sent the affliction before Him; to come in and say " Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress" (Lam. i. 20). He will not fail to comfort thee, or at least to give thee strength to suffer that grief with patience; and it shall turn out a greater good to thee than if He had altogether freed thee from it. Tell Him all the thoughts of fear or of sadness that torment thee; and say to Him: My God, in Thee are all my hopes; I offer to Thee this affliction, and resign myself to Thy will; but do Thou take pity on me, — either deliver me out of it, or give me strength to bear it. And He will truly keep with thee that promise made in the Gospel to all those who are in trouble, to console and comfort them as often as they have recourse to Him: " Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you" (Matt. xi. 28).
He will not be displeased, that in thy desolations thou shouldst go to thy friends to find some relief; but He wills thee chiefly to have recourse to Himself. At all events, therefore, after thou hast applied to creatures, and they have been unable to comfort thy heart, have recourse to thy Creator, and say to Him: Lord, men have only words for me; "my friends are full of words:" they cannot comfort me, nor do I any more desire to be comforted by them; Thou art all my hope, all my love. From Thee only will I receive comfort; and let my comfort be, on this occasion, to do what pleaseth Thee. Behold me ready to endure this grief through my whole life, through all eternity, if such be Thy good pleasure. Only do Thou help me.
Fear not that He will be offended if thou dost sometimes gently complain, and say to Him, " Why, O Lord, hast Thou retired afar off?" (Ps. ix. 1.) Thou knowest, Lord, that I love Thee, and desire nothing but Thy love; in pity help me, and forsake me not. And when the desolation lasts long, and troubles thee exceedingly, unite thy voice, to that of
