O Monsieur de Sergis, how important a matter is submission of spirit to a superior!
Be acted upon rather than active. In this way, God will do through you alone what all men put together could not do without Him.
There is a vast difference between an Apostolic life and the solitude of the Carthusians. The latter is truly very holy but is not suited to those whom God has called to the former, which is in itself more excellent.
You know, Monsieur, that, although the contemplative life is more perfect than the active life, it is not, however, more so than one which embraces at the same time contemplation and action, as does yours, by God’s grace.
I have never come away from you without reflecting that the Spirit of God and His holy workings reside in you.
He is greatly honored by the time we take to weigh with mature deliberation matters having to do with his service, as are all those with which we deal.
Our Lord and the saints accomplished more by suffering than by acting.
Let us reflect that we shall always do God’s Will and He will do ours when we carry out that of our Superiors.
Would that God, Monsieur, had rendered us worthy of spending our lives, as Our Lord did, for the salvation of those poor souls so far removed from all assistance.
God uproots the vine that He Himself has not planted.
So, do not dwell any longer on what you are, but consider Our Lord close by you and within you, ready to put His hand to the work as soon as you call upon Him for help, and you will see that all will go well.
May God be pleased to make it known to you, and fill you increasingly with His Spirit, so that through you it may be poured into the souls you guide, and your own soul may be more greatly sanctified!
Peace is worth far more than anything they might take from you.
If after so much effort and prayer, the matter is not successful, it will be a clear sign that God does not will it.
Furthermore, the apostolic life does not exclude contemplation but encompasses it and profits by it to know better the eternal truths it must proclaim.
All of you desire to belong entirely to God, and God also wants all of you to belong to Him.
The works of God are not accomplished when we wish them, but whenever it pleases Him.
Providence must call us and we must follow it, if we are to go forward confidently.
His Divine Goodness asks that we never do good in any place to make ourselves look important but that we always consider Him directly, immediately, and without intermediary in all our actions.
Go to the poor: you will find God.
Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.