TWELFTH LETTER
All bodily diseases would be greatly alleviated if we were well accustomed to the presence of God. Often, God allows us to suffer a little to purify our souls and force us to stay with Him.
Offer Him your pains incessantly: ask for strength to endure them from Him. Make it a habit to spend time with GOD often and to forget Him as little as possible. In the midst of your infirmities, offer yourself to Him occasionally, and in the height of your sufferings, ask Him (as a child his father) to make you conformable to His holy will. Despite my poor prayer skills, I will do my best to assist you.
There are many ways in which God draws us to Himself. Even though He sometimes hides Himself from us, our faith alone, which will never fail us in times of need, should be our support. This should be the foundation of our confidence in Him.
I do not know how GOD will dispose of me. I am always happy. All the world suffers; and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so continual and so deep that I can scarce contain them.
I would gladly ask God to bear a part of your sufferings, but I recognize my profound weakness. This means that if He left me one moment to myself I should be the most wretched man alive. I don’t understand how He can leave me alone. Faith gives me as strong a conviction as reason can, that He never abandons us until we have first forsaken Him. We should fear leaving Him. Let us never leave Him. Live and die in His presence. Will you pray for me as I pray for you?
I am, Yours, &c.
