She replied:  “There is but one means of compelling God not to judge us, and it is—­to appear before Him empty-handed.”  “And how can that be done?” “It is quite simple:  lay nothing by, spend your treasures as you gain them.  Were I to live to be eighty, I should always be poor, because I cannot economise.  All my earnings are immediately spent on the ransom of souls.

“Were I to await the hour of death to offer my trifling coins for valuation, Our Lord would not fail to discover in them some base metal, and they would certainly have to be refined in Purgatory.  Is it not recorded of certain great Saints that, on appearing before the Tribunal of God, their hands laden with merit, they have yet been sent to that place of expiation, because in God’s Eyes all our justice is unclean?”

“But,” I replied, “if God does not judge our good actions, He will judge our bad ones.”  “Do not say that!  Our Lord is Justice itself, and if He does not judge our good actions, neither will He judge our bad ones.  It seems to me, that for Victims of Love there will be no judgment.  God will rather hasten to reward with eternal delights His own Love which He will behold burning in their hearts.”

“To enjoy such a privilege, would it suffice to repeat that Act of Oblation which you have composed?” “Oh, no! words do not suffice.  To be a true Victim of Love we must surrender ourselves entirely. . . . Love will consume us only in the measure of our self-surrender."

* * * * * *

I was grieving bitterly over a fault I had committed.  “Take your Crucifix,” she said, “and kiss it.”  I kissed the Feet.

“Is that how a child kisses its father?  Throw your arms at once round His Neck and kiss His Face.”  When I had done so, she continued:  “That is not sufficient—­He must return your caress.”  I had to press the Crucifix to both my cheeks, whereupon she added:  “Now, all is forgiven.”

* * * * * *

I told her one day that if I must be reproached I preferred deserving it to being unjustly accused.  “For my part,” she replied, “I prefer to be charged unjustly, because, having nothing to reproach myself with, I offer gladly this little injustice to God.  Then, humbling myself, I think how easily I might have deserved the reproach.  The more you advance, the fewer the combats; or rather, the more easy the victory, because the good side of things will be more visible.  Then your soul will soar above creatures.  As for me, I feel utterly indifferent to all accusations because I have learned the hollowness of human judgment.”

She added further:  “When misunderstood and judged unfavourably, what benefit do we derive from defending ourselves?  Leave things as they are, and say nothing.  It is so sweet to allow ourselves to be judged anyhow, rightly or wrongly.

“It is not written in the Gospel that Saint Mary Magdalen put forth excuses when charged by her sister with sitting idle at Our Lord’s Feet.  She did not say:  ’Martha, if you knew the happiness that is mine and if you heard the words that I hear, you too would leave everything to share my joy and my repose.’  No, she preferred to keep silent. . . .  Blessed silence which giveth such peace to the soul!”