I know that the Saints have made themselves as fools for Thy sake; being ‘eagles,’ they have done great things.  I am too little for great things, and my folly it is to hope that Thy Love accepts me as victim; my folly it is to count on the aid of Angels and Saints, in order that I may fly unto Thee with thine own wings, O my Divine Eagle!  For as long a time as Thou willest I shall remain—­my eyes fixed upon Thee.  I long to be allured by Thy Divine Eyes; I would become Love’s prey.  I have the hope that Thou wilt one day swoop down upon me, and, bearing me away to the Source of all Love, Thou wilt plunge me at last into that glowing abyss, that I may become for ever its happy Victim.

O Jesus! would that I could tell all little souls of Thine ineffable condescension!  I feel that if by any possibility Thou couldst find one weaker than my own, Thou wouldst take delight in loading her with still greater favours, provided that she abandoned herself with entire confidence to Thine Infinite Mercy.  But, O my Spouse, why these desires of mine to make known the secrets of Thy Love?  Is it not Thyself alone Who hast taught them to me, and canst Thou not unveil them to others?  Yea!  I know it, and this I implore Thee! . . .

I ENTREAT THEE TO LET THY DIVINE EYES REST UPON A VAST NUMBER OF LITTLE SOULS, I ENTREAT THEE TO CHOOSE, IN THIS WORLD, A LEGION OF LITTLE VICTIMS OF THY LOVE. _____________________________

[1] Cant. 1:3.

[2] Cf.  John 17.

[3] Luke 15:31.

[4] John 6:44.

[5] Ps. 49[50]:9-14.

[6] John 4:7.

[7] Cf.  Luke 2:19.

[8] Tob. 12:7.

[9] The Venerable Mother Anne of Jesus—­in the world, Anne of Lobera—­ was born in Spain in 1545.  She entered the Carmelite Order in 1570, in the first convent of St. Joseph of Avila, and shortly afterwards became the counsellor and coadjutor of St. Teresa, who called her, “her daughter and her crown.”  St. John of the Cross, who was her spiritual director for fourteen years, described her as “a seraph incarnate,” and her prudence and sanctity were held in such esteem that the most learned men consulted her in their doubts, and accepted her answers as oracles.  She was always faithful to the spirit of St. Teresa, and had received from Heaven the mission to restore the Carmel to its primitive perfection.  Having founded three convents of the Reform in Spain, she established one in France, and another in Belgium.  She died in the odor of sanctity in the Carmel of Brussels on March 4, 1621.  On May 3, 1878, His Holiness Pope Leo XIII signed the Decree introducing the Cause of her Beatification.

[10] Matt. 8:10.

[11] St. Francis of Assisi, out of humility, refused to accept the sublime dignity of the Priesthood, and remained a Deacon until his death. [Ed.]

[12] An allusion to the beautiful words of the martyr St. Ignatius of Antioch, uttered when he heard the roar of the lions in the Roman arena.  “I am the wheat of Christ; let me be ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may become clean bread.” [Ed.]