Temptation From Injustice and False Accusations by Outsiders. Bearing Them With Patience. A Warning for Those Who Want to Leave Their Parents’ Home for Freedom

May the mercy of God be with you!

Again?! Injustices, false accusations! This is most likely coming from somewhere outside. But wherever they may come from, I will tell you: not only must you be courageous and stand firm—you must also rejoice. It means your spiritual work is going well. The Lord is leading you toward purification, and the enemy finds in you a formidable opponent. Stand firm, then, in your position. There is no need to be troubled by injustices and false accusations. Whoever inflicts them—God will judge that person; whoever endures them—that person must bear them with cheerfulness and give thanks to God. Do not forget that there is another life, in which everything of this life will resound, either in praise or in reproach. Will you bear an injustice? There will be praise. Will you fail to bear it? There will be reproach. There you will not say: “But it was unjust.” They will say: “Whether it was just or not is none of your concern—why did you not endure it?”

No injustices originate from God, but they are permitted by God for the good of those upon whom they fall. Truly for their good! This is not merely a phrase, but a real fact. I bring the martyrs before you as an example. How terribly they were tormented. And what did the Lord do? He was right there with them, visibly appearing to them, consoling them, alleviating their sufferings—and yet He still left them in their torments to endure to the end, so that they might be crowned with the full crown. So too, every injustice and every false accusation prepares a crown. But the one upon whom they fall must endure them. This necessity has now come to meet you as well. Be so good as to bear with cheerfulness whatever it is you are going through. That is what God desires of you, for your own good.

You say: “It is frightening to give oneself over to injustices for an entire lifetime.” Of course it is frightening. That is why it is said to the one who follows in the Lord’s footsteps: ”Be courageous and let your heart be strong” (Ps. 27:14)! Ahead lies the cross. It turns out that nothing remains but to give oneself over to sorrows, deprivations, and false accusations. In this surrender, I tell you, lies the beginning of the true path. Will you give yourself over to this? At the very moment you do, you will step in the footsteps of the Lord. Be so good as to consider all this carefully and to resolve it in God’s way. The entire outcome depends on making this decision rightly.

Yet you had half-rushed out of your parents’ home—and to goodness knows where—feeling some kind of constraint on their part. It is the parents’ duty to watch over you; and they watch over you, I believe, as the apple of their eye. If this sometimes runs contrary to your wishes, you must submit. It is unjust to see in them only the desire to have their own way; it is more natural to see there the desire to protect you and shield you from everything. And that is the fruit of love. Soothe the bitterness of submission with the assurance of this—if you feel that bitterness because of your own rebelliousness.

By this obedience you must repay what you receive in the family. Food, clothing, shelter—these are not small things, but they are not the main thing. The main thing is being safeguarded from troubles in the outside world. Eagle’s wings cover you. The eagle’s beak and talons are ready to strike anyone who dares to insult you or cause you harm. This benefit is irreplaceable. The moment the eagle that covers you is no more, others will peck you to pieces. Now no one can approach you; then everyone will descend upon you. How terrible the horror of defenselessness is, you cannot imagine, for you have not experienced it. And God grant you never experience it. You have protection? Guard it, or do not tear yourself away from under it. From under it, you must pass again into protection—either within the walls of a convent or within the community of the sisters of mercy. But to enter alone into the struggle—no, no, no. They will peck you to pieces and you will find no place.

What does this powerful surge toward freedom that you have expressed mean? It is the worst of bad impulses. Your path has already been determined. Where is there to rush? And have you actually determined what it is you want, in so desiring freedom for yourself? There is no need to seek inner freedom, for it already exists, as it is an inalienable property of the spirit. No one can take it away. It follows that what you desire is outward freedom. But be so good as to consider: to what extent is such freedom permissible and attainable? Wherever you turn, you will everywhere be surrounded by freedoms equal to your own, freedoms that are equal in right to yours. Whatever we plan to do, we must always coordinate our actions with those of other people and limit ourselves by them—consequently constraining our own freedom. Every step brings a curtailment of freedom. And a legitimate one at that, against which we cannot object, by our own conscience. If this is so, then the rush toward freedom is a chasing of rainbows—and worse, a desire to seize a phantom. This is true in general; in your case it is a thousandfold more senseless.

Be so good as to curb your impulses. Children must listen to their parents and, submitting to them willingly, arrange their affairs and life according to their counsel. That is the law of freedom for you! And what are you plotting? I’ll rush here, I’ll rush there, and no one dare say a word. A real emancipationist! Consider whether you might not be suffering from pride. All emancipationists are proud.

What is so clever about rushing off somewhere? We constantly see those who rush—but we never see any of them happy. What sense is there in such impulses? None at all—only bluster: “Out of my way! I want to! Who has the right to tell me otherwise?” And these unchecked ones rush headlong, without looking back, not watching where they step, until they tumble into an abyss from which there is no escape. Be so good as to bear this in mind when the impulses come: I’ll do this, I’ll resolve on that.

One of your intentions is very good. And perhaps it is even an indication of how your life might be arranged. I have in mind the thought of joining the sisters of mercy. But that it is surfacing amid such disordered impulses—that is not well. There are as yet no clear indications of how your life should be arranged. Wait, as I have already written more than once. The Lord will arrange everything. Your little nest is warm and cozy. Sit in it until the time comes to take flight.

The Lord bless you!