The wisdom of Saint Mother Theodore: Letter to Sister Maria

Letter from Saint Mother Theodore to Sister Maria in Madison, Ind.

Nov. 11, 1853

“My dear Sister:

“Sister Basilide having written to let me know the number of hours that each of you was occupied in teaching, I told her I thought you had too much to do and begged her to take something from you. This is the whole mystery.

“It is an artifice of the enemy of our soul and of all good to make us think that we should perform well such and such an employment if it were given to us. He wants to turn us away from the real good that we can do at the present moment, and for this end he aids us in projecting an immense good for some future period, or under circumstances which will never be offered to us. Let us not allow ourselves to be caught by this father of lies. Give your music lessons, etc., to the best of your power, and do not think about what you might do if you were a lay Sister, or something else.

“Continue to obey in regard to your Communions. Obedience is the best preparation that you can bring to Holy Communion.” (“Journals and Letters,” pages 357-358)