These reflections are taken from a talk by Mother Anne Marie Babin VHM, Superior of the Visitation Monastery in Annecy, France in the 1860’s.
Day one- Wed August 3
“Look and do according to the model which has been shown you. Does it not seem that Our Lord more particularly addresses these words to us in pointing out our Holy Mother (St Jane de Chantal) for is she not the true model that we should imitate? God has willed to give us her, who having practiced from morning until night what we ourselves do and by these exercises having attained eminent sanctity, we ourselves can attain it by acting as this great Servant of God did.
Now how could this admirable saint realize so fully the designs of God over her? If we study her thoroughly we shall realize it was especially by that wonderful fortitude that she evinced in overcoming all her enemies and above all, in overcoming herself, ..her own heart, judgments, will and intellect, leading a hidden and holy life under the exterior of a common life, which has nothing extraordinary except being irreprehensible in everything.”
Day two- Thurs August 4
How many times did St. Jane not bury the sword in the most intimate depths of her sensitive heart or receive with courage, submission and joy the sharpest darts. The most complete void was made around her; death despoiled her of all who were dearest to her on earth; she saw herself alone, forsaken, and oppressed with great difficulties; she felt an ocean of the greatest bitterness submerge her entire being, she submitted to an interior martyrdom, so great the sword of divine love cut and made in her soul. Her one word, one refrain she repeated ” My God, Thy Will be done!”
Day three-Fri August 5
Not only did St Jane engrave the Name of Jesus on her heart of flesh, but also on all the affections of her soul, so that each beating of her heart was a continual “Live Jesus”, a new immolation, an impulse of love towards the God whom she loved so much as He took from her here below all consolations and gave Himself to her under the veils difficult to nature.
Day four-Sat August 6
The heart of this Holy Mother St Jane was really a living victim, a victim increasingly immolated and the triumph of the love of a person for her God. This is indeed the heart of Holy Mother; what then should be the heart of her daughters and her friends?
Day five-August 7
Not only did our admirable St Jane sacrifice her heart, but she immolated without reserve her mind, her will, her judgment, and she was not less sublime, for she went as far as heroism.
Day six-August 8
Reflect on the temptations St Jane had to overcome ,placing her whole perfection in the observance of many little things, that the nature of her mind would induce her to treat as trifles, to subject herself to a number of practices, to renounce great and elevated ideas she must have formed to herself of the religious life and to become a child in the school of our Holy Founder, St Francis de Sales, whose spirit of mildness was quite opposed to those of this strong, vigorous and energetic woman.
Day seven- August 9
The secret of St. Jane will be revealed to us entirely in eternity only, but here below let us endeavor to understand the designs of God in commencing the mildest of Institutes by one of the strongest souls who ever appeared on earth.