On the happiness of souls that abandon themselves to God in their afflictions.
It does not astonish me, my dear Sister, that you find it
difficult to understand the ways of divine Providence. Neither
do I understand them any better than you, but what I know
and what you know as well as I, is that God arranges and disposes of
all things as He pleases, and makes use of whom He
will to carry out His designs at the time and moment He has
decided upon. Let us learn then to resign ourselves in all and
everything with submission and confidence in Him Who can do
all things, and Who disposes of all things according to His own
plans. If we could only attain to this state of holy submission
we should wait patiently for things to happen at the appointed
time, instead of at the time that, in our impatience, we expect
them. Abandonment to God's holy providence binds Him,
in a way, to find a remedy for everything, and to provide for and
console us in all our needs. Remind yourself of this great saying,
"Everything passes away, God alone remains." Abandon
yourself and all who are dear to you, therefore, to His loving care.
In public disasters as in all others we should, by our confidence,
glorify His infinite goodness, and then we shall be able to say
with David, "We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast
humbled us; for the years in which we have seen evils." Suffering
patiently endured, is the lot and the seal of the elect; let
us say also with the same prophet, "I was dumb, and I opened
not my mouth, because thou hast done it." There is no greater
consolation in our trials than a lively faith in the goodness of Him
Who sends them, an expectation of that eternal happiness these
trials have merited for us, the remembrance of our sins that they