V+J!
La Musse, 1 July 1896
My dearest little sister,
If you knew how often I think of you, and how sweet your memory is to me, it brings me closer to God, and I understand your desire to go see Him soon to lose yourself eternally in Him. I too desire this like you; I love to hear talk of death and I do not understand people who love this life of suffering and continual death.
For you, my dear, you are ready to go see the good Lord, surely you would be well received; but as for me, alas! I would arrive empty-handed and yet I have the audacity not to be afraid, do you understand that? It is incredible; I know and I acknowledge it, but I cannot help it.
How are you, my dear little sister? On this subject alone, I do not trust you because you always tell me that you are well or better, and I do not believe it at all. When you write to me, above all, tell me the exact truth and speak to me about the good Lord and all that can help me progress in virtue; that is the only thing that truly pleases me and that I expect from our beloved Carmel.
If you knew how much I need help to not give in to the pleasures and vanities of the world, because despite all the possible goodwill, one is insensibly drawn into it, and if one does not find death there, at least piety and pure love for Jesus are greatly altered; we no longer have anything to offer to this dear Beloved but withered flowers. How many times have I not offered Him such flowers myself? Dear sister, you will prevent me from doing it again, won’t you? I am so weak; you know that I count on you.
How happy I am not to go to the wedding [of Hélène Maudelonde and Jules Houdayer], thank you! thank you! for always knowing how to stop your little runaway horse.
Thank you, to my dear little Mother Agnes, for her good letter. I give you all a big hug, just like I love you. I beg you, ask the good Lord for me in particular that He may deliver me from my scruples; always turned inward on myself, this does me horrible harm and extremely delays my progress in perfection: be sure that I am pointing right to the wound to show it to you.
Your little sister, who cherishes you with all her heart,
Léonie, Child of Mary
p.s. Do not forget me with our good Mother. I am afraid that Marie of the Eucharist will forget Madame St. Francis de Sales’ scapular; two large pieces of her dress, without any embroidery, only the images.
Servant of God Sister Françoise-Thérèse (Léonie) Martin, V.H.M.
Letter to her sister Thérèse, 1 July 1896
Note: The Servant of God Sister Françoise-Thérèse Martin died Tuesday, 17 June 1941 at around 1:30 in the morning. You can learn more about the life of Léonie Martin in English thanks to Martin family expert Maureen O’Riordan, and in French thanks to the Visitation Nuns in Caen.
Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.
https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/06/16/leonie-1jul96/
#death #familyLife #illness #Jesus #LéonieMartin #love #scruples #SrFrançoiseThérèseMartin #weakness
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