glorious death is
no less precious than the sacrifice of him who lays down his life
for the Faith.

Though one must be exceeding pure before appearing in the sight of
the All-Holy God, still I know that He is infinitely just, and
this very Justice which terrifies so many souls is the source of
all my confidence and joy. Justice is not only stern severity
towards the guilty; it takes account of the good intention, and
gives to virtue its reward. Indeed I hope as much from the Justice
of God as from His Mercy. It is because He is just, that "He is
compassionate and merciful, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy.
For He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are dust. As a
father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord
compassion on us."[5]

O my Brother, after these beautiful and consoling words of the
Royal Prophet, how can we doubt God's power to open the gates of
His Kingdom to His children who have loved Him unto perfect
sacrifice, who have not only left home and country so as to make
Him known and loved, but even long to lay down their lives for
Him? . . . Jesus said truly there is no greater love than this.
Nor will He be outdone in generosity. How could He cleanse in the
flames of Purgatory souls consumed with the fire of Divine Love?

I have used many words to express my thought, and yet I fear I
have failed. What I wish to convey is, that in my opinion all
missionaries are Martyrs by will and desire, and not even one
should pass through the purifying flames.

This, then, is what I think about the Justice of God; my own way
is all confidence and love, and I cannot understand those souls
who are afraid of so affectionate a Friend. Sometimes, when I read
books in which perfection is put before us with the goal
obstructed by a thousand obstacles, my poor little head is quickly
fatigued. I close the learned treatise, which tires my brain and
dries up my heart, and I turn to the Sacred Scriptures. Then all
becomes clear and lightsome--a single word opens out infinite
vistas, perfection appears easy, and I see that it is enough to
acknowledge our nothingness, and like children surrender ourselves
into the Arms of the Good God. Leaving to great and lofty minds
the beautiful books which I cannot understand, still less put in
practice, I rejoice in my littleness because "only little children
and those who are like them shall be admitted to the Heavenly
banquet."[6] Fortunately--"there are many mansions