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“TREATS OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF DETACHING OUR SELVES FROM ALL CREATED THINGS, WHETHER INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR. OF THE MANY BENEFITS GAINED BY THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT THE WORLD BY SEVERING THEMSELVES FROM THEIR RELATIVES, AND HOW THEY WILL MEET WITH FAR TRUER FRIENDSHIP INSTEAD OF THAT WHICH THEY HAVE GIVEN UP. Now we will consider what is the detachment which we are bound to feel: if this be perfect it will include everything else. I say 'it will include everything else' because, if we cling to our Creator alone and care nothing for created things, His Majesty will infuse the virtues into us, so that, doing by degrees all that is in our power, we shall have little left with which to struggle, for our Lord will defend us against the devils and the whole world as well. […] Be very grateful to Him, sisters, for bringing us here together where this is all that we care about. […]”“THAT THIS ABNEGATION IS NOT ENOUGH UNLESS WE ALSO ARE DETACHED FROM OURSELVES: HOW THIS VIRTUE AND HUMILITY GO TOGETHER. SEPARATED from the world and our own kindred, in a state of absolute poverty, and enclosed in this convent under the conditions I have described, it would seem that we have done all and that there is nothing left to contend with. Ah, sisters, do not feel too secure, nor settle yourselves to sleep! […] Our natures are always the same, and unless we use the greatest care and each one of us makes it her most urgent business constantly to cross her self-will, many things will keep us from the holy liberty of spirit which we seek in order that our souls may rise to their Creator, unimpeded by any earthly, leaden weight. […] We must keep watch over ourselves carefully in the most insignificant matters: when we are attached to anything we must turn our thoughts from it and fix them on God. His Majesty will help us to do this, and it is a great grace from Him that, in this convent, the chief part of this is already done for us. As this detachment from ourselves and crossing our own wills is a hard matter, the union being so close and selflove being very strong, humility will now find its place. […]”
