_I feel that my mission is now to begin, my mission to make others love the good God as I love Him ... to give to souls my little way._ I WILL SPEND MY HEAVEN IN DOING GOOD UPON EARTH. This is not impossible, since the Angels in the full enjoyment of the Beatific Vision keep watch over us. No, I shall never rest till the end of the world! But when the Angel shall have said: “Time is no more!”[78] then I shall rest--shall be able to rejoice, because the number of the elect will be complete. HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII FOOTNOTES: [78] Apoc., x, 6. [Illustration] SIMPLICITY When I read certain treatises where perfection is set forth as encompassed by a thousand obstacles, my poor little head grows weary very quickly. I close the learned book which puzzles my brains and dries up my heart, and in its stead I open the Holy Scriptures. Then all appears clear, luminous ... one single word discloses to my soul infinite horizons, perfection seems easy. I see that it is sufficient to recognize our nothingness, and to leave oneself like a child, in the arms of the good God. Let great souls and sublime intellects enjoy the beautiful books which I cannot understand, still less put in practice; I rejoice in being little, since “_children only and those who resemble them will be admitted to the Heavenly banquet_.”[79] It is well that the Kingdom of Heaven contains many mansions, for if there were none other than those of which the description and the way seem incomprehensible to me, I should never be able to enter therein. VI LETTER TO HER MISSIONARY “BROTHERS” My patrons in Heaven and my chosen favourites are those who have stolen it--like the Holy Innocents and the Good Thief. The great Saints have earned it by their works; as for me, I will imitate the thieves, I will have it by ruse, a ruse of Love which will open its gates to me and to poor sinners. The Holy Ghost encourages me, saying in the Book of Proverbs: “_O little one, come, learn subtlety of me._”[80] COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES Our Lord replied to the mother of the sons of Zebedee: “_To sit on My right and on My left hand is for them for whom it is prepared by My Father._”[81] I imagine that those places of choice, refused to great Saints, to Martyrs, will be the portion of little children. Did not David predict it when he said that _the little Benjamin will preside amidst the assemblies_ (of the saints)?[82] COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES “If you could begin your religious life over again” asked a novice, “what would you do?” “It seems to me that I would do as I have done.” “You do not then feel like the hermit who used to say: ‘Even though I had lived long years in penance yet I should fear damnation while there still remained to me one quarter of an hour, one breath of life.’”