ColinSup028

20 January 1838 - Jean-Claude Colin to Claude Besson, Belley

From the original sent in the author’s hand, APM 233; one sheet of four pages.

[p. 4 Address]: Fr. Besson, Notre Dame /de l'Ermitage/ par St. Chamond/ Loire.

Belley 20th January 1838

My very dear confrère,

[1]: My sincere thanks for the prayers you have been so kind to offer up for me. Continue, I beg you, to commend me to the good Lord, for I need this very badly. For my part, I have not been waiting just for this moment to address my prayers and vows to heaven on your behalf and on behalf of each member of the Society. I have been asking for more courage for you to rid yourself of all self, for more forgetfulness of what is taking place within you and a complete surrender of yourself into the arms of God. Never reason with yourself, my dear brother, but only with God, staying in His arms like a child, content to know that He is acquainted with your misfortunes and that He can rescue you from them. Oh! how happy we would be if we were to keep our eyes off ourselves to fix them continually on Jesus and Mary; in them we shall find everything, strength, light, peace; in ourselves we find only darkness, anxiety, faint-heartedness, discouragement, dullness of mind. How much good you would do if for once you were to happen to forget your own infirmities so as to see only the strength that comes from on high.
[2]: I am looking for money to pay in Lyons for Pilata. If you know of any good source, you would do well to point it out to us.

[3]

I embrace you toto corde and remain with tender affection,

my dear confrère,

your very humble servant,

Colin Sup.