Page 56 - La Nuit des Feuillentines

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of the vanities of the world. What a surprise and what sorrow not to be able to fnd you even in
solitude.
At least remain in my heart. You are the one and only loving object of my hope; stay in my
heart and let me hear your voice therein. And if I must leave this house, may it be without ever
separating myself from you. You never reject those who seek the truth, and you do not despise
an afficted and humbled heart. From the depths of your infnite mercy, you are always ready to
listen to our petitions and our confdence. Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”
Such a fervent prayer inspired by the God who wished to be her consolation could not but
be favorably heard. She immediately remembered how quickly the Holy Spirit-Consoler
had responded to her longings in the past, assuring her that He would not allow the fame
that He had loving lit in her heart to be extinguished. She hoped that this same Spirit
who so intensely enfamed her heart anew, would respond to these ftting desires. No
sooner had she fnished her prayer than she felt herself heaped with consolation. She
immediately experienced a powerful inspiration that led her to believe that God, far from
abandoning her, had great plans for her, for his Greater Glory and for the salvation of many
people.
The inspiration was accompanied by a vision: flled with an intense inner light that
overfowed within her and readily overcame her physical weakness, she saw a great
number of souls on the brink of hell in danger of descending if they were not helped. She
understood that it was she who must extend her hand to them.
She was instructed in the ways that were needed in order to bring this about, joining with
others who shared her zeal and would follow her inspiration and direction. She was
inspired with the idea of a religious Order of women who would dedicate themselves to the
education of girls, and who would consecrate themselves to God under the protection and
imitation of the Virgin Mary. The Order was to counteract all the injustices the heretics had
committed against the Mother of God that she had seen in her youth, restoring the love
and devotion due her.
God led her to see a Vision of the greatness and virtues of the Queen of humankind and of
the Angels in the form of the institute she would establish. Those who were unable to live
the austere life of the old Orders would fnd in this new moderate rule all the means for
achieving religious perfection.
This was how this holy Novice spent this night, a deeply joyful and brightly shining night
that dispelled all uncertainties, clarifed her doubts, and showed her God’s will! This was
the night Mary became the Mother of the society of these holy Daughters, who brought
together by the one she had chosen, united them under her name; the same way that in
the obscurity of another night the Virgin gave birth to her Son, the Light of the World. This
was the night in which the Blessed Novice came forth like Moses after his encounter and
dialogue with God, robed in a dual light that would pour out over these virgins forming
them in perfection and over families instructing them in the duties of a Christian life.