Salesian Literature

Letters on:

Prayer, Faith, and Accepting Your Vocation

1. Thy Will be done   ::    2. Do the will of God joyfully  ::    3. Serve God where you are  ::    4. Let us be what we are, and let us be it well 

5. Our faith should be naked and simple  ::    6. There are two principal reasons for prayer  ::    7. Little virtues prepare for contemplation of God

8. We must remain in the presence of God  ::    9. Never does God leave us save to hold us better

 

1. Thy will be done

To a young woman prevented from becoming a nun

 

Mademoiselle,

 

You should resign yourself entirely into the hands of the good God, who, when you have done your little duty about this inspiration and design that you have, will be pleased with whatever you do, even if it be much less.  In a word, you must have courage to do everything to become a religious, since God gives you such a desire.  But if after all your efforts you cannot succeed, you could not please Our Lord more than by sacrificing to Him you will, and remaining in tranquillity, humility, and devotion, entirely conformed and submissive to His divine will and good pleasure.  You will recognize this clearly enough when, having done your best, you cannot fulfil your desires.

 

For our good God sometimes tries our courage and our love, depriving us of the things that seem to us, and which really are, very good for the soul.  And if He sees us ardent in their pursuit, and yet humble, tranquil, and resigned to doing without and to the privation of the things sought, He gives us blessings greater in the privation than in the possession of the thing desired.  For in all things and everywhere, God loves those who with good heart and simplicity, on all occasion and in all events, can say to Him, “thy will be done” (Mt. 6:10).

 

Your humble servant,

Francis

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