Letter 242

My very dear and dearly loved son,

I got your two last letters by the two ships and particular news of you from Mesdames N. and N. who couldn’t say enough about you to me and my friends, they were so delighted to have seen you. Blessed be God for the way He has used you. It’s not you who select your employment and I’m not surprised that you are surprised by this last appointment for we must always think of ourselves as we really are. Abandon yourself then to His Divine guidance without thinking of yourself because you will never get out of this abyss as we can never sound the depths of our own nothingness. Anything I wish for you is not for yourself or because of our relationship but that you may be as far as in you lies a worthy instrument of the glory of God. For myself I admit that my real sentiments for you and for me are to fear important positions. On hearing the news of the honour your Fathers have done you in raising you to such an eminent position I began to fear, but reflecting on this matter before God, my mind stopped on a thought that consoled me; God’s servants allow themselves to be guided by His spirit and if God didn’t want you in this office they wouldn’t have cast their eyes on you. This my dear son is my reaction on this occasion and then I began to talk to Our Divine Saviour about His fidelity to His promise: His goodness did me the honour and the mercy of promising when I was leaving you for His love and to obey what He was asking of me, that He would take care of you. See, my dear son, if you experience the truth and the effect of His Divine Providence. Why should you and I take care of ourselves, wishing for this or that, let us keep in the last place, hidden in the dust of which we are made. Our Divine Master, who will find us there, will draw us out, if it’s for His glory and for our good, because He is so good that in willing His glory He wishes also for our good and our sanctification. I have always experienced it. Study and consider the holy ways in which He has guided you in all the states of your life and you will recognise this truth capable of melting all hearts with love of a God so liberal and so magnificent.

From Quebec. 12 Oct. 1668.
p. 310-311.