Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/354

 munions! In a  word,  where  there  is  not  charity  there is no  recollection,  no  peace,  no  God.

If, dear  sister,  factions  exist  in  your  convent,  prostrate yourself before  the  Lord,  and  in  his  presence  pour  forth tears of  blood  and  fervent  supplications  that  by  his Almighty hand  he  may  remedy  the  evil. For when  the spirit of  faction  has  crept  into  the  cloister,  it  can  be  extinguished only  by  the  arm  of  omnipotence. If it  be  in your  power  to  restore  peace,  endeavor  with  all  your might and  at  all  hazards  to  accomplish  so  great  a  good; but if  the  extinction  of  discord  be  beyond  your  reach,  it is  your  duty  at  least  to  remain  neutral,  and  to  shun,  as you  would  death  itself,  every  act  that  may  encourage the fell  spirit  of  faction.

Remember, however,  that  I  do  not  mean  to  censure those zealous  nuns  who  defend  the  observance  of  Rule, and who  strenuously  oppose  all  abuses. Whoever seeks the good  of  the  Community  belongs  to  the  party  of Jesus  Christ. Would to  God  that  all  were  of  this party! If, dear  sister,  you  ever  see  an  abuse  introduced into the  convent,  I  exhort  you  to  unite  with  the  fervent, and never  to  abstain  from  vindicating  the  cause  of  God even though  you  should  be  left  alone. The Lord  will reward your  efforts  for  the  maintenance  of  regular observance. To feel  careless  and  to  manifest  indifference about  the  relaxation  and  neglect  of  discipline  is neither  virtue  nor  humility,  but  is  the  fruit  of  pusillanimity, tepidity,  and  of  a  want  of  divine  love.

The religious,  then,  whom  I  condemn  are  those  who maintain parties  for  promoting  their  own  interests  or particular  friendships,  or  for  depressing  a  rival  or  resenting an  insult. From such  parties  I  exhort  you  to keep  aloof,  though,  in  punishment  of  your  neutrality, you should  be  reproached  with  ingratitude,  wrong-headedness,  or  baseness  of  spirit,  and  even  though  you should be  deprived  of  office  and  doomed  to  perpetual