exercises and means to enable them, as they say, to love God, and which makes it impossible for them to be at peace if they are not doing all that the saints did. Poor souls! they torment themselves about finding out the art of loving God, not knowing that there is none except to love Him. They think that there is a certain art needed to acquire this love, which is really only to be found in simplicity. Now, when we say that there is no art at all, we do not mean to contemn certain books entitled The Art of loving God[4]; for these books themselves teach that there is no other art than to set ourselves to the work of loving Him — that is to say, to apply ourselves to the practice of those things which are pleasing to Him. This is the only means of finding and acquiring that holy love, provided that this practice is undertaken in sim­plicity, without trouble or solicitude. Simplicity embraces, indeed, all the means which are prescribed to each of us, according to his vocation, for acquiring the love of God, so that it desires no other motive for acquiring or being incited to the quest after this love than itself.  It would, otherwise, not be perfectly simple; for it cannot bear to concern itself about anything, however perfect, but the pure love of God, which is its single and only aim. For instance, if we are on our way to Office, and some one asks: "Where are you going?" you will answer: "I am going to Office."  "But why are you going to it?" "I am going that I may praise God in it." "But why at this hour rather than at any other?"  "Because, the bell having rung, it would be remarked if I did not go."  The reason for going to Office — namely, to praise God — is a very good one, but this added motive is not simple. Simplicity requires that we should go attracted by the desire of pleasing God, without any other con­sideration; and the same in all things.

 

Now, before proceeding further, I must correct a mistake with regard to this virtue, which lurks in the minds of many. They think that simplicity is contrary to prudence, that the two virtues are opposed to one another. This is not so, for the virtues never clash with each other, on the contrary, they are bound together in the closest union. The virtue of simplicity is opposed and contrary to the vice of cunning, a vice which is the fruitful source of all manner of deceit, craftiness, and duplicity. Cunning includes deceits, deceptions, and malice, and it is through cunning that we find out how to deceive the mind of our neighbour, and of those with whom we come in contact, so as to lead them on to the point for which we are scheming. Now, this point is to convince them that we have no other feeling in our heart but what is manifested in our words, nor any other knowledge about the subject in question. This is a thing, absolutely contrary to simplicity, which re­quires that the interior should be wholly conformable to the exterior.

 

I do not, however, mean to say that in the case of our emotions, we ought to make an outward demonstration of passions which may be inwardly disturbing us; for it is not, as some think, contrary to simplicity to show a calm exterior at such times. We must always discriminate between what affects our higher and what our lower nature. It is true that sometimes, on meeting with a reproof, or any kind of contradiction, we are inwardly much dis­turbed; but this disturbance does not proceed from our will. All the trouble goes on in the lower part of our soul; the higher does not consent to it at all, but approves, accepts, and values this reproof or contradiction. We have said that simplicity aims steadily at acquiring the love of God. Now, the love of God requires us to restrain our feelings, to mortify and to subdue them, and this is why it does not require us to make any outward demonstration of them. It is, then, no want of simplicity to keep a calm exterior when we are inwardly moved and agitated.  "But," you say, "should we not be deceiving those who see us, and who would believe us to be very virtuous, when we really are most unmodified?" That reflection, my dear sister, as to what will be said or thought of you, is contrary to simplicity. This, as we have said, looks only to contenting God, not creatures at all, except in so far as the love of God requires it. After the simple soul has done any action which she considers that she ought to do, she thinks no more about it; and if it should occur to her to wonder what will be said or thought of her, she checks the thought instantly, because she will suffer nothing to divert her from her one aim, namely, of dwelling on the thought of God alone, that she may love Him more and more. The consideration of creatures has no power to move her, for she refers all to the Creator.       .

 

So too it is with regard to another question which may be asked, namely, whether it is allowable to use our discretion about making known to our Superiors what we fancy may trouble them or ourselves in telling them. Simplicity considers only whether it is expedient to say or do a thing, and then sets to work at once to do it [or not] without wasting time in debating the question will the Superior, or shall I, be troubled or not if I tell some thought which I have entertained of him? If it is expedient for me to tell it, I shall do so quite simply, leaving the result to Gods good pleasure.  When I have done my duty I shall not trouble about anything else[5].

 

We must not always fear trouble, either for our­selves or for others, so much, for trouble of itself is not sin. If I know that by going into certain society I shall expose myself to the risk of hearing something said to me which will trouble and dis­turb me, I ought not to avoid going into it; but 1 ought to go, armed with confidence in the divine protection, certain that it will strengthen me so that I may overcome my own nature, against which I desire to make war. This conflict only goes on in the lower part of our soul.  That is why we must not be at all astonished when it has no results. I mean, of course, when we do not con­sent to what it suggests, for in such a case we must avoid it.  But whence, think you, comes this trouble, if not from a want of simplicity, and especially because we waste our time in conjecturing: "What will they say? What will they think?" instead of thinking only of God and of what will render us more pleasing to His Goodness?  "But if I say such and such a thing, I shall be in more trouble than before I said it."    Well, if you do not wish to say it, and if it is not necessary, seeing that you have no need of instruction upon it, make up your mind quickly and waste no time in considering whether you ought to say it or not.  We are not meant to give an hour's consideration to all the small actions of our life.  Moreover, it seems to me that it is better and more expedient, to tell the Superior the thoughts which mortify us the most, rather than a number of others which are of no use except to prolong our interview with her. And if you are still in trouble, it is only because you are unmortified; for why should I say what will be of no use to me, leaving out what might mortify me? Simplicity, as we have already said, seeks nothing but the pure love of God, which is nowhere to be found so certainly as in self-mortification. In pro­portion to the growth of that mortification will be our nearer and nearer approach to the abode where we shall find His divine love. Moreover, Superiors ought to be perfect, or at least to do the works of the perfect, and so their ears are open to receive and to hear whatever we wish to tell them, without troubling themselves much about it. Simplicity does not meddle with what others are doing or will do; it thinks of itself. But even as regards itself it only dwells upon really necessary thoughts, and always turns quickly away from any others. This virtue has a close affinity to humility, which does not allow us to have a bad opinion of any one but of ourselves.

 

You ask how you must observe simplicity[6] in conversation and recreation. I reply: as in all other actions, although in this particular one there should be a holy freedom and frankness in con­versing upon such subjects as serve to foster a spirit of joy and recreation.  We should be quite unaffected in conversation, but at the same time not inconsiderate, for simplicity always follows the rule of the love of God. But should we happen to say some little thing which seems to us not to be received as we should wish, we must not on that account waste time in weighing and searching into all our words. No; it is indeed self-love, un­doubtedly, which makes us inquire so closely whether our words and actions have been well received or not.    Holy simplicity does not run after its words and actions, but leaves the result of them to divine Providence, on whom it absolutely depends. It turns neither to the right nor to the left, but simply pursues its path straight and direct. If in that path it meets with any opportunity of practis­ing some particular virtue, it makes careful use of it as a means towards attaining its perfection, which is the love of God; but it is not eager in seeking out those opportunities, though, at the same time, it does not despise them. It troubles about nothing, but remains modest and tranquil in its certainty that God knows its desire, which is to please Him; that is enough.

 

"But how is it possible to reconcile two such contrary propositions? We are told, on the one hand, that we are to be most careful about our advancement in perfection, and, on the other, are forbidden to think about it at all!" Please observe here the misery of human nature, which can never stop short at the golden mean, but, gener­ally speaking[7], runs to extremes. This defect we inherit from our mother Eve, for she did much the same when the evil spirit tempted her to eat of the forbidden fruit; she said that God had forbidden them to touch it [Gen. 3:3], instead of saying that He had forbidden them to eat it. You were never told not to think at all about your advance­ment, but that you were not to think about it anxiously.

 

We are also wanting in simplicity when, find­ing that we are committing faults against one another, we waste time in considering whether these are things which ought to be told to the Superior or not. Is not the Superior capable of deciding that, and also of judging whether or no reproof should be administered?  "But," you say, "how do I know with what intention this sister did such and such a thing?" Well, it may be that her intention was good, and there is never any need to accuse her on the ground of her intention, but only on that of her outward action, if there was imperfection in that.  Do not say, either, that the matter is of little consequence — not worth getting the poor sister into trouble — for all that is contrary to simplicity. The Rule which commands us to bring about the amend­ment of our sisters by means of admonitions, does not insist upon our being as careful and giving as much thought to the matter as if the honour of the sisters depended on our accusation. We must make sure, and then wait for a suitable time for administering our reproof. To give it on the spot is a little dangerous.  Beyond that, we must do in all simplicity whatever God requires us to do, and that without scruple.  For although the person you admonish may be very angry and troubled by what you say, it is not you who are to blame for her disturbance, but her own want of mortifica­tion.  And though she may commit some fault at the moment, the admonition will be the cause of her avoiding many others which she would have fallen into if she had persevered in the line of conduct for which she was reproved. The Superior must never refrain from reproving the sisters because they dislike a reproof. Probably, as long as we live we shall dislike it, inasmuch as it is wholly contrary to the nature of man to love to be abased and reprimanded.  This aversion, however, ought not to be fostered and encouraged by our will, which ought to love humiliation[8].

 

You wish me to say a word to you as to the simplicity with which we ought to allow ourselves to be guided in our spiritual life, by God and by our Superiors.  There are souls who say that they are unwilling to be guided except by the Spirit of God, and who fancy that all their imaginations are inspirations and movements of the Holy Ghost, Who takes them by the hand and guides them in all that they wish to do like children.  In this assuredly they deceive themselves very greatly.   For was there ever a more special vocation that that of St. Paul, in which Our Lord Himself spoke to him in order to covert him, and yet He would not instruct him, but sent him to Ananias, saying: Arise and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do [Acts 9:4-7].  And although St. Paul might have said: “Lord, why wilt Thou not Thyself tell me what to do?”  he said nothing of the kind, but simply went and did as he was commanded.  And we think ourselves more favoured by God than was St. Paul, believing that He desired to guide us Himself without the intervention of any creature!  For us, my dearest daughters, God’s guidance is nothing but obedience, and all else is mere deception.

 

It is quite certain that we are not all led along the same road; but, at the same time, it is not given to each of us to know for ourselves by what road God calls us. That knowledge belongs to our Superiors, who have God's light to enable them to see clearly. We must not say that they do not know us well, for we ought to believe that obedi­ence and submission are always the true marks of good inspiration. Even if it happens that we get no consolation from the exercises prescribed for us, and find a great deal in others, we must remember that we cannot judge of the excellence of our actions from the consolation they procure for us. We must not be so much attached to self-satisfac­tion, for that would be valuing the blossoms and not the fruit. You derive more profit from what you do in accordance with the direction of your Superiors, than from following your own secret Instincts. These, generally speaking, come only from self-love, which, under colour of well-doing, seeks for satisfaction in an empty self-esteem.

 

It is, indeed, absolutely true that your well-being depends on your allowing yourself to be guided and governed by the Spirit of God without reserve. This is the aim of that true simplicity which Our Lord recommends so highly. Be ye simple as doves, He says to His Apostles; but He does not stop there, saying also to them Unless you become simple as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of My Father [Mt. 18:3]. A child when very young is in a state of such simplicity that he has no knowledge at all but of his mother. He has one only love, which is for his mother; and in that love one only aim and desire — his mother's breast; when he is upon that beloved breast, he wants nothing more. The soul which has attained perfect simplicity has only one love, which is for God. In this love it has one only aim — to rest upon the bosom of the heavenly Father, and there to abide like a loving child, leaving all care of self to that good Father, anxious about nothing except to maintain thin confidence; not even disquieted by any desires for those virtues and graces which seem to it necessary. It is true that such a soul never neglects any good opportunity which it meets with on its way, but it does not hunt about eagerly for means of perfecting itself other than those which are prescribed. Now, what is the use of these disquieting, eager desires for virtues which there is no need for us to practise? Gentleness, love of abjection, humility, sweet charity, cordiality towards our neighbour, and obedience are virtues the practice of which ought, to be common to us all, and the more so because we have frequent occasions of practising them. But as for constancy, magnanimity, and similar virtues which we may never be required to practise we certainly need not trouble ourselves about them; we shall be none the less magnanimous or generous on that account.

 

You ask me how souls, attracted in prayer to this holy simplicity and absolute surrender of themselves to God, ought to conduct themselves in all their actions? I reply that not only in prayer, but in the conduct of their whole life, they ought to walk invariably in a spirit of simplicity. They should abandon and submit their whole soul, their actions, and their successes to the good pleasure of God, by a love of perfect and entire confidence, relying wholly on the mercy and care of that eternal love which divine Providence has for them. For this end, let them keep their soul steadfastly in this path, without allowing it to waste its powers in continual self-inspection, for the purpose of see­ing what they are doing or if they are satisfied. Alas! our own satisfactions and consolations do not satisfy God; they only feed that miserable love and care of ourselves which is quite independent of God and the thought of Him. Certainly children, whom Our Lord has told us should be our model of perfection, are, generally speaking, quite free from care, especially in the presence of their parents. They cling to them, without turning to consider their satisfactions or their consolations. These they presume in good faith, and enjoy in simplicity, without any curiosity whatever as to their causes or effects. Love occupies them sufficiently without anything else. Those whose one desire is to please the divine Lover, have neither inclination nor leisure to turn back upon themselves; their minds tend continually in the direction whither love carries them.

 

This exercise of continual self-abandonment into the hands of God, comprehends the perfection of all other exercises in its absolute simplicity and purity; and while God leaves us the use of it, we ought not to change it.  Spiritual lovers, spouses of the heavenly King, do indeed from time to time contemplate themselves, as do the doves upon brooks of waters [Cant. 5:12], in order to see if they are adorned so as to please their Beloved.  This is done by examinations of conscience, by which they cleanse, purify, and beautify themselves as well as they can, not in order to be perfect, not to satisfy themselves, not from a desire to make progress in virtue, but, out of obedience to the Bridegroom — out of the reverence they have for Him, and the fervent desire which they have to please Him. Now, is not that a love pure, simple, and unalloyed, since they do not purify themselves in order to be pure, they do not, adorn themselves in order to be beautiful, but only to please their Beloved?  So much so, that if ugliness were equally agreeable to Him, they would love it as much as beauty. And, indeed, these simple doves do not give a very lengthy or very anxious study to the work of cleansing and adorn­ing, for the confidence which their love gives them of being greatly loved although unworthy — I mean the confidence that their love gives them in the love and goodness of their Beloved — deprives them of all anxiety and mistrust as to their not being beautiful enough. Besides, the desire to love, rather than to adorn and prepare themselves for love, takes away all anxious solicitude, and makes them contented with a faithful preparation, made with love and heartily.

 

To conclude this matter: St. Francis, send­ing his children out on their travels into desolate places, gave them this advice instead of money and provisions: Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee [Ps. 54:23]. I say the same to you, my dearest daughters: cast your hearts, your aspirations, your anxieties, and your affections upon the paternal bosom of God, and He will guide you. He will carry you whither His love would have you go.

 

Let us hear and follow the voice of the divine Saviour, who, like the perfect Psalmist, pours forth the last strains of an undying love from the tree of the Cross: Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit [Lk. 23:46]. After that has been said, my dearest daughters, what remains but to breathe forth our last breath and die of love, living no longer our­selves, but Jesus Christ living in us [Gal. 2:19-20]. Then all the anxieties of our heart will cease — anxieties proceed­ing from desires suggested by self-love and by tender­ness for ourselves, which makes us secretly so eager in the pursuit of our own satisfaction and perfection. Embarked, then, in the exercises of our vocation, carried along by the wind of this simple and loving confidence, without being aware, we shall make the very greatest progress; without moving, we shall advance; and without stirring from our place, we shall draw nearer and nearer to homo, as do those who sail on the high seas with favourable winds. Then, too, every possible event and variety of acci­dent which may happen will be received calmly and peacefully. For what is there that can disturb or move those who are in the hands of God and rest upon His bosom — those who have abandoned themselves to His love and have resigned themselves to His good pleasure? Whatever may happen, with­out wasting time in philosophising upon the causes, reasons, and motives of events, they utter from their heart the holy acquiescence of Our Saviour: Yea, Father, for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight [Mt. 11:26].

 

Then we shall be all steeped, as it were, in sweetness and gentleness towards our sisters and our neighbours in general, for we shall look upon all these souls as resting in the Heart of our Saviour.  Alas! they who regard their neighbour in any other way run the risk of not loving him with purity, constancy, or with impartiality. But beholding him in that divine resting-place, who would not love him, bear with him, and be patient with his imperfections? Who would find him irritating or trouble some? Well, my dear daughters, your neighbour is there, in the Heart of the Saviour, there, as so beloved and so lovable that the divine Lover dies of love for him! Then, again, the natural love of relationship, good manners, courtesy, affinity, sym­pathy, and kindliness will be purified and reduced to the perfect obedience of the all-pure love of the divine good pleasure. And, assuredly, the highest, good, and the highest happiness of souls aspiring to perfection, should be to have no desire whatever to be loved by creatures, except with that love of charity which makes us feel an affection for our neighbour, and for every one in his proper order, as Our Lord desires.

 

In conclusion[9], I must say a word to you bout the wisdom of the serpent, for I have been thinking that if I spoke of the simplicity of the dove, the wisdom of the serpent would be sure to be thrown in my face. Many have asked what was the serpent from which Our Lord wished us to learn wisdom[10].  Putting aside all other answers which may be given to this question, we now take the words of Our Lord, Be ye wise as serpents, which, when they are attacked, expose their whole bodies in order to preserve their heads.  So too ought we to do, exposing ourselves and all that we have to danger when necessary, in order to preserve within us, safe and untouched, Our Lord and His love; for He is our Head [Eph. 4:15], and we are His members; and that is the prudence which ought to be joined to our simplicity.

 

I tell you again that you must remember that there are two kinds of prudence — the natural and the supernatural. As for the natural, it must be thoroughly mortified as not being at all good, suggesting to us many considerations and much forethought which are quite unnecessary, and which keep our minds far from simplicity.

 

The true virtue of prudence ought to be really practised, the more so because it is like a spiritual salt which gives taste and savour to all the other virtues. But it ought to be practised in such a manner by the Daughters of the Visitation that virtue of simple confidence shall surpass all the others.  For they ought to have a perfectly simple confidence, which will make them repose in the arms of their heavenly Father, and of their dearest Mother, Our Lady, assured of the continual protection of that most loving care, since they are gathered together for the glory of God and the honour of the most Blessed Virgin.  Blessed be God!

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[1] Conference of our blessed Father on the subject of Simplicity.

[2] often spoken—our Mother desires nevertheless that I should devote a whole Conference to the subject, and although there may be less need to speak about simplicity in this house than elsewhere, still it is in this place that the Conference must be made. I think it probable that I may repeat things which I have said before, but there will be no great harm in so repeating them. Now, before beginning the discourse on simplicity, and giving our sisters an opening for questioning me, we must in the first place say what it is. (Addition.)

[3] place in it – Creatures or the consideration of them have no place in simplicity.  God alone finds His resting place in it.  (Addition).

[4] See the Preface of the " Treatise on the Love of God."

[5] anything else – for God does not will that I should.

[6] You wish, to know how to observe simplicity, openness, and candour in conversation, the more so, you say, as there are so many different minds that it is impossible for what you say to be approved by all. Well, it would certainly be a good thing, if we could always so suit our words to the feeling and temper of every one that nothing could be found fault with, but that cannot be; therefore we must not worry ourselves about trying to do what is really unnecessary. But ought I to ponder and weigh every word? …

But perhaps I am with a sister who is a little disposed to be melancholy, and takes no pleasure in my conversation, I being, on the contrary, in a cheerful mood and disposed to enjoy ray recreation. Well, my daughter, there is nothing to trouble about in that, for what would you do? Today she is serious or melancholy, and another time you will be the same; at present you must make recreation for her and for yourself; another time she will do the same for you. It would, indeed, be a nice thing if, having said some amusing words, we were to look round the room to see whether the sisters were laughing and approving of what we said, and if we saw some one who was not, we should begin to trouble about it, thinking that she did not like it, and was putting a bad interpretation upon it. Oh! Certainly we must not act in this way; it is self-love that would urge us to make this investigation, and it would be contrary to simplicity.

[7] to extremes.—A. young girl who has been forbidden to go out of doors late in the evening, will not fail to say: " Oh! I have the most terrible mother you can imagine!  She will not even allow me to stir from the house." She was only forbidden to go out at night, and she says the prohibition is for always. Another sings too loud, and is told so.  "Well," she says, "they complain that I sing too loud. I will sing so softly that they shall not hear me at all." Or another, because she is told that she walks too quickly, creeps along go slowly that you can count each step.  Well, what must we do in such cases?  We must have patience, provided that we see no wish in the offender to foster these defects, and that they do not arise from obstinacy. We cannot always hold so straight a course as never to bend a little to one side; provided that we set ourselves straight again as quickly as possible, we must be satisfied. We inherit this defect,  &c. [Continued in text].  Do you ask, my dear sister, if you are to answer simply when a sister asks you if you have been mortified by something which she has said or done to you?   Although she ought not to ask you this question, still, if she is a sister whom you see will not lose confidence by being plainly spoken to, and if it is true that you were mortified, you may tell her so simply; adding, however, that you bog her not on that account to discontinue her frankness, for you like it. If, however, you suspect that she will take umbrage at this, you must answer in such a way that she will still continue to admonish you.    Some people fall into the mistake of thinking that to caress those whom we really dislike, and to show them marks of friendship, is deceitful and artful, but it is nothing of the kind.  Antipathies are involuntary, and have their seat in the inferior part of the soul; the will rejects them, although they do not depart at its bidding. The acts of love which we per­form towards those whom we dislike proceed from reason, which tells us that we must mortify and overcome ourselves; and although our feelings may be quite contrary to our words and actions, we are not on that account wanting in simplicity, for we disavow those feelings as foreign to us, which indeed they are. The folly of people in the world is great, for they boast of having simplicity because they do not look pleasantly on their enemies, saying that they are frank and not deceitful.

It is not wrong, either, to pretend not to wish to do something for which you really have a strong inclination, if your motive is to give confidence to a sister such as will enable her to satisfy herself by doing this thing, and to encourage yourself to practise self-mortification by depriving yourself of the opportunity of doing it. And even if you should desire very much to do it, the desire is, after all, only in the lower part of your soul, since in its higher part you certainly prefer your sister's consolation to your own. In fact, we must always and in all things re­member that the productions of the lower and sensitive part of our soul do not enter, or ought not to enter, into our considera­tion any more than if we did not perceive them.

Have we anything more to say about simplicity? For a word must be said about prudence.  But that shall be later, for only a little prudence is wanted, but a great deal of simplicity.

[8] You also wish to know if, seeing that the Superior does not like your telling her of the faults which the sisters have noticed in her, you ought not in simplicity to leave off telling them.  The Superior is not bound to show satisfaction, and what need is there to consider whether she does or not?  The Superior listens to you, and is willing to hear whatever you have to say; is not that enough?  “But she says nothing to show that she approves of what I have said.”  What does that matter?  Having done your duty, why trouble about the rest?  “Perhaps she will think that what I said had some other motive than charity.”  All that, my dear daughters, is useless self-tormenting, and quite contrary to simplicity, which keeps close to Our Lord.  But let us pass on.

[9] You must not forget that I make a distinction, as regards what I have been saying, between persons in the world — those, I mean, who live as Christians in the world — and the Sisters of the Visitation.  For the former, it is requisite that they should use prudence in order to increase their means, and that they should strive to support their families honourably, for otherwise they would not fulfil their obligations. And although they ought to depend more on divine Providence than on their own exertions, still they must not neglect the consideration of their worldly affairs. But the Sisters of the Visitation ought to leave the care of themselves in the hands of God; I do not say as regards external things and what belongs to the nourishment of the body only, but much more absolutely in that which concerns their spiritual progress, leaving it to the divine Goodness to give them spiritual blessings, virtues, and graces, just as it shall please Him; their prudence ought to consist in leaving themselves wholly in the arms of divine Providence.

I observe that among animals those which display the most prudence (for there is a natural as well as a Christian prudence) live the most cowardly and timorous.  The fox, who is so crafty and who makes use of so much cunning, is timorous; the hare, who is so timid, uses so much prudence in order to escape from the dogs which pursue her, that sometimes they are baffled; the ant possesses admirable prudence and foresight; even deer, though they are not small animals, are still timorous, and also crafty and deceitful.   But the lion, which is a generous animal, trusting in his own valour, goes on his way in the simplicity of his heart, and would quite as willingly go to sleep on the high­road as in his own den.   Camels also are very simple, although they are so large and powerful that they could easily carry a house on their backs. Among small animals we have the dove and the lamb, whose simplicity makes them so especially lovable.

[10] When the Israelites were led by Moses into the wilder­ness, they were continually being bitten by small serpents, and many died for want of remedies, Then God, taking pity on them, commanded a serpent of brass to be raised on a pole, and all who had been bitten by the serpents were instantly cured. Now, the brazen serpent, raised on that pole in the wilderness, represented none other than Our Lord and Master, Who was to be raised on Mount Calvary on the tree of the Cross, thus marvellously displaying the prudence of the serpent. For the serpent shows his prudence in various ways, and first in the fact that when he is growing old he strips himself of his old skin. Now, Our Lord did the same — that is to say, He stripped Himself of His own glory, for He was made, as St. Paul says, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness. But for us Christians He was made our edification and our most beloved Saviour, the sweet and only remedy for all our ills; for, looking upon Him nailed and motionless upon the Cross, we cannot die, and there we find healing for all our wounds …

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