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It is the nature of perfect love to seek or accept nothing for itself, to attribute nothing to itself, but to refer all to the Beloved. If this be true of earthly love, how much more so of the love of God...

Let us live in close union with our Beloved and be wholly given to Him as He is given to us ... commune with Him all the day long, since He is living in your soul ... there you have the whole of the Carmelite life, to live in Him ... in everything that happens the soul sees Him whom it loves and everything leads it to Him. Cherish silence and prayer for they are the essence of our life. Ask the Queen of Carmel, our Mother, to teach you to adore Our Lord in deep recollection ... pray also to our seraphic Mother, St Teresa. She loved Our Lord so ... ask her to obtain for you her passionate love of souls, for the Carmelite must be apostolic.

The nothingness of me is strangely loved:
Sustaining ever
The all of love, my need is strangely here:
Departing never.

Speak to the Most Holy Virgin heart to heart. When you feel lonely, gaze at her and you will see her smiling and saying to you, "Your mother never leaves you alone."

I like to find at least a few moments each day spent in doing good for others out of love for God. These few moments, almost noticeably used, bring something like rays of peace and comfort behind them; they unite us with people and God by a pure feeling of tender sweetness.

The day on which God has unrestricted power over our hearts we shall also have unrestricted power over his. If we ponder this, we will no longer dare to judge anyone else. But neither will we be discouraged if, after living in the Order for a long time, we must admit we are still bunglers and beginners.

Are you perhaps afraid that the abyss of the greatness of God and that of your nothingness cannot be united? There is love in him. His passionate love made him take flesh in order that by seeing a Man-God, we would not be afraid to draw near him.

There is so much to make reparation for, so much to ask, that I believe to fulfill such needs one must become a continual prayer, one must love much. The power of a soul given to love is so wonderful as we see from the beautiful example of St Mary Magdalen; one word was enough for her to obtain the resurrection of Lazarus.

Never fail to keep your heart at peace and in tender love, ready to suffer as things present themselves.

Mary has generated us according to the life of grace, having given her whole being, body and soul to be the Mother of God. From this is born a most intimate union between her and us: she loves us, she knows us, and is completely available to make us what we ought to be.

Do not...be downcast if you have not responded immediately to Our Lord's voice, for His Majesty is willing to wait for us many a day and even many a year, especially when He sees perseverance and good desires in our hearts.

Oh, then soul most beautiful among all creatures, so anxious to know the dwelling place of your Beloved so you may go in search of him and be united with him, now we are telling you that you yourself are his dwelling and his secret inner room and hiding place.